The Monk Forum - View topic - The 'STUN' Break - The Monk Billiard Academy - Free Message Board Hosting by FreePowerBoards.com

Howdy All;
I have been working on the 'stun' break. My problem is this; I get lined up fix on my aim point, start out with my cue level @ center ball, elevate tip to approx. 1 full tip above center ball then jack up the butt end a tad so as to strike down on the cue ball, pull the trigger and sometimes Very Happy

, and sometimes Sad

. OK, here's the question; approximately how many degrees above level do I elevate the butt end, or am I going about this all wrong? Help me, help me,help me please!
humbly; hank
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the humble apprentice.

Hi there hank in answer to your question there is no set degrees to jack up on its all realevent to speed...and quality of stroke.i have a student who uses a stun break and on set up he does not jack up at all!but on contact he pushes down on his cue into the table causing the stun affect...he is great and is #3 in oceania!it depends on your speed and the way you stroke,play with it and see what works...
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Howdy Master Tim;
OK, I'll have to pay closer attention to detail (that's where the devil lives, right?). The local seat of higher learning just opened it's new student rec. center. They've got 6 brand new 81/2 foot Olhousens. (free!!!!). now i've got to wait till the new wears off. Then I'll be able to practice more often ( it's open 8a till 01a or03a) lots of free time.
Now maybe the others can see how a form works and they can try it themselves.
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the humble apprentice.

Hank:

The Stun 8-Ball Break is successfully accomplished by various and different techniques. They all have pros and cons, but when you get right down to it, you got to do what works for you. It is like the Stance, the bottom line is you must be comfortable in it. It varies dependent on your built and the shot you are taking. I am probably one of the better 8-Ball breakers on the big tables. So I will tell you my technique which is a combination of feedback from the Monk, Bert Kinister, Johnny Archer, and a few others and my own experiences on my journey.

Assuming you are playing someone with equal or lesser ability in pocketing balls then yourself, you must consider the following.

What are your main objectives?

1. Don’t scratch or jump balls off the table
2. Sink at least one object ball
3. Scatter the object balls all over the table preferably with no balls touching and none on the rails.
4. Leave the cue ball in the middle of the table so you are not forced into long distance shotmaking.
5. Run the rack.

How can this be accomplished?

1. Move the ball around on table for your so called sweet spot that varies for every table and environmental conditions. Put it right on the kitchen line, somewhere between the two end diamonds on the head rail, so you are close as possible to the Apex Ball (IPT Regulation in 8-Ball Breaking).
2. Line up the cue ball to go through a full hit on the Apex ball and the most number of balls you can for maximum transfer of energy to the rack/ For example the Cue Bal, Apex ball, and other balls all on same track line.
3. Use a closed bridge for a rock hard, steady, smooth, and accurate stroke.
4. The bridge hand should be 8-10 inches behind the cue ball for this power stroke.
5. Strike the cue ball 1/8 tip below center with no English until you get better.
6. Aim to hit the Apex Ball and other balls on same track line to transfer maximum energy to the rack (most engineering & physics folks back this up via experimentation and theory).
7. Your stroke should be a follow through cue extension all the way through the rack in a controlling motion. (Bert Kinister taught this)
8. Keep cue level to playing surface. Level cue. Level cue. Don’t jack up on the cue at all. (Jacking up will cause cue ball and other balls to jump off the table especially with speed).

If the cue ball snaps back at you (not bumped back), try aiming at the cue a little higher, but not above centerline. If it follows through the Apex ball, you hit it to high. If the cue ball or any ball comes off the table you were jacked up. Speed and follow through have impact on this too.

If you don’t sink any balls, try lightening up on your speed, or move the cue ball around to another spot.

UI hope I am clear and hope this improves your break.

Howdy Philly Willy;
I grew up not to far from The City of Brotherly...
Thanks for the step by step. I'll be sure to try it out. Thanks again hank
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the humble apprentice.

Hank:

One more thing. When I mentioned objectives, they are mine. They may not be yours. For example. If you are playing someone superior to you in sinking balls, your objective should not be to scatter the balls all over the table, mainly because if you don't sink one, you would make it very easy for someone like me to run the table. You should become knowledgeable of safety play, because you always run up against the guy with sharper eyesight and in better physical condition who seldom misses. As you age, you will see such things happening to you and those balls don't seem to drop in for some reason.

This post should enlighten you that there is no one straight forward answer to a single question posted on forums.

Willy

YO, Howdy;
Have been practicing what you sugessted, results are better, not as consistant as I would like, but better than before. I am in the process of reaquiring my skills. 14 years away has left it's mark. That and the ravages of age. So I've had to restructure my stance, my stroke, and a whole hoast of other minute details. Still re doin' things as well as back to college to learn a new set of skills for a better base job. So, practice is weekends mostly and league on Tuesday nights. Slow but steady progress. Thanks again for the advise I am putting it to good use. hank
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the humble apprentice.

Like it has been said their is no single right answer to a question , my break is a little different as far as tip position but still the stun stroke . I break from aligning from the first diamond out of the corner pocket and a line through to ball behind the 8 opposing me , 1 diamond from the head rail , I know I should be closer the the rack but my cue resting on the rail adds a stablity to my bridge, and puts me in a comfort zone the deliver my best stroke . I will adjust power depending on the table speed to get the scatter I want , if i were to guess I'm better than 50% on making a ball on the break.

Phil Capelle's book on Nine Ball has a pretty good written and graphic representation in the breaking section that I recommend reading. He discusses where to position the cue ball at different locations and explains what balls will go into the pockets for each location. He recommends a full hit on the one ball, which I recommend or your rack will not spread well and the cue will have a good chance of going in the hole.

I don't know how many people watch or play 8-ball by IPT rules (call shot), but you have to break in a box instead of a rectangle. This is done to limit your chances on putting less balls in on the break and sinking the 8 as well. It takes luck out of the game.

Not many teachers or authors recommend the Bert Kinister type full extension stroke and that is a shame. I previously recommended the Bert Kinister full extension, but with better control of the cue. Bert and his student's had the cue ball jumping off the table way too much and it is because their cue was not level and'or hit the cue ball in the wrong spot for the power break with a full extension through the rack extension. Sorry Bert, but you know that is the reason why. I have perfected your stroke without causing the cue ball to leave the table, if it does, I know why.

Well that'e another 2 cents worth of information.
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Philly Willy

Philly
that break box is why I changed my break I knew
before long the apa would have it and I most
comfortable with a rail bridge for breaking. I would
also like to welcome you back , cause I joined and
posted and it has seemed dead on here , and I
love to talk pool I'm far from great just another student of the game. I'm a apa 5 in 8-ball and 4 in 9-ball just started back in 9 after 2 years no league to play in been back in it about 2 months now . I use the same break in 9-ball and I'd say I'm about 80% to make one of the 2 balls right behind the 9 in either of the corner pocket at the foot of the table

JC

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