Small games for a year
- Thread starter nataddrho
- Start date
Great to see that the classic disciplines simply refuse to die. There's no money to be made, international tournaments are scarce, but the game simply has a reason to exist because it's basic, brilliant and beautiful. I have no idea about your current average in the free game, so forgive me if I'm telling you things you already know. When learning how to play the free game, it's important to know that there are three types of shots in that game, I call it the 1,2,100 principle. 1. A shot is so difficult, you'd be happy to make it, period. Don't make it harder than it already is. 2. A shot is makeable and there is potential for position. You try to play it in such a way that you will at least have this point, and the next one. 100. You have the balls nicely gathered, maybe even in the Americain position. You are thinking "production". Whether that's a run of 12 or a run of 199, that's depending on how far advanced you are. If you are a beginner, always decide if you're playing a 1 or a 2!
why not just play Korean 4 Balls, that combined all! If it was Good for Sang Lee. It should be play more in USA.
Good comments!
The way Gretillat puts it, is that you are always playing either a positioning shot or a gather shot. I’ve noticed myself that I can further divide that into whether I have the luxury of hitting a desired part of the object ball or just trying to make any contact with the object ball at all.
I already have pretty good rail control from practicing one cushion, even though I never played it properly. My knowledge gap is in the American and small lines (just keeping a line going). This is a lot of fun to practice because it is so hard to not mess up, and I am learning the exact amount of draw, spin, angle and energy to get the object ball banked back into the barrage. I can use the cue ball as an energy absorber, which is a bit scary but I am surprised to learn how it works. I think I can make a lot of progress this year.
If I can walk the pair of balls around the corner lines that would be huge!
My piques are also getting better and better and now I don’t know how to get back in line without them, and what a disadvantage it is for anyone who doesn’t know this skill (like me 6 months ago)
Korean 4 ball is just a version straight rail with an extra ball that is “poison” (opponents ball). Navigating around it or removing it is the goal. The free game always has unmovable static baulk zones in the corners, and in balkline the entire table has baulk zones.
Developing the skill of walking a line is valuable and applicable to Korean 4 ball, but removing the poison ball once infrequently isn’t applicable to the other games.
the balls are identical, the table being just smaller.
small games are much easier on small tables. I would even say that you must learn & play the small games on small tables until you reach an A level ( over 20 general average aka 200pts in 10 innings or less) , else it's suicide/much too hard ...
in europe we learn & play the small games on 2m80 (9 feet , more usual size in France) or 2m60 (8 feet, more usual size in belgium/NL) .
then once we reach a good enough level ( over 20 average) , then we play on 3m10.
I played for the first time last night. I am strong using the rails but quite weak with line returns especially one rail returns, to maintain the American.
You see it online, you can watch videos of people playing it, and you can imagine the game. But I have to say, until you commit and draw lines on a table and actually play balkline yourself, you won’t realize how fun this game really is. It’s as fun as 3C.
tailuge
New member
That's really interesting @erriep , I'd never thought about it before. I'm now considering adding a 9ft table to my simulator - but would probably do the Korean 4 ball game (in desperate attempt to attract good Korean players). I've never played that but after seeing some videos might just consider it....
Caromball.com players by default play on the 9 foot table (2.54m) in most carom games. Your software should have this option.
The table size selection should be independent of the game.
I'll add my 2 cents!
Playing the 'Small' games is easier to grasp on an 8' or 9' table!
Less reaching across the table or from the end rail for the 'Rail-Nurse'!
Playing 3C on 8' or 9' tables is at least 20% easier than a 10' table!
'Sixes, Sevens & Eights' runs are pretty normal for an accomplished player on small tables!
Playing the 'Small' games is easier to grasp on an 8' or 9' table!
Less reaching across the table or from the end rail for the 'Rail-Nurse'!
Playing 3C on 8' or 9' tables is at least 20% easier than a 10' table!
'Sixes, Sevens & Eights' runs are pretty normal for an accomplished player on small tables!
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