i got roped into playing a 3-ball game last weekend and when it was done it got me to wondering ... what is the best break for 3-ball? i've heard stories of breaking and getting all 3 but where do you need to break from? where does everyone break from for 3 ball?
best 3-ball break
- Thread starter ap_audio
- Start date
I haven't played it years but I use to play lot of it while waitining for action to come through the door.
I believe QB 2nd diamond hitting 1-ball on the nose and stopping QB in the middle of the table is best. But at this point in time I's ask Corey. Johnnyt
I believe QB 2nd diamond hitting 1-ball on the nose and stopping QB in the middle of the table is best. But at this point in time I's ask Corey. Johnnyt
There is no 'best place' for all tables. You have to try different places/ forces and, MORE IMPORTANTLY, be able to reproduce your efforts.
A bit about 3ball and ring games, who plays 3 ball sets or races? 
I have played ALOT of 3 ball, its my favorite ring game, a few times the pots were over a thousand, I also practice it for fun when i'm way out of stroke just to get back into stroke again. It works for me and I enjoy it.
my advice here is for winning 3 ball ring games in a gambling situation not just breaking advice, Each player gets 3 balls a break and count the shots to clear the table. Who ever gets out in the least shots wins, if there is a tie then the order in the ring game starts over and you can double the bet or not. This is the scenerio I'm outlining below and the break shot.
The break on 3 ball is the most important shot like 9 ball or any rotation game, its WAY more important in 3 ball because there are less balls and its safe to assume that any player is gonna run out almost everytime, unlike 10 ball. To win a 3 ball ring game you have to get out in 3, to break even you have to get out in 4 in a ring game-which is bad, its not winning 3 ball. Since running out is assumed then making a ball on the break in more important than where the CB ends up after the break because getting out in 4 will tie and not win.
So here is my advice, find the spot on the table that you can make a ball the most often on the break, period. how cares where the CB ends up? if you make a ball your most likely gonna get out in 3 and win. This is one of the few times in pool that where the CB lands off the break is second to making a ball because you dont lose your turn if you dont make a ball.
I have played ALOT of 3 ball, its my favorite ring game, a few times the pots were over a thousand, I also practice it for fun when i'm way out of stroke just to get back into stroke again. It works for me and I enjoy it.
my advice here is for winning 3 ball ring games in a gambling situation not just breaking advice, Each player gets 3 balls a break and count the shots to clear the table. Who ever gets out in the least shots wins, if there is a tie then the order in the ring game starts over and you can double the bet or not. This is the scenerio I'm outlining below and the break shot.
The break on 3 ball is the most important shot like 9 ball or any rotation game, its WAY more important in 3 ball because there are less balls and its safe to assume that any player is gonna run out almost everytime, unlike 10 ball. To win a 3 ball ring game you have to get out in 3, to break even you have to get out in 4 in a ring game-which is bad, its not winning 3 ball. Since running out is assumed then making a ball on the break in more important than where the CB ends up after the break because getting out in 4 will tie and not win.
So here is my advice, find the spot on the table that you can make a ball the most often on the break, period. how cares where the CB ends up? if you make a ball your most likely gonna get out in 3 and win. This is one of the few times in pool that where the CB lands off the break is second to making a ball because you dont lose your turn if you dont make a ball.
My experience tells me that the break is important and it depends on how the table plays, but the most important thing is to be able to play according to where in the rotation you are at. Knowing when to go for more than one ball at a time or playing to tie will eventually determine how you do in the game. One needs to be satisfied that mainly there will me more than on winner in most games.
If you are playing on a Diamond Pro make them use a rack and cut break either side of the balls evenly with low inside at a medium speed that give the best chance to make two balls practice on the cloth and table to nail down the speed. Valley bar box with the slightly oversized ball non magnetic head on medium hard with a ton of follow main thing just like any other thing in pool practice to obtain repeatability
Fatboy said:A bit about 3ball and ring games, who plays 3 ball sets or races?
I have played ALOT of 3 ball, its my favorite ring game, a few times the pots were over a thousand, I also practice it for fun when i'm way out of stroke just to get back into stroke again. It works for me and I enjoy it.
my advice here is for winning 3 ball ring games in a gambling situation not just breaking advice, Each player gets 3 balls a break and count the shots to clear the table. Who ever gets out in the least shots wins, if there is a tie then the order in the ring game starts over and you can double the bet or not. This is the scenerio I'm outlining below and the break shot.
The break on 3 ball is the most important shot like 9 ball or any rotation game, its WAY more important in 3 ball because there are less balls and its safe to assume that any player is gonna run out almost everytime, unlike 10 ball. To win a 3 ball ring game you have to get out in 3, to break even you have to get out in 4 in a ring game-which is bad, its not winning 3 ball. Since running out is assumed then making a ball on the break in more important than where the CB ends up after the break because getting out in 4 will tie and not win.
So here is my advice, find the spot on the table that you can make a ball the most often on the break, period. how cares where the CB ends up? if you make a ball your most likely gonna get out in 3 and win. This is one of the few times in pool that where the CB lands off the break is second to making a ball because you dont lose your turn if you dont make a ball.
Eric, congratulations on you recent mastering of the written word.
Sincerely, you spelling and sentence structure has totally and greatly improved and reading your latest posts is much easier and more understandable.
Good work, or did you hire a writer.
Jim
i thought this thread was a joke at first lol. i didn't realise people actually played 3 ball!
cool
It's a pretty cool game to play now and then. Unfortunately, I have not run into a game in MANY years.
I do remember a pretty good thread here from a while ago, perhaps a year and a half ago.
Never seen a pot close to what "Fatboy" mentioned though. I mostly played it for $1 a person/round, and
at that price it's mostly fun and friendly too.
It's a pretty cool game to play now and then. Unfortunately, I have not run into a game in MANY years.
I do remember a pretty good thread here from a while ago, perhaps a year and a half ago.
Never seen a pot close to what "Fatboy" mentioned though. I mostly played it for $1 a person/round, and
at that price it's mostly fun and friendly too.
jimmyg said:Eric, congratulations on you recent mastering of the written word.
Sincerely, you spelling and sentence structure has totally and greatly improved and reading your latest posts is much easier and more understandable.
Good work, or did you hire a writer.
Jim
thanks, no actually i got lucky on the spelling. However I have been working hard on becomming a better writer, i very well spoken-but a poor writer, some I want to improve on so I can write books, so I have been practicing here, making long posts some too long but the practice is showing, thanks again, I made a thread about Johnny Archer who called me today again I put alot of effort into it, please check it out and let me know, i'm commited to becomming a better writer. The spelling is hopeless, just got a roll.
best
regards
eric
Jallan said:
I have seen all three go on the break twice, and sorry, it was not from a kick break. I have seen and tried this strategy and it seems better to hit them head on. I know what I am talking about, because I play 3-ball about shortstop speed!
worriedbeef said:
i love it in a 5-6 handed ring game, with the 2 tie all tie rule double each bet after 7 rounds starting with $1X6 players the pot is $762. And its easy to have 2 tie for 5 or 6 rounds I have seen 8, sometimes you can put a 5 round tie limit bet so the maximum bet is $8 but the pot is at $96 with all the carry over $$$, its still a $96 pot with $72 more added in if that round ties, i'm pretty tired but I believe my math is correct, we used a backgammon cube to count the round. Like I said I have seen pots go way over $1000, and seen the weakest player take it off cause he pops in 2 on the break, Its gambling and champions have a slight edge but in a 6 player game its great action and you shoot alot of big $$$ pressure shots a night, thats what makes it such a great game because you get into big action for a dollar-with the 2 tie/all tie double the bet formula, in a few minutes you have a long straight in shot for hundreds of dollars-if that aint great action practice what is? Infact comming up years ago thats the game that got me comfortable to play for anything and not rattle, befoe that playing for a dime was my limit or $500/frame snooker-factoring in inflation perhaps $1000/frame now day,. Now I dont care what I have bet.
3ball is way under rated because most people dont run the game right, the last game I played in 8 months ago I was the 2nd strongest of 6 or 7 and the strongest player I have beat heads up, we were the only 2 losers in the game, we didnt use the cube to double the bet so the posts were small, but I only shot at the $$$ once in 20 innings and lost $20 without winning a bet as did the strongest player, thats why its great action-it is a self handicapping game, most of the time. Shame more people dont know about it and take it seriously, I didnt learn it til I played about 6 years.
Last edited:
LOL I made my first 3 ball break and made them all... I broke inside the box in one end or the corner.. break like you would break control the cue ball and plant it on contact. 2 balls jumped in the air and went to rails... one ball was higher than the other and made contact. they both went opposite side pocket, and the 3 ball was kicked by one of the jumping ball and went into the corner pockets, but by that time, my cue ball fell into the side pocket too. It was too quick to look but that was awesome.
Man I wish I knew the secret to the perfect three ball break. And I wish I knew the secret to breaking the 11 minute mile in the special olympics.