Defence on the breakThe speed of the break shot and the layout left if it misses

ScalesReference linePath

Reference position

Spinside −2 · high

1/2

Ball fraction1/2

Speed3/5

Break from the right. White hits the red with a 1/2 ball fraction, a high hit and left spin, at medium speed (3). White comes out of the top left corner (left long and top short cushion), comes back off the right long cushion and arrives slowly at the yellow. The red takes the top short, right long, bottom short and left long cushions and stops in the upper left area. The point is made; even if it had not been, the red would have stayed in the upper half and the yellow on the bottom spot. The green area is the target for the red; the red circle is the zone the red must not come back to.

On the break the balls are always in the same place: the red on the top spot, the opponent's ball on the bottom spot (the middle of the head string), and the breaker's ball on the same line, half a diamond to the right or left of the opponent's ball. On a break from the right, the cue ball hits the red at about half-ball, comes out of the top left corner (left long and top short cushion), comes back off the right long cushion and finds the opponent's ball. The scoring path is fixed; defence is about where the red stops. At the right speed the red goes around the table and returns to the upper half; with too much speed it comes down next to the opponent's ball.

When? On every break. When the break shot misses, the opponent plays the layout you left; that is why the speed of the break is a defensive decision.

Tips

1On the break, speed decides the defence: hit at medium speed (3 on a scale of 5). The red comes down from the top short cushion to the bottom short cushion, goes back up again and stops in the upper half; even if you miss the point, it stays far from the opponent's ball (the yellow).
2Do not hit the break hard. On a hard stroke (5/8 ball, speed 5) the red travels the length of the table twice and often comes down next to the yellow; if you miss the point, you leave the opponent all three balls together.
3You can break from the right or from the left; everything is mirrored. The ball fraction (1/2), the follow (a hit above center) and the speed stay the same, only the direction of spin changes: left spin when breaking from the right, right spin when breaking from the left.
4If you give too little spin or none at all, the cue ball comes back narrow off the right long cushion and misses the yellow by a hair. If the speed is right, the red still stays in the upper half; the opponent has to play a long, difficult path.
5If it is your turn after the break and the layout is bad (the scoring path is hard or the balls are bunched), consider playing the opponent's ball first and sending it to the other end of the table. Even if you miss the point, the opponent is left with a distant ball.
6When the opponent's break misses, look at where the red stopped. If the red is in the upper half, the opponent judged the speed well and you face a long, difficult path; when choosing your scoring path, also take into account the layout you will leave if you miss.

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Watch outThe starting spots and the side distance of the breaking ball may differ slightly depending on the rule set; check the marks on the table before the match.

Watch outKiss risk on the break: the return path of the red crosses the cue ball's path; the higher the speed, the greater the risk.

Watch outThe paths are drawn with ideal reflection without spin; spin and the cloth change the angles.