I'm interested as to whether people think if you can pot the 9ball off a break that this is skill or a fluke.

I've just lost a tournament game to cityfan84 by a Golden Break and everyone in the room seemed to be slapping him on the back as though this was some well versed skill, suggesting that it was well done for doing it. If it was me I'd be apologising.

My opinion is that it is nothing more than a fluke. Cityfan84 for example has 45 golden breaks in 6,000 9 ball games. This is hardly the statistics of someone who is clearly a very good player doing something skilful.

Just interested

to do a golden break you need to place the white and hit pack in the correct place, everyone has there views on this, like you said is it skill or a fluke.
im sure there is a thread on this somewhere on forum this one will turn out the same as that one with players expessing there views

As statistics show, golden breaks are indeed very rare. But ofcourse, there are a few techniques which if followed, would give you a better chance of scoring gbs.

So, 1) laws of physics do exist. you just have to find one.
2) you must be smart enough to find or copy and then master the technique. otherwise, stats could also be 0 in 6000.
3) and finally like in all other computer games, depends on your comp and specially screen resolution.

onlyme go on the practice table and keep clicking the rack button and youll see that the position of the balls move slightly every time.
This is why rob has "only" 45 in 6000 games.
it used to be possible to do it every time but that was boring so i believe as the people that could do it won every game they broke off.
It is a skill to do it as you have to practice them but still there is an element of fluke as you have to do it exactly right at the time the rack is in the right posistion.
However 9 ball i have seen some very fluky gbs but thats 9 for ya uk and us 8 are harder to do as the ball is in the middle of 14 balls as opposed to 8 and so is harder to move.

Also not all of those 6000 games i broke

There is a certain technique to do the golden break some people have player loads of games without getting one.

Couldn't agree more with mike there, there's an element of both skill and fortune involved, of course there is a lot of luck involved in getting a GB, but with practice you will come to find a favourable break that allows for getting GB's and run outs

if it helps onlyme i had i think 150odd uk golden breaks on my old account, look at my stats now i cant seem to do them lol

is this really the essence of the game though trying to perfect the golden break? Call me old fashioned but i'd rather win the game through the usual route of potting the balls in order.

I dont think anyone tries to "perfect the golden break", if it happens, it happens, we congratulate the person who got the GB and we move on. Yes getting a run out by potting every ball in order might look great and involve a lot of skill, but give me a GB any day ahead of being involved in a horrible, scrappy game (which I have been on too many an occasion).

I think thier is alot of luck in getting a golden brake.

But they say you make your own luck.

Personally i prefer to try and get a run out instead of a golden break.

If cityfan84 go it, then chances are he played for it.

in my time ie hit 3 and id like to think them as sjill but d probably be lying to myslef! lol

I've done 6 today lol and 1 where white went in

23:09 Wed 25/07/07 8 Ball UK - _steven_ potted the black off the break!
21:43 Wed 25/07/07 8 Ball UK - _steven_ potted the black off the break!
18:40 Wed 25/07/07 8 Ball UK - _steven_ potted the black off the break!
17:13 Wed 25/07/07 8 Ball UK - _steven_ potted the black off the break!
17:01 Wed 25/07/07 8 Ball UK - _steven_ potted the black off the break!
12:59 Wed 25/07/07 8 Ball UK - _steven_ potted the black off the break!

Make that 7...just got another lol

This is true of the cue ball on the golf game, as well... if you look very closely, you'll see that it does not always start at the same place as the last time you played that hole.

Long history to golden breaks, but basically, back in prehistoric times a caveman called fccmike (still around dude?) learned a shot, now known as the Golden Break Shot, which meant anyone could get a golden break on UK 8ball.

Many people tried to argue it as skill, but the fact was it was one simple shot. Think of it like finding the hole in one shot on golf. Once you have it, theres no real excuse to miss.

For this reason the "jumping rack" was introduced so the balls split randomly as in the real game.

The general idea of the shot can still work, but much more luck is involved.

This is the same with the US games. There are certain shots which will split the balls much more and with greater velocity than others.

Learn one of these, and yes, your chances go up.

Lets not forget the reason Golden Breaks exist, to encourage proper breaks since the balls hitting rails etc rules are much more difficult to code and remove the fun element.

So, to answer the question - a Golden Break is a Skillful Fluke.

totally agree with you. also like cityfan84 said, he didnt break on all the games. also ive seen him come so close alot of the time.
he does know the way to do a gb its just unlucky it doesnt go in all the time. also his run outs must say something that he has come close to a gb

ive been on your side of the gb and it is a bit of a downer but i always say well done

lol forgot to say skill

I done 7 yesterday

its probably a mixture of skill and luck. I think in real 9 ball if they 9 goes in they re-rack?