I don't know of a single three cushion player who didn't learn how to play straight rail first.
Gotta learn how to float and hold your breath before you sign up for the olympic swimming team.
Seriously though, the free games (1 cushion, bulkline, straight rail, etc) are a lot more fun than 3 cushion.
Throughout the whole time being registered on this forum, all I read from how to introduce Three-Cushion Billiards from non-competitive players are:
a) learn the diamond system
b) I went straight from pool (really should be called "Pocket Billiards" but we're lazy enough to just call it out of a word that condones gambling) into playing Three-Cushion Billiards and did fine
c) Blomdahl did not learn "small games" but did well so just start straight forward into 3C
First off: Blomdahl did dabble in Freegame before he went on to be the beast that he is (as well as Jaspers, Ceulemans, and many others).
Diamond Systems are A CRUTCH! Learn it, understand it, and get rid of it.... plain and simple.
Pocket Billiards does not equate with Carom Billiards. Although equivalent in technique with the cueball, the concepts are very different.
To those naysayers that despise knowing the small games before going into three-cushion, what I got to say to you all is: Just enjoy this game (not a sport) because that is how you all will treat this as until kingdom come. And while you all do so, the seriously devoted carom players will steamroll those naysayers with ease. Ever wondered why the USA is never at the top 10 of the international carom billiard rankings?!
Think about it....
Go ahead and condemn my way of thinking, people. Let the sparks fly!!!
i am not a billiard player as there are no tables near me
but i am trying to learn about the game
could some one explain to me why they think the "small "games
should come first and not learn all of them together??
to make an analogy
should you not learn how to bank until you can run 100 balls in straight pool?
most experience pol players i beleive would say that a developing player should play one pocket/ straight pool /and a rotation game
since the skills learned in one game witll help the others
i am not a billiard player as there are no tables near me
but i am trying to learn about the game
could some one explain to me why they think the "small "games
should come first and not learn all of them together??
to make an analogy
should you not learn how to bank until you can run 100 balls in straight pool?
most experience pol players i beleive would say that a developing player should play one pocket/ straight pool /and a rotation game
since the skills learned in one game witll help the others
If you're going to learn the game, then just start off playing Three-Cushion right off the bat and however you want. If you complain about this just being a game not becoming popular, then do it with your own discretion and leave it as such. Like Chess, you will not see this being like American Football, Basketball, or Baseball (or any category being a sport).
If you are going to take this billiard discipline as a sport, then the reason for the "small games" being very important is because of a few things:
- a) confidence of making caroms frequently - Playing Freegame requires just to hit caroms with all three balls in a close proximity with control and not obliging with the corner limit (if you are going to convert this into Pocket Billiards, its like playing 14.1 continuous just to make shots all while having control of the cueball and position play)
- b) because of that hunger of wanting to make more shots - when you make many caroms as well as making it look so easy in Freegame and want to take it to the next level, they make limits = Balkline. Start with 47cm away from the cushion with a 2 shot limit. Once that is easy, then take it for 1 shot limit. Once the latter is easy, then start getting into 71cm/2 shot limit balkline. If there is no such tables or the owner does not want you to draw lines in their table, then Cushion Caroms (or "one-cushion billiards") does the trick. If Balkline or cushion caroms is easier, then the upgrade to Three-Cushion Billiards comes into play. Just like cushion caroms, only with the obligation of hitting two more cushions aside from just only one.
- c) because you know exactly where those object balls are going to prevent you from getting that kiss - not saying that it is a guarantee that it will happen ALL the time, but it will occur to you a whole lot less of having a kiss from the object ball because of the concept of learning from those small game disciplines
I am spent... I need to recharge my batteries...
14+ years of loving billiards just seems to wear me down sometimes...
Slick spent some time on this and I really can't disagree with him.
The simple answer is all these games require a player to make a carom. Either to another ball or to a cushion. Either way balkline straight rail or 3 Cushion you have to make the carom. Learn to make caroms. Period. The drawback converting to 3C is speed. Or in other words the CB needs to travel much greater distances.
Another advantage for learning caroms is simply learning to "feel" the ball.
BE THE BALL