Free tool · Break
Break speed & efficiency analyzer
1 · Break speed
Cue ball travels 47.8" from the head string to the head ball
Film from the side in slow motion. Step through the video frame by frame and count from the frame the tip touches the cue ball to the frame the cue ball touches the head ball. At 30 fps one frame is 33 ms, so use slow motion for accuracy.
Average cue-ball speed
21.7 mph
34.9 km/h · 125 ms
Firm. Strong spread. Only worth it if your cue ball stays near the centre of the table.
Average speed over the distance; the cue ball is slightly faster at the tip than at the rack. Speed bands are Academy guidance, not official categories.
2 · Break scorecard
Log each break honestly. "Controlled" means the cue ball stayed near the centre of the table and didn't scratch.
| # | Balls made | Controlled | Scratch | Shot after | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
- Score
- 0
- Ball made
- 0%
- Controlled
- 0%
- Scratch
- 0%
- Shot after
- 0%
Efficiency score = 30% balls made + 30% cue-ball control + 40% "made a ball and had a shot", minus half the scratch rate. An Academy formula to compare your own sessions over time.
Checking membership…
The break rules
What makes a break legal, and what happens on a scratch: see the pool rules checker.
8-ball break guide
Positions, speed and cue-ball control: how to break in 8-ball.
Know the terms
Break shot, soft break and legal break explained.