The break-off shot in snooker hasn’t really evolved too much over the decades, leading us to believe that the figure-eight starter played by professionals is the best way to lead a match from a breaking player’s point of view. Is this the most effective way to break-off the start of a match and why aren’t other methods as successful?
For example, why don’t players shoot thinly off the back corner reds with minimal side and allow the cue ball to bounce off the bottom and side cushion rather than swing around the table utilising 3-4 cushions? The main reason for this is while it can sometimes result in the same outcome of wanting the cue ball to end up on the top cushion, there is a fairly decent chance the cue ball will career into a baulk colour.
The nature of this kind of shot will still pull a red or two into pottable positions so if a player did end up cannoning into a baulk colour then they will leave chances for their opponent. As snooker is quite a ‘percentage game’ where competitors like to play shots that they are likely to execute, some shots will be seen as too risky to try. This type of break-off shot can be seen as one of those shots that has a high chance of causing more problems for them rather than their opponent.
Other break-off shots that aren’t played (for obvious reasons) include smashing into the pack (from any direction), similar to pool. Due to the length of the table, size of the pockets and colours acting as obstacles, it is a very slim possibility that a red will be potted. And in the highly likely scenario that nothing is potted then you have left the entire world for your opponent. This kinds of breaks have happened in competition on rare occasions (search ‘unorthodox break shots’ on YouTube) with one instance including Neil Robertson fluking a red off one of these breaks.
What about resting in the pack? Well, it would be a bit of a waste of a shot. If a player rolled the cue ball into the pack as their break-off shot, they are completely forfeiting the safety advantage – which the break-off shot should be considered as – as well as playing a negative shot. Any time you leave an opponent with a shot that allows them to play up the table back to baulk from the bottom half gives them the opportunity to put you in trouble, as they don’t have to worry too much about pace as they would a full length safety shot from the top.
So it seems that we have the figure-eight break-off shot. Sometimes, if you play the figure-eight a little harder, it can bounce off the top cushion and lead to a snooker behind a baulk colour. Wouldn’t that be better? Again, it comes down to percentage shots. And it isn’t a guaranteed shot. In a substantial portion of shots played like this, the cue ball has a chance of running past the baulk colours completely and once again, leaving a pot on for their opponent.
Why is the figure-eight so effective? Firstly, it’s a shot that can be consistently played by professionals with a minimised chance of error that would be caused by alternative shots. Secondly, this minimised chance of error/cannoning means that maximum distance can be achieved between cue ball and object ball(s). Thirdly, this break-off shot can open up the pack sufficiently while still playing safe. There might be a better break-off shot out there; but is hasn’t been discovered yet.
It’s unlikely that the break-off shot was always like this. Playing conditions and equipment have changed drastically over time so that it probably wouldn’t allow for a break-off shot like this to have been done. However, this can’t be said with any certainty due to lack of footage but there are clips of Joe Davis breaking off in a manner that just used the bottom and side cushion.
What do you think? Is the break-off shot as good as it can be?
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