I was having an adult beverage with a friend of mine the other evening when the discussion of pool came up. I was, for over 10 years in the APA; The American Poolplayers Association, and an avid pool shooter. So, he was telling me about how his brother had a table in his basement and... well that is a complete story unto itself... So it got me to thinking about how I used to put the 8-Ball in on the break 1 out of 10 times and how that might be of some interest to someone. I realize those numbers seem quite high and unrealistic, and they are, but, these stats are recorded, plus I still have the pins, trophies, patches, and other paraphernalia as proof. So, here is the true "How-To" on how to put the 8-On-The-Break...
The first thing to discuss is the table. There are 4 standard sized tables used in America. For this lesson, we will only be discussing the "Bar" Table and the "Regular" Table. The "Oversized 8" and the "Full Size" take a lot more practice to master... anything on than these other two, and this article is for the average guy, not for the pros. These two tables are the most common and what most everyone who plays pool in a local hall or tavern will play on, so this is what we will concentrate the lesson on. That was easy. Next is the Rack itself. The rack while we really do not think much about it, has a lot to do with how the balls scatter when they are struck by the cue ball on the break
The photos on our site show standard 8-Ball Racks. You will notice the 1 Ball is not the "Head Ball". The rules of 8-Ball do not require it to be out front so don't make a scene about that. Second, the balls must be tight. No loosey-goosey racks if you are trying to put an 8-On-The-Break. Most opponents do not mind re-racking if you ask nicely. I realize a lot of the bar tables may have divots and such, so have them do the tightest rack they can. The main idea is to get the front 10 balls tightly touching. If the back corner drops off, well that's the risk of playing on a bar table. Next lets discuss the position of the cue ball on the table. If you are familiar with a pool table, you know about diamonds. These are the spots on the rails marking different portions of the table.
On a standard break, your cue is positioned anywhere behind the second diamond "The Head String", at the head of the table. Your goal is to strike the head "position" ball and scatter the balls. For the 8-On-The-Break, you will require a bit more accuracy... actually to get to the 1 out of 10 you will require perfect accuracy. Here is the first real "How To" get the 8-Ball in on the break. Position the cue ball either right side or left side, on the head string second diamond, which ever you prefer. When you get good, you can switch it up and make your opponent antsy. For this lesson we are going to use just the right side to shorten the writing. OK, right side head string diamond. Close all but three fingers in your hand and use this as a measuring stick. So, right side second diamond, three fingers out from the rail. That is where the cue ball NEEDS to be positioned for an 8-On-The-Break. Next Step is the "Practice Makes Perfect" part of the lesson; English on the cue ball on the break. If you are not familiar with or do not feel comfortable using English yet, my next article will be English Made Easy, so watch for it. English on the cue ball for the 8-On-The-Break is really simple once you get the hang of it.
English on the cue ball should be low bottom left, or (into the rack), for the perfect strike. Imagine the cue ball having a box with nine spots on it perfectly centered across and down; 3-Across and 3-Down. Pick the spot that is on the bottom left corner. Once you learn this spot, it works like a charm, but I caution you, practice, practice, practice, and did I mention practice, because until you learn it, be wary of the cue ball, as it will likely fly off the table, or scratch in the corner pocket. Remember, I said accuracy The next and final step is the aiming point on the rack. We discussed the rack above, but not where the cue ball should hit it. This is another step which requires a certain amount of practice. Once the cue ball is lined up second diamond up, three fingers out, position yourself to be able to strike the cue ball with force on the lower left corner. Aim directly at the center of the 2nd ball on the right side of the rack and let it go.
If all steps are performed as written here, you will have a very good shot at dropping the 8-On-The-Break. Here is a very close analogy, think of trying to through a strike in bowling. Same spot... and with the English, you get just enough spin to "Hit The Pocket" ... I truly hope this adds to your game... It is a blast to drop an 8-On-The-Break... Get's the juices flowing. GOOD LUCK!
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