Potting from the break

[Paulie]

So,

Last week I broke off using a slightly different aim point than usual and ended up potting a red. The red I hit on the far end of the triangle bounced off the top cushion clipped the pack and rolled into the right middle pocket. The cue ball ended up in against the balk cushion so I just rolled behind the brown for a snooker.

Thinking this was fairly rare I thought nothing of it until I broke off two frames later and to my and my opponent’s amazement the exact same thing happened again only this time I misjudged the strength of my break and ended up on the brown. A quick and easy 5 points to me then!

Has anybody else had this happen to them and does anybody know if a red has been potted from a break in competition?

I am playing again tonight and will keep the same change to my break, will be interesting to see if it happens again.

[good19]

Eddie Charlton, in his book, The Complete Book of Snooker recounts his amazing running break of 272. He writes, "I had to play two opponents a game of snooker each. I broke the balls in the first frame, made a red into the centre pocket, and cleared the table for a break of 137. My new opponent came to the table, the referee re-racked the balls and I potted a red into the same pocket and cleared the table again a second time for a break of 135, making a world record running break of
272. Neither opponent had a shot."

Of course the main question is, "Can you make a red on the break often enough that you can play for it, and hence do it in a way that leaves you nicely on a color?" When it happens on accident, as your first one, you found yourself with onle a saftey shot available. If you play the break-off to pot a red and at the same time leave a possible shot on a color, yet you fail to make the initial red, you have left your opponent with a good chance for a large break. If the truth were known, I suspect that Charlton didn't have any fear of either opponent clearing the table or even making a frame-winning break from his aggressive opening break-off.

[Alex0paul]

does anybody know if a red has been potted from a break in competition?

I am pretty sure Quinten Hann did it at the 2002 World Championships against Paul Hunter

[Rane]

Neil Robertson did it last season against Ken Doherty in the round robin playing best of six, where he was 4 -0 down. Try to search for it on youtube its a very entertaining match.

[vuce]

Neil Robertson did it last season against Ken Doherty in the round robin playing best of six, where he was 4 -0 down. Try to search for it on youtube its a very entertaining match.

i doubt that can be called a competitive match...

[bongo]

I would never try to pot reds on the break, too many times you would not get one, it isn't Pool!

[adam_s_101]

It will never catch on, all tables play differently and hence will reak differently. What might work on one table will more than likely not on the next

[Welshsteve]

I agree with the majority here. Playing for a red off the break is just plain daft in a competitive match.

[scottley]

I am pretty sure Quinten Hann did it at the 2002 World Championships against Paul Hunter

Quinten Hann is certainly the one i remember, not sure who it was against or which tournament, but you are probably correct, he came off the top cushion with side to break into the pack and scattered the reds everywhere if i'm not mistaken, in lots of the frames he left his opponent in for a frame winning break, but he did manage to get a red at some point off the initial break.

[Rane]

I saw a clip with Joe Davis on Youtube, where he was breaking up the way Davis do it at the moment just with more speed, and he putted a ball in the middle pocket. Does anyone know, if that was normal in the old days ?

I can´t find the clip at the moment.

[bongo]

I saw a clip with Joe Davis on Youtube, where he was breaking up the way Davis do it at the moment just with more speed, and he putted a ball in the middle pocket. Does anyone know, if that was normal in the old days ?

I can´t find the clip at the moment.

No, I don't think that was normal, it was probably just an exhibition or demonstration.