Cocktails and 3-Ball

[Guru]

I went out last night to unwind a bit. Had a few Beam Blacks n Diet Coke. I was feeling pretty good and hanging out, sloughing off the day's stress. A 3 Ball game gets going on the bar's only table. (barbox, big CB, cues with mushroom tips that manage to be flat at the same time, crooked as a politician). I had a blast. Tied it up for about 4 rounds then busted out a 2 for the win. It wasn't some high stakes pull, but it was a fun little Thursday night with the natives.

 

[Snapshot9]

Beam ...

I went out last night to unwind a bit. Had a few Beam Blacks n Diet Coke. I was feeling pretty good and hanging out, sloughing off the day's stress. A 3 Ball game gets going on the bar's only table. (barbox, big CB, cues with mushroom tips that manage to be flat at the same time, crooked as a politician). I had a blast. Tied it up for about 4 rounds then busted out a 2 for the win. It wasn't some high stakes pull, but it was a fun little Thursday night with the natives.

Beam? ... Jack Black is the way to go.

I always thought it was funny how Beer with less calories
than a Bourbon and coke puts weight on me, and the Bourbon
doesn't at all....

 

[Guru]

Beam? ... Jack Black is the way to go.

I drank Jack for years, but am boycotting them since the corporation that owns them continues to sell out. It's a mere shadow of the tradition that it pretends they still stand for. The new Jim Beam Black is one of my substitutes. Other times it's Maker's Mark or a good Irish Whiskey, but no more JD, sadly.

A rant about the Jack Daniels boycott

 

[Guru]

What's great about this game: it is just like a crapshoot. Even the lousy players play just to get lucky and whack 2 in on the break. Matter of fact, I have been witness to many lousy players win lots of money because they have a real mean break, and they love it! Anything to keep them coming back is what I say

Exactly. Fun for all. In fact, last night we had one "drunken master" he tied up the rounds with a 3 twice, and staggering back to his chair. Out of 6 rounds he tied it twice, won once, and miscued on the break 3 times.

Years ago they had a 3 ball tournament on barboxes at some bar in Waco, TX. Talk about a blast; 15+ players in it. The pot would regularly get up over $75 before someone would take it home. I got my only Ace during that tourney once. Netted about $120.

 

[chefjeff]

One of the best games of all time, imho. Great for big parties and lets everyone have a chance at winning, regardless of ability.

We were playing in a bar last month and discovered we were getting cheated. The guy who just shot was racking for the next guy and they were friends. Everytime the second guy broke, he made at least one ball. The racker was standing in front of the table so we couldn't see how he skewed the rack to help his friend.

We don't go to that bar anymore.

Jeff Livingston

 

[chefjeff]

I drank Jack for years, but am boycotting them since the corporation that owns them continues to sell out. It's a mere shadow of the tradition that it pretends they still stand for. The new Jim Beam Black is one of my substitutes. Other times it's Maker's Mark or a good Irish Whiskey, but no more JD, sadly.

A rant about the Jack Daniels boycott

Big deal...so they lowered the alcohol content...just drink more.

I'm a Tennessee Squire, btw. since Sept. 27. 1991. Oh, I never touch the stuff since I did the "machine gun routine" with my cuestick after kicking ass during a league match about 5 years ago. Had to apologize for that one.

Jeff Livingston

 

[DaveK]

One of the best games of all time, imho. Great for big parties and lets everyone have a chance at winning, regardless of ability.

I enjoy the 'golf' game which is 18 holes of '3 ball'. The first 'hole' is a standard 3 ball rack, it is a par 4. The other 'holes' are various racks of 2 balls, 3 balls, and 4 balls, which make par 3s, 4s, and 5s respectively. Lowest score wins just like 3 ball. The one great thing about playing this game amongst several players is that the weakest player spends the most time at the table, while the strongest player spends the least time at the table, opposite of most games. This keeps the poorer player interested. It is also fairly easy to handicap.

Dave

 

[chefjeff]

I enjoy the 'golf' game which is 18 holes of '3 ball'. The first 'hole' is a standard 3 ball rack, it is a par 4. The other 'holes' are various racks of 2 balls, 3 balls, and 4 balls, which make par 3s, 4s, and 5s respectively. Lowest score wins just like 3 ball. The one great thing about playing this game amongst several players is that the weakest player spends the most time at the table, while the strongest player spends the least time at the table, opposite of most games. This keeps the poorer player interested. It is also fairly easy to handicap.

Dave

Me, too. I'd like to see a 3-ball tourney where 9 (or 18) tables are used, each with a different set-up to create a par 36 (or 72) course. Each group of players could travel around the course and the spectators could watch everyone play that way, much like golf.

The set-ups could vary as much as the tourney director wanted with 3, 4, or 5 balls layed out in various patterns, not necessarily racked in one group. This would really show how different players could execute shots differently, some making two or more at a time and some not.

Jeff Livingston