Check out the beginner’s and the professional’s break – offs at
http://cue-ball-control.blogspot.in/2012/02/break-snooker.html
Snooker break-off 1 (The reds don’t scatter but the white is crazy break)
- Power : 3-5
- Spin : a little bit of right hand english might help
- Contact point on Object Ball (OB) : Less than 1/4th on the first red (to come behind the yellow) on the first ball on the side of the pack.
- Initial Cue-Ball (CB) position : between brown and yellow or brown and green. Try moving it towards yellow or green if you want to go more towards the side cushions after the first contact on the top cushion.
![]() |
The ideal break is to come behind the yellow, move the CB closer to the yellow to avoid hitting the first red too thin. |
![]() |
You can come behind the brown as well, hit the OB just a little bit thicker. You can also give some right side-spin, or even a combination of hitting thicker and giving side-spin. |
![]() |
Same goes with green, hit it a little more thicker |
You will notice that this is quite a difficult break to master. Since this break off is played a little slow, therefore, not many reds will scatter. Now that means automatic safeties, so you might as well start with this break. Play it thin on the object ball, to come behind the yellow, either on the bottom cushion, or directly behind the yellow, leaving your opponent with a snooker. A little running english might help if you don’t like to play it at speed. Play it just a tiny bit thicker and the CB should hopefully end up behind brown. play a little more thicker and try to go behind green as well, though according to me that’s the riskiest shot out of the three and should be avoided.
![]() |
CB contact point, don’t concentrate
on putting spin in this kind of break,
if you still want to put some, put a little
bit of right hand side, just a little bit.
|
![]() |
OB contact point (to come behind
yellow), hit thicker to come behind
brown and green.
|
![]() |
Break – off 1 executed, notice how only a few reds scatter, so even if you miss the snooker, it’s still safe. |
Instead of hitting it thicker, you can put a little bit of right hand english. The CB will travel more than normal though, so keep that in mind at all costs. I would advise you not to put left hand english if you are a beginner, as that will cause the CB to stop a little in its path, and make this break even more difficult. Check out break-off 4 though, if you want to see the magic of reverse side-spin.
- Power : 5-7
- Spin : around half way left, a little top if desired
- Contact point on OB : hit the red lying at the extreme right of the pack again somewhere between half and a third of a ball.)
- Initial CB position : between yellow and brown or green and brown, more towards brown in both. Move it towards yellow or green to decrease the amount of side-spin you put in the shot.
![]() |
Snooker break off 2 |
![]() |
Contact point on object ball |
![]() |
Cue ball contact point |
![]() Cue ball finishing point |
![]() |
Your opponent has no easy shot here; one red is pottable in the top left pocket, but that’s a risky shot |
I will try to discuss a few ambitious break-offs and even try to analyze a half – century break, in a few days, and post detailed analysis of shots such as screw back, follow, half ball hit, quarter ball hit and so on.
Check out the beginner’s and the professional’s break offs at
http://cue-ball-control.blogspot.in/2012/02/break-snooker.html