Breaks around pink ?

[Catch 22]

Sorry if this is a dumb question , but have there been any pros in the past that preferred to break build around the pink ball instead of the black ?

I find myself making breaks around the pink .....mostly because I'm bad at potting black off its spot (practicing this a lot now) . Just wondered if there had ever been a pro that did this .

[cyberheater]

If you want to be a pro then you've got to be able to pot blacks off it's spot with your eyes closed. The only way to win frames is to accumulate points with the minimal amount of pots required so your opponent requires snookers. You have to build breaks using blacks if it's available and every pro will try to get the black in a potable position as soon as possible.

I find my ability to pot blacks improves a lot if I stand in a straight line directly behind the black and the pocket and imagine the contact point in middle of the black going towards the point of the pocket I want that black to travel. I then fix my eyes on the middle of the black and then move around to stand behind the white. This gives me a much better idea of the contact point required.
I sometimes do this a couple of times. I then try to work out the line of aim from there.

My black ball potting rate nearly doubles if I do that.

[narl]

You'd think the pink would be preferable in a lot of situations because it generally has more pockets opened up to it, 4 instead of 2 but the black is really the only colour that most pro's concentrate on.

[Catch 22]

Yeah absolutely . I've never seen a pro favour pinks instead of blacks . But I've never seen a pro walk into a shot like Barry Pinches either lol .

I was thinking more of waaaay back in the day type era .

[gettingbetter]

I'd like to know too. As has been said, if you can have the pink available to four pockets you would think that it would make break building easier. In saying that though, I think not using the cushions as much would affect those who don't have that touch.

I've seen enough frames of snooker over several different periods and I don't think anyone actuals favours the pink over the black. I've seen single frames here and there where the pink area has been prominent for breakbuilding, but that can be attributed to where the balls lie i.e. the black was not in play.

[MikeTheBigMonster]

no right or wrong and no easy or difficult. is down to potting angle that u see and how well u r in terms of standard basics such as stance, grip, sight, cue action etc...

but like it was said earlier by cyberheater, you should try to stay on the black with minimum pots and high points to kill your opponents.

[jono*]

You can watch Ronnie for examples of break building around the pink, he's made several frame winning breaks, clearances using pinks only.

[thelongbomber]

Its good to practice both pink and black breaks, but generally speaking the black will be used more in competitive matches. With the reds being where they are, they pink is often tied up from players going into the pack from the black. With Hendry and others that like to open the pack off the blue, I would guess that you would see more breaks from the pink but generally, the black is still in play even when the pack is opened from the blue.

[thelongbomber]

You'd think the pink would be preferable in a lot of situations because it generally has more pockets opened up to it, 4 instead of 2 but the black is really the only colour that most pro's concentrate on.

You would think so, but actually the first 30-40 in a break is more often done off the black/blue/balk as the pink is tied up initially (generally speaking). The second 30-40 can happen with the pink as the reds are opened up. When trying to navigate into position for the reds, it's generally easier from the black/blue as you need to use fewer types of shots. When both pink and black go, you can play the cue ball high on the black which gives you pink as backup but the pros will insist to play the black anyways because it's 1 extra point and brings them that much closer to a frame winning break. Mathematically, and statistically, black is better and gives you a higher chance of winning, but you are right that in some situations the pink "can" be easier. For the last 30-40 in a break (or when there are 3-4 reds left), pink often is better/easier.

[luke-h]

They will want to stay on the black for maximum points but only if it provides decent position otherwise you will see pro's turn a black down for a pink.....that's how break building works. you have to make the next shot easy and if that means taking pinks with gentle stuns then they will do it.

[ace man]

How often do you see 50 break players score a 32 or 40 using blacks only? Not very often I'm afraid. If deep screw with some reverse side is required, or top spin using two cushions, or some powerful stun, continuing the break becomes much more difficult. Leaving too much of an angle or indeed getting too straight on the black is a common problem also.
Pros are pros for a reason. Compared to a club player, their cue action is virtually without any limits. How could you not go for the black as much as possible if you're that good?

[MasterBreak147]

On some camera angles it doesn't look like it i know but playing blacks into the corner pockets are much easier than pinks into middle all day long on those star tables anyhow.
If you catch a knuckle of those middles and forget about it going in they are nasty biatches, but the corners with the right speed can slide into the pocket.
Ill chase the black all round the table if i have to its the daddy of all balls like all above said accumulate points the easy way.

[ste bed]

I think they favour theblack because its easier to get position on the next red with pink as a back up where if you come low on the pink your going
Away from the pack if you come high on the pink you have the blue but same problem distance you come low on the blue
your in and out of baulk see my point your going further away every time more chance to miss more chance to run out of position. Uskng the black you stay
at the business end of the table plus its all about points.

[Catch 22]

if you come low on the pink your going
Away from the pack if you come high on the pink you have the blue but same problem distance you come low on the blue
your in and out of baulk see my point your going further away.

Good point .

[Byrom]

not bad break here