Best books to learn Three Cushion Billiards?

B

bountybuddy

AzB Silver Member
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I've read that Three Cushion Billiards will improve my game a great deal and I would like to learn more about it and start playing it. Can someone please list the best books to buy to learn this wonderful game? Thanks for your help.

bountybuddy
 
One Pocket John said:
Here ya go.

Billiards Atlas on Systems and Techniques by Walt Harris

John :smile:
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I disagree completely. While the Billiard Atlases (there are 4 volumes) have many, many systems listed, there is essentially no useful info for someone who does not already understand 3-cushion.

Get Robert Byrne's "New Standard Book of Pool and Billiards." The last half is about carom billiards and mostly about 3-cushion. Byrne has two other books out that were taken from his columns and there is a lot of additional 3-C info in them. Those are "Advanced Technique" and "Wonderful World". If you look for used books at used.addall.com you can get all three delivered to your house for under $20 total.

The Walt Harris material also has the disadvantage of not being on the used market much. I checked just now and the least expensive is up around $140. Plus shipping.
 
Bob Jewett said:
I disagree completely. While the Billiard Atlases (there are 4 volumes) have many, many systems listed, there is essentially no useful info for someone who does not already understand 3-cushion.

Get Robert Byrne's "New Standard Book of Pool and Billiards." The last half is about carom billiards and mostly about 3-cushion. Byrne has two other books out that were taken from his columns and there is a lot of additional 3-C info in them. Those are "Advanced Technique" and "Wonderful World". If you look for used books at used.addall.com you can get all three delivered to your house for under $20 total.

The Walt Harris material also has the disadvantage of not being on the used market much. I checked just now and the least expensive is up around $140. Plus shipping.
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Cool, I didn't know that.

I have the first revision January 1992. I would let it go but not for $140. Hows $70 sound and I'll pay the shipping. :)

John
 
bountybuddy said:
I've read that Three Cushion Billiards will improve my game a great deal and I would like to learn more about it and start playing it. Can someone please list the best books to buy to learn this wonderful game? Thanks for your help.

bountybuddy
Click to expand...

Upon recommendation from Bob Jewett long ago (back in 2006?), I purchased a book on System Sid from Sid Banner. And I have to tell you, it's one of the best books on pool (nevermind 3C) I've ever read. If you get System Sid "down," there isn't a ball anywhere on the table that you can't kick or multi-cushion contact to.

Also, I'd recommend some others, that I'll list below.

3 Cushion Billiard Systems by Sid Banner:
http://amazon.com/Cushion-Billiard-Systems-Secrets-Professional/dp/8879560506

Secrets of Three Cushion Billiards: Doctoral by Darrell Paul Martineau:
(Former website no longer found -- this book is now hard to find, but well worth the effort if you can find a copy! You'll know when you find it, because it's a big spiral-bound red-covered book with black print.)

Professor Q-ball's excellent website on 3-cushion reference:
http://professorqball.com/diamond-systems-secrets/

Hope this is helpful,
-Sean
 
sfleinen said:
Upon recommendation from Bob Jewett long ago (back in 2006?), I purchased a book on System Sid from Sid Banner. And I have to tell you, it's one of the best books on pool (nevermind 3C) I've ever read. If you get System Sid "down," there isn't a ball anywhere on the table that you can't kick or multi-cushion contact to.

Also, I'd recommend some others, that I'll list below.

3 Cushion Billiard Systems by Sid Banner:
http://amazon.com/Cushion-Billiard-Systems-Secrets-Professional/dp/8879560506

Secrets of Three Cushion Billiards: Doctoral by Darrell Paul Martineau:
(Former website no longer found -- this book is now hard to find, but well worth the effort if you can find a copy! You'll know when you find it, because it's a big spiral-bound red-covered book with black print.)
Professor Q-ball's excellent website on 3-cushion reference:
http://professorqball.com/diamond-systems-secrets/

Hope this is helpful,
-Sean
Click to expand...

i found the site and you can still order all his material
http://www.3cushion.us/booktapedvd.html

darrelll is easy to talk to and he is really wants to help people learn
this is the home page
http://www.3cushion.us/
 
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Since I learned on my own years ago, I would highly second Bob's advice and get Byrne's books, starting with the Standard Book of Pool and Billiards. Not only is it excellent for Pool but as he said the second half is completely on three cushion and very well written.

I still have my marked up copy (as well as the Trick Shot, Advanced, and Wonderful World copies) that I used to learn 3 cushion. I went chapter to chapter, shot to shot, and made marks when I made the shot and went back again and reread many times and made a second notation years later when I fully understood the concept and shot category.

The systems books are nice (I have all of Walt Harris's and Eddie Robin's book), have read some of Ceulemans book and might get Bill Smith's book when we finally get a table in the area and I can start playing again. Frankly I picked up quite a few gems from Walt's books, but they are sometimes complex and/or situational and you won't learn the overall game as well from them. But there are some very cool systems buried among the 4 or 5 volumes...

Scott
 
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