I thought I'd post one more thing before my hiatus...
I often don't have much time to practice in a nice pool hall 45 minutes away and instead drive 5 minutes to a local bar and play on the bar boxes. It costs me $20 or more for an hour of practice.
Here's a game I came up with that is a free and fun:
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Requirements: 3 barbox cue balls (borrowed from other tables that are not being used)
Beginning Setup: One ball on head spot, one on the foot spot, and one on the middle spot.
Objective: Pocket a chosen object ball (OB) with a chosen cue ball (CB) and carom the cue ball into the third ball (TB).
Rules:
1. The player may assign any ball as the OB, CB, and TB, in any order. The player may do this for every shot. All three balls must be on the table at the beginning of each shot.
2. The player must hit the CB into the OB, pocket the OB in a called pocket, and cause the CB to make contact with the TB. Failure to both pocket the OB and carom into the TB results in loss of turn. Success results in that player receiving one point and the continuation of his turn.
3. If the CB is pocketed, it is considered a scratch. The penalty is the loss of one point and loss of turn.
4. If the TB is pocketed, it is to be spotted.
5. Balls are to be spotted in this order:
a) 1st ball: head or foot spot (to the players advantage)
b) 2nd ball: head or foot spot (unoccupied spot)
c) 3rd ball: middle spot (if head and foot spots are occupied)
6. The first player to a pre-designated number of points wins (race).
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This is a great game for practicing "path-based" position common to rotation-type games. It demands delivering the cue ball with the right amount of spin while pocketing the OB, even from across the table. You really develop a feel of squirt and swerve quickly, and become more confident in using spin.
It is also adventageous to gently carom the CB into the TB, and not smash into it, because on the next shot, it will be more probable to get the carom if the balls are closer. This is great for precise position control (like the napkin on the table during position drills).
This game is kind of like a pocket-billiards variation of three-cushion billiards, only with replacing the three-cushion requirement with the pocketing requirement.
I play this all the time and I think its great, especially when one point equals one dollar. Try it out and see if you like it or hate it.
This may even be a re-invention of some other game.
Nate
I often don't have much time to practice in a nice pool hall 45 minutes away and instead drive 5 minutes to a local bar and play on the bar boxes. It costs me $20 or more for an hour of practice.
Here's a game I came up with that is a free and fun:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Requirements: 3 barbox cue balls (borrowed from other tables that are not being used)
Beginning Setup: One ball on head spot, one on the foot spot, and one on the middle spot.
Objective: Pocket a chosen object ball (OB) with a chosen cue ball (CB) and carom the cue ball into the third ball (TB).
Rules:
1. The player may assign any ball as the OB, CB, and TB, in any order. The player may do this for every shot. All three balls must be on the table at the beginning of each shot.
2. The player must hit the CB into the OB, pocket the OB in a called pocket, and cause the CB to make contact with the TB. Failure to both pocket the OB and carom into the TB results in loss of turn. Success results in that player receiving one point and the continuation of his turn.
3. If the CB is pocketed, it is considered a scratch. The penalty is the loss of one point and loss of turn.
4. If the TB is pocketed, it is to be spotted.
5. Balls are to be spotted in this order:
a) 1st ball: head or foot spot (to the players advantage)
b) 2nd ball: head or foot spot (unoccupied spot)
c) 3rd ball: middle spot (if head and foot spots are occupied)
6. The first player to a pre-designated number of points wins (race).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
This is a great game for practicing "path-based" position common to rotation-type games. It demands delivering the cue ball with the right amount of spin while pocketing the OB, even from across the table. You really develop a feel of squirt and swerve quickly, and become more confident in using spin.
It is also adventageous to gently carom the CB into the TB, and not smash into it, because on the next shot, it will be more probable to get the carom if the balls are closer. This is great for precise position control (like the napkin on the table during position drills).
This game is kind of like a pocket-billiards variation of three-cushion billiards, only with replacing the three-cushion requirement with the pocketing requirement.
I play this all the time and I think its great, especially when one point equals one dollar. Try it out and see if you like it or hate it.
This may even be a re-invention of some other game.
Nate
