3-Ball Pool Break Strategy and Tips

dr_dave · Mar 30, 2018

I just posted a new video dealing with the fun game of 3-ball, demonstrating several different break strategies, showing ways to pocket 1, 2, or 3 balls on the break and how to get good shape after the break for low scores:

Enjoy,
Dave

PS: Do any of you know other effective breaks not shown in the video, and have you ever gotten a 1?

greyghost · Mar 30, 2018

dr_dave said:
I just posted a new video dealing with the fun game of 3-ball, demonstrating several different break strategies, showing ways to pocket 1, 2, or 3 balls on the break and how to get good shape after the break for low scores.

Here it is:

NV J.4 - 3-Ball Pool Break Strategy and Tips - How to Make a Ball and Score Low

Enjoy,

Dave

PS: Do any of you know other effective breaks not shown in the video, and have you every gotten a 1?

Every where I’ve seen it played it’s always in a line. Except maybe the fair

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chefjeff · Mar 30, 2018

dr_dave said:
(snip)

PS: Do any of you know other effective breaks not shown in the video, and have you ever gotten a 1?

Have the guy racking for you cheat the rack.

It's one of the dangers of playing 3 ball.

Jeff Livingston

garczar · Mar 30, 2018

greyghost said:
Every where I’ve seen it played it’s always in a line. Except maybe the fair

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Tulsa-style Keebie. Line 'em up. Never played 3ball with balls in a triangle.

greyghost · Mar 30, 2018

garczar said:
Tulsa-style Keebie. Line 'em up. Never played 3ball with balls in a triangle.

Right.....couldn’t ever get no ace pot going with them in a triangle.

I want ladies and gentleman hobos and the Homeless shooting at a 12k dollar ace

Maybe john Chen could win him a new pair of socks

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garczar · Mar 30, 2018

greyghost said:
Right.....couldn’t ever get no ace pot going with them in a triangle.

I want ladies and gentleman hobos and the Homeless shooting at a 12k dollar ace

Maybe john Chen could win him a new pair of socks

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Niice. He needs em.

dr_dave · Mar 30, 2018

greyghost said:
Every where I’ve seen it played it’s always in a line. Except maybe the fair

There are many variations of 3-ball: triangle vs. line, rotation vs. not, etc.

I think the most common version is what I demonstrated, which is documented on the Wikipedia Three-Ball page.

Regards,
Dave

dr_dave · Mar 30, 2018

chefjeff said:
Have the guy racking for you cheat the rack.

It's one of the dangers of playing 3 ball.

Can you describe the most effective cheats for either a rack-your-own breaker or an opponent racker?

Thanks,
Dave

chefjeff · Mar 30, 2018

dr_dave said:
Can you describe the most effective cheats for either a rack-your-own breaker or an opponent racker?

Thanks,
Dave

It is tried to make it so a direct hit on the head ball would send a ball 4 rails (as you showed) to the corner.

I love 3 ball, but the drunks at bars really cheat as often as they can, it seems. The last time my captain and I called someone on their cheating (shooting twice in the same inning), I ended up with a flat tire in the parking lot.

It's still one of the best games for amateurs and players alike, especially when there is a party goin' on.

Jeff Livingston

J SCHWARZ · Mar 30, 2018

There was a pool video game back in the day for ps3 and in between matches you had to complete trickshots. Any ways they had a trick shot where there are three balls racked just like in the game three ball. From the kitchen (breakshot) you kick one rail and split the back two balls. Each of the two back balls go in a side pocket. Low and behold it works quite well in a real game of three ball when the balls are racked good. I've gotten a few twos with this break over the years and its become the go to break for some of the regulars at the local beer joint lol.

dr_dave · Mar 30, 2018

J SCHWARZ said:
There was a pool video game back in the day for ps3 and in between matches you had to complete trickshots. Any ways they had a trick shot where there are three balls racked just like in the game three ball. From the kitchen (breakshot) you kick one rail and split the back two balls. Each one goes in each side pocket. Low and behold it works quite well in a real game of three ball when the balls are racked good.

Thanks for sharing that. I'll give it a try and maybe add a follow-up video if I can get it to work.

Thanks again,
Dave

chefjeff · Mar 30, 2018

J SCHWARZ said:
There was a pool video game back in the day for ps3 and in between matches you had to complete trickshots. Any ways they had a trick shot where there are three balls racked just like in the game three ball. From the kitchen (breakshot) you kick one rail and split the back two balls. Each of the two back balls go in a side pocket. Low and behold it works quite well in a real game of three ball when the balls are racked good. I've gotten a few twos with this break overy the years and its become the go to break for alot of the regulars at the local beer joint lol.

I've never seen that work well. I've seen it tried, mostly by amateurs.

Often it is hit so hard, it jumps over the rack.

gutshot · Mar 30, 2018

Richard Harris used to do a 3 ball challenge at his pool room with 3 balls lined up in a row. It was very hard to make one ball. When the pot was up to about $500, I slammed into the head ball, head ball went into the side, middle ball in the corner and back ball double banked into the opposite corner. I placed the cue ball on the head string, one diamond from the side rail.

greyghost · Mar 30, 2018

gutshot said:
Richard Harris used to do a 3 ball challenge at his pool room with 3 balls lined up in a row. It was very hard to make one ball. When the pot was up to about $500, I slammed into the head ball, head ball went into the side, middle ball in the corner and back ball double banked into the opposite corner. I placed the cue ball on the head string, one diamond from the side rail.

Yeah that’s how we did it in Tulsa in a triple shim B.B. ace went to 10k once and second time was 12k and we had 178 people snapping at it for 2 days

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dr_dave · Mar 30, 2018

gutshot said:
Richard Harris used to do a 3 ball challenge at his pool room with 3 balls lined up in a row. It was very hard to make one ball. When the pot was up to about $500, I slammed into the head ball, head ball went into the side, middle ball in the corner and back ball double banked into the opposite corner. I placed the cue ball on the head string, one diamond from the side rail.

Thanks for sharing that. I'll give it a try. If I can get it to work, I'll post a follow-up video with other things people have suggested on Facebook.

Regards,
Dave

gregcantrall · Mar 30, 2018

Most of my 3 ball play was on an 8 foot bar table with an oversize cue ball.
Breaking 4 inches of center and hitting low the head ball could be forced to the corner with one wing ball banking 3 rails to the side and the other going 3 rails to the opposite corner. I have executed it in practice.
Once in a 12 handed $1 game when the pot was up over $120, I made 2 and hung the third. Only to have my 2 tied by a guy that had not made a point all day. He could not spell pool if you spotted him an o.

With a regulation cue ball the head ball can go to the side breaking from the same spot but using follow.

Black-Balled · Mar 30, 2018

Funny yo should bring this up.

There is a huge buzz about three ball on azb today.

I think it is going to save pool.

dr_dave · Mar 30, 2018

gregcantrall said:
Most of my 3 ball play was on an 8 foot bar table with an oversize cue ball.
Breaking 4 inches of center and hitting low the head ball could be forced to the corner with one wing ball banking 3 rails to the side and the other going 3 rails to the opposite corner. I have executed it in practice.
Once in a 12 handed $1 game when the pot was up over $120, I made 2 and hung the third. Only to have my 2 tied by a guy that had not made a point all day. He could not spell pool if you spotted him an o.

With a regulation cue ball the head ball can go to the side breaking from the same spot but using follow.

Thank you for sharing that. I'll give a try and maybe included it in a follow-up video with other ideas suggested by people here and on Facebook.

Thanks again,
Dave

dr_dave · Mar 30, 2018

Black-Balled said:
Funny yo should bring this up.

There is a huge buzz about three ball on azb today.

Where is the "buzz?" Could you post a link?

Thanks,
Dave

pocket · Mar 30, 2018

dr_dave said:
Where is the "buzz?" Could you post a link?

Thanks,
Dave

He's being a smart a$$ Dave.

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