BREAK-OFFS AND CHALKS - 2020 CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS

During the Champion of Champions this week, Shaun Murphy caught everyone's attention by missing the reds when breaking off three times in the same best of 7 match.

Although his execution needs improving, he's trying to break off two cushions to get back to baulk, instead of the traditional three cushions break-off used on tour. See comparison in the image below.

Although most players refuse to even try that, it surprises me that a few players have never adopted this. Here are some positives and negatives I find about the two cushions break-off:

Postivive: Keeping the pack tight will reduce the % of times that your opponent will clear the table off your break.

Negative: You allow your opponent to play the first aggressive safety shot. In the professional level, most players will get the safety shot right and get the upper hand in the safety battle, which usually starts with the player who breaks.

Positive: Although most players will get that aggressive safety shot right, there's a slightly increased chance of them leaving something on, and then the player who broke can score next.

Negative: If you are a heavy scorer, you want to play an open game letting your opponent know that whenever they miss, you'll clear up from there. No point in playing tight from the break if you're a scorer.

Positive: The two cushions break reduces your chance of hitting the blue or a baulk color on your way back up the table, and you have to use less side.

There's no right or wrong, but if perfected (what Murphy hasn't yet), it's an easier way to snooker your opponent or at least not leave long pots available off your break. I don't expect most players to adopt this, there's not even a point for players like Ronnie O'Sullivan, Judd Trump and Neil Robertson to try this. But more defensive players who usually play tight and let the opponent take initiatives, like Mark Selby does, wouldn't be losing anything by trying this. 

If Selby had broken off two cushions in frame 32 against Ronnie at the World Championship semifinal in August, we could be sitting here saying he was the World Champion. But all he did in that frame was break-off leaving a red on, and then the next time he got out of his chair he had to play a decider. It may sound like nothing, but break-offs can be the difference between being world champion or not.

In other news at the Champion of Champions, Taom Chalk brand used their twitter account to complain that commentators are always blaming the chalk when players miscue. What do you think about that?

(Fyi the commentator was Neal Foulds) Well, in any sport I think that equipament can help - or not help. It's up to you deciding which works for you. I have used Taom Chalk and I didn't feel comfortable with the impact, and it left too many marks on the cue-ball as well. I was told that it was a chalk that didn't need to be applied to the tip every shot - it was supposed to last a good amount of strikes. And because I'm used to chalking my cue tip after every single shot, maybe I had too much chalk on it and that's why it was leaving marks on the cue-ball.

But as it didn't work for me, I simply got back to my old Triangle Chalk and got on with it. Everyone has the choice of which equipment they'll use. I've always found very irritating the fact that the commentator would blame conditions for 100% of the players' misses - if a shot is missed "unlucky kick", if lost position "unlucky bounce", if miscued "bad chalk". It makes you think that these players are in a level above imperfection and the difference between winning and losing is sheer luck. If so, then just stop staging tournaments because there's no point, everyone is equally good.

I know conditions can play their part, but I still believe that most of the times it's the player's mistake - although I'm not saying they miss a lot, they definitely don't, but to accuse the chalk that the player has willingly decided to use, is pointless to me. Taom didn't take it lightly either.

Meanwhile, action in Milton Keynes continues this week. On Sunday, the 2020 Champion of Champions will be crowned on ITV 4.

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