One of the biggest changes in the pro game over the years has been the evolution of the break, particularly in 9-ball. Long gone are the days of racking with the 1 ball on the spot and breaking from the side rail.

The changes have been made to make the break tougher and less predictable, especially with tournaments implementing a winner breaks format.

The changes, of course, have in turn forced breaking strategies to change with them.

I remember the Pro Billiard Tour days when breaking from the corner became so easy. The corner ball was automatic and led to one run-out after the next. And with winner breaks, you could sit in your chair for a long time. So, they added the break box.

Meanwhile, Jose Parica was so smart that he started breaking from the box but aiming to hit the 1 ball as if he was breaking from the corner. (See diagram.) The corner ball would still go in, but now he was able to add position on the 1 ball. That’s how the cut break was born. (A lot of people credit Corey Deuel, but it was Parica first. Corey perfected pattern racking from that.)

The cut break is important because you have to have a backup break if you wind up in a tournament where you’re not allowed to break from the corner.



Additionally, no matter what the rules, you need to experiment with different percentages of the head ball you hit on the break. With the 9 on the spot, you can make the 1 and sometimes the corner ball. If you hit three-quarters of the 1 ball and the corner ball isn’t going in, try hitting two-thirds or half the ball. If that isn’t working, hit a quarter of the ball. Eventually, if the balls are racked properly, the balls will start going in.

You need to hit the 1 hard enough so that the cue ball comes off the side rail with draw and straighten out going toward the middle diamond. That gives it a chance to kick the 9 ball toward the corner or the side. The only problem with that is that they’ll kick into the 9 or another ball and scratch in the side or in the corner.

It’s unpredictable, so you always have to be ready to tweak your break. Matches aren’t usually long enough to stick with a break that isn’t working. You have to change fast.