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Some Straight Pool Break Shots

© Copyright 1999, Jim Loy

Note: I have simplified these diagrams, because I made them so small. Instead of 15 object balls, I am showing only ten object balls. I will improve the diagrams later.

In the game of straight pool (or 14-1), you call and shoot any ball you want (just call ball and pocket). You get one point for each ball made. When there is one object ball left, that ball is your break ball, and your opponent reracks the other 14 balls, and you continue your run. Normally, you try to leave a natural break shot, one where you make an easy cut, and the cue ball goes into the rack, and comes out for a decent shot.

Here are some break shots that I have shot, when I failed to get a natural break shot. Some of these are easy. Some are tough.

1. The first one is very tough. I was straight in on my break ball. So I played rail first, to create an angle for the cueball to go into the rack. I drew the cueball to get a better break (or to actually get the break, if the break ball was too far down toward the end rail); but that makes the shot tougher. If you can figure out the place to aim, running English makes a bigger target (not so thin a cut) on the break ball. This is not too difficult a shot, if the break ball is very close to the side rail. You can usually avoid this situation, if you make a habit of never leaving balls straight in, unless you are sure you need to be straight in (to stop or draw or follow just right).

2. The second one is easy. You just have to leave the break ball at the right spot. In warmup, rack 14 balls, and see where the break ball should be. If a ball ends up at about the right place, that may be your emergency break ball. Then, when you break, shoot the five ball combination (four balls in the diagram). You may have to ask your opponent to rerack several times, until he/she lines it up just right. If he/she knows what you are trying to do, you may never get the right lineup. A similar shot, with the break ball a little ways to the left in the diagram, is to have the corner ball kiss in off the break ball into the corner pocket.

3. The third one is fairly easy. Just carom the cue ball off the corner ball (or another ball, from some angles) to make the duck (ball hanging in the pocket). This may be a little touchy if the back row of balls are all touching, as you may get more draw than you expected. Other ducks (at the other end of the table, for example) can be shot the same way, perhaps with the cueball going zero or more rails, into the duck. In the diagram, the normal shot is to just shoot the break ball, with the cue ball going into the back of the rack off the end rail. This is normally pretty easy. But, in some cases, the carom may be easier or may guarantee a next shot.

4. The fourth one is fairly tough. But, if you can get the feel of the shot, it is not bad. It is a nearly ideal break shot position, except that the cue ball is too far to the right, in the diagram. One normal way of handling this is to shoot the break ball into the pocket, with perfect high right to come off the left rail into the rack. That takes some practice, you should try it. In some positions, this is not possible. Another way is to kiss the break ball off the rack. This can be easy or difficult, depending on the exact position. When this position came up recently, I caromed the cueball off the rack into the break ball. The position was such that it felt like an easy shot. It is worth considering.

A friend of mine always (almost) leaves a break shot which he doesn't have to stretch (or use a mechanical bridge) for. Then he can break with plenty of force, with a smooth stroke.

Note: Straight pool is excellent practice for all pool games. The above breaks can be used in 8-ball or 9-ball, when you have to break out a cluster. For example, you may carom off a cluster into a duck.

Addendum:

5. Here is a break that seems to work pretty well. I have messed up my break angle. I am tempted to hit the break ball with draw left, go to the side rail, and directly into the rack. But, if I can get the cue ball close to the corner pocket with high running english which will curve, this break is a natural. I may end up stuck near the end rail. But I should have some shot down table.

6. This break shot is the favorite of Duggleby, a friend of mine. He would leave this break shot as often as he could, usually several times in a single game. The break ball goes into the crotch between two of the three center balls at the back of the rack (there are only two of them in the diagram). Make sure that you hit one of the balls of this pair first, then the other. The shot is a natural. It is important not to throw the break ball, making it curve out of the shot. It may be possible to make the cue ball jump over the rack to get better position after the break.

7. Some break shots work very well into the side pockets. Even a classic position for a break ball as #5, above, can be very effective into the side (left side in that diagram). So that might be the smart shot to try for, depending on the situation of the previous shot. Here we see a fairly easy break into the side. It seems that few people consider this shot beforehand. They shoot down the green ball earlier, not realizing that it was a good break shot.

8. I have not figured this one out. I make it very rarely. You just kiss the object ball off the rack. There are several fairly good places to hit the rack. And the shot depends heavily on speed because of natural follow on the break ball. A fun shot that may come up now and then is to bank the break ball off the far end rail and into the rack for this same effect.

9. There are some risky shots out of the rack. All of them involve some throw (side English on the cue ball which transfers side English to the object ball). Each of these may be fairly natural (not requiring any cueball English to generate the correct throw), depending on the table. The long bank is a natural scratch, as you want to hit the corner ball fairly full. The banks in the side may require plenty of speed, to shorten the angle.

10. Here is another break by Duggleby. We shoot the break ball down the rail with an elevated cue. The cue ball hits the end rail and jumps into the middle of the rack. With the standard break in this position, there is a danger of sticking to the bottom of the rack. This jump break has different dangers. You can jump from other places, but with the rail you can get more spectacular altitude. This shot takes some practice, to get the right distance with your jump.

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