This is one of your best videos for ME. Why you ask...Because it all starts with the break.

I find the advice on follow through very helpful. It’s something I tend to forget over time but it makes a huge difference on the break when I do it right.

I am an open bridge player. I use a rail bridge on breaks. I have learned to treat breaks like any other shot. Meaning, have a plan for your break. Chose a ball and imagine banking it to a specific pocket. The break is NOT a special shot!

Truer words were never spoken

You can make a perfect rack with any rack. First of all the rack you use should be clean. Most pool hall racks are never cleaned and therefore build up dirt and organic matter on the inside. This makes them somewhat sticky so when you pull off the rack some of the balls move because they're sticking to the rack. Especially the nose ball. Set up your balls as tight as you can and let the balls sit for a few seconds. Then before you take the rack off bump the table firmly with your knuckles. This prevents balls from sticking. Then carefully push the rack forward a few millimeters as you pick it off the table. Unless something on the table like the spot disturbs the balls you'll have a perfect tight rack with all the balls touching.

I’ve never heard anyone talk about this, but usually the rack is not completely straight. So to get a more consistent break, you need to orient where you break with respect to the actual angle of the rack you are given and not just the center of the headline.

Low outside English on the 2nd ball break is a new one for me. I've always heard just low. Can't wait to try this in league tonight! Thanks again B! You always bring something new to the table for me!

I have been watching you for about a year now. I want to tell you I have watched others on KZread and I found you are only one of two that I watch to learn from. Your instructions and comments have helped my a lot. I am an amatur and like you say don't get a lot of time to practice. I do hope that one day I will get to practice more and improve even more than right now. Thank you and keep up the great work.

@FXBilliards

3 ай бұрын

Your views mean a lot to me. Thanks

@mikejurkowski4165

2 ай бұрын

Who's the other one?

I concur what Bryan said about second ball break. I can consistently pot balls, but I don’t like the spread after the break, even on a slick table with new cloth.

When I do the 2nd ball break I usually always seems to make a ball in one of the 2 corner pockets behind the rack. Only time I go to 2nd ball break is when nothing is going in on my regular head ball break. Great video... really enjoyed it especially your comments on follow thru.

Happy to see you are back. Hope you are feeling good. Once again, You Da Man. I’ve been breaking dry for the last week or so. This video dropped at the right time for me, gets me back to the basics. Thanks again Coach B.

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

I appreciate you taking the time to tune in. Thank you for your comments.

Learned that my bar-box break wasn't so good on 9ft Diamond tables! One thing that was repeatedly consistent... others won't/don't give the same quality rack that I give myself or them! Many doesn't think it matters, nor do they care --- till they get a shit rack... then come the excuses (thought it didn't matter?). Everyone hits differently but everyone has to find what works and what doesn't, it's part of the game. Love it all for the love of the game!!! Be Safe

Great information and help. Your videos have improved my confidence and play immensely. Thx Brian.

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

Great to hear!

Phenomenal video B. All so very true. I appreciate when you take the time to talk to us and make these videos and also I know you got another channel about Poker iv already subscribed. Also your doing Great! On KZread B. Keep it up I know myself and many others will always take the time to watch your content there’s much wisdom you have and I always appreciate you sharing it

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

I appreciate that!

Good to see you back. Hope things are going well. Very good advice.......Be true to yourself. Very good video, keep up the great lessons.

@FXBilliards

3 ай бұрын

Your views mean a lot to me. Thanks for taking the time to comment. I’m doing great.

Great video 🎉 breaking is very important. Anything information that helps increase the odds of making a ball is something to add in my practice routine daily. Thanks for being here for us. You are a blessing

@FXBilliards

3 ай бұрын

Absolutely! Thanks

Excellent advice 👍

@FXBilliards

Ай бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

You are right on. I just need to master making the 8 on break. When i was in shape, like at least 5 hours a day. I would make the 8 or 9 on break once every nite. It really kept people from playing with me. Oh i might win a game or two which bothered people when I'd run the table. More often id make a mistake so id have someone to shoot pool with. I play with people today and try to train gracefully. And show them by running the table out missing the last ball.

great vid

Thank you for so much knowledge in such a short vid. I've seen vid after vid of guys talking like everything is 100% and easy. You definitely put a true touch on the information. Thanks for the helpful tips!

@FXBilliards

2 ай бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

Truth! 👍🎱

I had a friend who didn't break well and he asked my to show him how to break in 8-ball. I used a 2nd ball ball and sunk the 8-ball two times in a row to win the games. Luck smiled on me that day, but not many times using a 2nd ball break through the years.

All I can say is finally somebody really knows how to break a rack of pool balls . I have watch many vedio on you tube about how to break and how to shoot pool , and when its gets right down to it , they really don't know what their talking about . I always like to make my comment to who ever it was and tell them how I break and how to improve their game . I only played pool for 45 years , also made pool tables and cues for a living . When I was a pro pool player , I would play for 60 hours per week . My next comment to you would be how I break and how I pot balls .

As always...great advice...🙂

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

Thanks again!

Great Advice Brian Thank you

@FXBilliards

3 ай бұрын

Very welcome

The best thing I ever did for 8 ball breaks on my home table is to use a cheap clone of a Magic Rack. I know you've complained about the PITA factor and you like your very expensive Predator rack but try this trick to "load" a Magic Rack. Put any conventional rack on the table upside down, load it with balls, and then position the rack over the pre-positioned Magic Rack similar to how you would rack the balls normally but don't drag the rack on the table. Lift it up a little bit as you are moving it. Try to get the one ball right over the correct spot on the Magic Rack and stop the conventional rack right there. The rest of the balls should jiggle into position or perhaps they need a tiny nudge. Remove the conventional rack, and your Magic Rack is loaded with little or no fiddling around. In other words, you can prepare a rack of balls on a Magic Rack just as quickly as when you use a conventional rack most of the time, but with a near 100% chance of having a perfect rack each and every time. My breaks are now consistently good. I invariably get a good spread, usually with about half the balls stopping in the top half of the table and with enough action to produce a decent chance of making a ball on the break And, since the breaks usually have such a good spread, removing the Magic Rack after the break without disturbing any balls is normally not an issue.

Great video Brian

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

Thanks 👍

Great video Bryan. 😮❤👍🏿

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

Thank you

Great video 🎉 so helpful.

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

i try it today right in the middle on the front line the closer possible to the balls it helps. i poket minimum 1 ball on the break

During the game you never hit with 100% force. That's why it's easy to lose your cue when you break. You have to practice that. In addition, the second ball break has a scratch risk. Very well explained. Thank you.

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

Thanks for the tips!

Why I break from side, I am a slightly above average player. When I play really good players. The side cluster is to my advantage as they have a harder time running out. If i was a high run out player, I would for sure change it. I also think poorly racked balls are in my favor.

Great stuff, Bryan. I usually put the cue ball where you do and then aim right at the eight ball as if no other balls were there. Seems to work pretty well, spreads the balls nicely and once or twice I make a ball! Thanks!

@FXBilliards

3 ай бұрын

Good stuff

Thank you Brian

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

My pleasure!

Thanks Brian good video 😊

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

Very welcome

I put ball about 1 ball to left or right of center at first diamond. Aim at the 8 ball. And imagine driving stick into the table to help keep from lifting cue on follow through. Pretty consistent spread on table.

Another excellent video Bryan Tried the 2nd ball break with little success and would sometimes scratched in the corner pocket on the same side I was breaking from. Went to center table break and stayed there for the past 14 years. Thank you

@FXBilliards

3 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching and thank you for your comments

when i have t=good stance i get best break , but the bad stance my struggle happen , i been more consistence early 2000's the struggle started happening 2018 . The break was reason why i play because age 13 in institution in Philly i been at , i heard in Special Olympic by a volunteer say that place is now a shopping center

Just started using a hard tip break cue, excellent for analyzing what part of tip contacted cue ball.Also a spinning cue ball after break tells a story.

@FXBilliards

3 ай бұрын

Good stuff

Good video as usual Brian. I like to break using a rail bridge with cue ball about halfway between the spot and rail and I always put the ball about one ball width right of the center line

@FXBilliards

3 ай бұрын

Great tip!

…..thanks for break tips Bryan 💥🙌🏼

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

Any time!

Great advice to use low outside when hitting the second ball. Also, I’ve found a second ball eight ball break, works best on a 7 footer more so than on my 8’ or on a 9’ table. Great video Bryan 👍🏻

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

Good stuff! Thanks, Ron. Thanks for your comments.

@ronthepoolstudent

4 ай бұрын

@@FXBilliards you’re welcome Bryan and thank you 👋

Gotta disagree about the 2nd ball break on a bar box--by design, the wing ball goes in very consistently and there is MORE control over the cue ball that goes into the side rail and back into the rack... when using the head ball break, the cue ball is at the mercy of the balls coming back at it at its position is far less predictable. Also, both breaks can have their flaws in terms of the shooter's accuracy: When the head ball is hit slightly off target, it fires into the side pocket. When the cue ball is inadvertently hit low, it often draws to the near corner pocket. That leaves the opponent with a spread table and ball in hand. When the 2nd ball break is hit incorrectly, the balls are left congested and the opponent has a very difficult time running the rack. When the 2nd ball break is hit correctly, the balls get a very good spread--it's only when they aren't that the balls slide towards one side of the table. With that said, top tier amateur players lean heavily towards the 2nd ball break on a bar box while the pros hit the head ball.

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

I appreciate your comments and thanks for watching

Great video. In 8-Ball I usually hit the 3rd ball back and get a really good scatter and make a ball about half the time.

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

Nice!

Great breaking advice Brian! I just started playing on a APA 8-ball league. I have played the last 3 seasons on a APA 9-ball league and I have found breaking is much different. I hope your surgery goes well if you haven’t already had it.

@FXBilliards

3 ай бұрын

Thanks for asking. I’m doing very well.

Great video and advice. My breaks are pretty good. It's rare for me to have dry streaks. I use a stout cue and have great acceleration for my strike. My biggest issue is players racking too loose. For the last few years I've been inspecting the rack to ensure that I get great power transfer through the balls. If it's loose, ask the player to tighten it up and inspect again.

@FXBilliards

3 ай бұрын

Great tip!

If you're on a budget and need a good rack I'd say get the magic racks or accu racks

Thanks Brian that's exactly what I was doing the ball spinning and going back through them again I thought this was good You keep teaching this old dog new tricks thanks again

@FXBilliards

3 ай бұрын

Glad to help

“Be true to yourself, make these adjustments.” Truer words have never been spoken. I’ll practice my break tomorrow (love free pool Sunday!). Thanks for the great advice, B!

Nice work Brian... I'm with you on the centre break I'm right handed and l ball left of centre. Back spin gets me 1-3 balls 2/3 of the breaks

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

Good stuff

Check out our ON LINE POOL MasterClass at NWQPool.com

I do use second ball break some but as a particular strategy and certainly not exclusively. I normally use it when I'm playing a skilled opponent who is very capable of running out in one go. With the second ball break, I give myself a chance at winning by making the 8 and if that doesn't happen, I don't leave my opponent a wide open rack to run out.

@FXBilliards

2 ай бұрын

I appreciate you taking the time to tune in.

Good vid Bryan. It also helps to play on Diamond tables as the quality and consistency is much better than Valleys. Any tips on how to get Valley vendors to put on new rails occasionally?

@FXBilliards

3 ай бұрын

Cost about $600 to put new rails on the table. They’re not gonna do it until people stop playing on those tables and putting money in them.

@jamest3552

3 ай бұрын

@@FXBilliards No choice when it's the only 2 in the bar for league.

I watched SVB in a championship match, where the first 9 games had 7 dry breaks.

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

I remember that match and a few others where there was no ball made on the break in about 70% of the games. Corey who is also one of the best breakers went 0 for 6 in a match when he was using the second ball break. Thanks for watching.

Thanks Bryan, when I break I tend to pull my break cue way back. When I do this I flex my wrist or pronate it. When I start my cue going forward my wrist goes back to it's original position with my thumb pointing down (or so I think). As in golf I try to use the ground or floor to push off so as I get towards the back stroke I squat a little and as I start going forward through the ball I push off the ground and end up jumping. For me this technique works better for 9 or 10 ball than 8 ball. So is there such a thing as hitting the rack to hard on the break?

@FXBilliards

3 ай бұрын

You were only hitting them too hard if you lose control of the cue ball or you’re not hitting the cue ball where you intend to.

@carlcrader1939

3 ай бұрын

Thanks I do tend to loose control of the cue ball.@@FXBilliards

Shane practiced 10,000 hours for his amazing explosive break. He has the best consistent break ever

Hey Bryan, good to see you. Is this an older footage or have you had a good rehab after your surgery? Best wishes from Germany, Thomas

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

This is a new video. Thank you very much. I recovered just great.

One thing you didn't touch on is break cue weight. When I was your student, I felt I needed the heft of a 25 oz cue to break properly. But I got a chance to buy a BK Rush cheap and when I tried to add weight to it it stopped pocketing balls on the break. Took it back down to 19 oz and WORKED my breaks and I get consistent spread and will pocket the wing ball most breaks. I've seen the 2nd ball break work well on 7ft tables but its too easy to scratch for me. I go half a diamond left or right depending on the table. Stay down n follow through.

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

Hey buddy, thanks for sharing

@brett6314

4 ай бұрын

Guy on my team uses 17 oz. He really winds up and devastates the rack. He stands taller and rips it. Fun to watch.

Im just a bar pool player, but i do make 8 in at least once a week. Twice last night. 8 ft table

@FXBilliards

Ай бұрын

Congratulations

I am having trouble spreading the ball in an 8 ball rack. I use a practice cue ball so I know where I hit it. When I hit the CB in the center and hear a good crash I still don’t spread the rack. My break cue is 25 ozs. Should I add weight to it? I am 81 and just started playing again after 45 years. I enjoy your videos and try to practice the drills you show but I am not very good. Any advice you can think of will be greatly appreciated. Thank you. .?? .

@FXBilliards

Ай бұрын

First, take about 5 ounces out of your break you. Heavy brake, cues are a gimmick. They do not help you break. Almost every professional is breaking with a cue that’s lighter than 20 ounces. There’s also a good chance that you are sending the tip of your cue UP during the break - your tip should be down on the table with your follow-through - anything else and you’re taking speed off the cue ball.

@jackslover107

Ай бұрын

@@FXBilliards Thank you for your reply and suggestions. I have a 21oz cue but it has a medium tip. I will try it and if I get a good spread I will have weight taken out of the break cue. Thank you again for your response and your suggestions

Hey Bryan, I need your help. In our Club we play the Zeus Cyclops Balls and we are ok with them. But from 2 sets the cueballs have many scratches and dings. So we need to replace them by new cueballs. The problem is that the Cyclops cueballs sold out here in germany. And buying 3 new sets is not possible yet because we let our tables fixed with new cloths and new rails. So there is a gap of cash right now. I would like to buy 3 cueballs from a different brand. Maybe Aramith, Brunswick or Predator. I know the Zeus ball are often used in the states. So my question is: Could it work for us getting a "wrong" cueball for our 3 sets of balls? Thanks in Advance! Stay healthy! Thomas

@FXBilliards

3 ай бұрын

As long as they’re official size and weight, it won’t matter

Should I be using a different cue? ( other than my good shoting cue?) I always have tried to find the heaviest one in the house to break.

@FXBilliards

3 ай бұрын

Search for the lightest cue- you’ll have better brakes. It was proven 20 years ago that lighter cues put more speed on the ball and break better. People that don’t know any better. People will try to make an argument for heavier cues but cue speed is where the power comes from. That’s why 99% of top layers use lighter brake cues.

Nice video Bryan. Love the view on 2nd ball breaking. Im a head on breaker- every time in 8 ball. Generally speaking, I break at a higher level than the rest of my play. I look at breaking as if it’s a completely different sport. Each discipline, table, and conditions might require a variety of different breaks. It’s a fun challenge for me to decipher the best break for each circumstance. So yes! Always make adjustments- that’s huge.

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

Good stuff

I also have the predator rack with a Viking crush my break has increased immensely

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

Outstanding, thanks for watching

Another great lesson but a little contradictory in that you say don’t keep changing up your break but at the end change it up if you need to. So maybe practice a few different types in practice for when you have to change up?

@FXBilliards

3 ай бұрын

I said, don’t try to invent a new break, which is a lot different than changing up your break. You can change your shoes without trying to invent a new shoe. Thanks for watching.

What are the signs that you may want to reduce speed on your break?

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

If the cb is flying around the table or off the table, you may want to take some speed off your break or if you’re not hitting it solidly but you’re cue tip sliding off. Anytime you’re not hitting the ball where you intend to hit it. It’s time to slow down.

"The number one mistake players make when they're trying to improve their break is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result." In other words, breaking is like everything else in life 😂

Last year our team played a match were neither team made a ball on the break 13 games.

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

I can see that happening. Thanks for sharing.

No link for icue ball

@FXBilliards

22 күн бұрын

I think it’s sold out from my link but try Seyberts Billiards

Brian so you know, tom from IQ. We've been friends for years.

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

Cool, thanks for watching

100% I tell my teammates that when their opponent is using a 2nd ball break, he is afraid of playing you. He is looking for an early out. A cowards break imo.

@FXBilliards

3 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching- I appreciate your comments.

What about when that plastic paper is used to rack

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

I think you’re talking about a magic rack or other templates. Most of them are very good if you don’t mind having them on the table.

You might break the overhead light OR bust yourself in the face.

@FXBilliards

4 ай бұрын

Good point thanks for watching

As someone who spreads the balls out across the whole table every single break but hardly ever makes anything go in, I can say I disagree that spreading the balls is most important lol. All you end up doing is spreading it out for the opponent to run the rack on you lol. Is there such thing as over breaking? Maybe im breaking too hard and it keeps balls from going in? Another thing that tends to happen for me, is alot of the balls end up on the rails. For some reason when I break, the balls all go towards the rails. Or at least settle there. Very annoying. I cant figure out why.

@FXBilliards

3 ай бұрын

If the balls are staying near the rails, there’s only two possibilities. One: the rails are bad and not giving you enough bounce. Two: there’s not enough power on your break to generate enough speed to take the balls off of the rails. Reason the spread is more important than making balls, is because if you get a good spread, you can adjust where your breaking from in order to make balls. but if you can’t spread the balls out, you are not very likely to make them on the break. And if they’re not coming off of the rails, you’re not very likely to make a ball on the break. and chances are you’re not playing people who run out after the break, so making a ball on the break is of even less importance. Might even be to your benefit if you’re playing amongst the “three balls and miss “ crowd.

Also, which may sound funny, if You practice your break, or you play somebody who break with hammer force - use ear plugs. Trust me I know a laryngologist, and I spoke with him about that. Break sound is rapid but very loud. It’s like train siren for fraction of the second but it’s seriously damaging your hearing. You don’t want to be old man with impaired hearing.

@ninjabakerdaddy3220

4 ай бұрын

What? 👨‍🦳👂