Q: A player writes about how to play pool and break: Last night I broke 57 times. I had 7 chances to run out. Of those opportunities there were 2 spreads that needed perfect cue ball placement, too tough for me. Perhaps Efren could have done it.

Once I ran out. Once I got hosed when the '7' ball skidded on me and missed dropping. Three times I just messed up, although once the last 3 balls were in kinda difficult spots, somewhat close together.

I'm still learning how to play pool. I dunno, does that seem like a normal percentage? Not in my mind it doesnt, oh well.

A: Fast Larry Responds. The above was a question about how to play pool and how to break. How do I know if my break is good or not, most frankly do not have a clue.

Most of the leagues don't know how to play pool and the breaks I see after the balls spread are so poor a pro could not run the table.

With out mastering the break, you will never learn how to play pool like a master.

You must accomplish 3 things: (1) Make a ball and stay at the table. You can't win sitting in the chair.
(2) Spread the balls well so no 2 balls are touching, move at least 7 balls up table past the side pockets at 8 ball.
(3) Get a shot so your run can begin. At 9 ball you must control the cue ball and one ball together putting the both up table.

It does you no good if you break and spread them perfectly. You need to learn how to play pool right and go into each play session and record your break stats. How many times a night did you break, now many times did you perform all 3 perfectly, produce the run out table, how many times did you actually run out.

2 out of the 3 is no good, you must learn to do all 3. You need to chart these 3 stats so you can see if your break is improving and if your run outs are getting better as well.

Charting your progress while you learn how to play pool will speed up your progress. How many of you are doing that now, actually have a gauge, how you are you doing, going up, going down or stuck in place.

Don't shoot your messenger, I am telling it like it is, but I am trying to help you learn how to play pool and get this game of yours moving.

You must study your break and learn how to play pool right to realize what I just told you, pal, and your break probably is terrible and you don't know it. Now accept that. Now do something about it.

If you are like most when you are first trying to learn how to play pool, you are only trying to hit the rack as hard as possible and if you do that you think you are doing the right thing. That is complete wrong.