Black-Balled said:
Awesome to have someone who is an expert in this funny game!
I have played (probably 200+) hours of 3-c, and have a practice buddy against whom I play regularly. He plays bad, so bad, in fact, that he plays caroms and I play 3c. Sets are pretty close, but I am loser (for the time$). My point is that I am not lost on the felt, so...
I am often left with a shot (WEI does not work on my computer) that boggles my mind- All 3 balls are approximately in center of table. My CB around headstring, one OB at foot-spot, the other below the foot spot, maybe 1/2 way between foot-spot & bottom rail. How do I go 3+ there?!
Thanks
Here are three solutions in no particular order. They are all very common and valid, though some are highly sensitive and unless you practice them constantly, you can't expect to make them very often. At the pro level, this shot is probably only about a 60% chance to make at any given time. The top of the top probably make it between 60%-80%. Basically it is difficult!
First solution- "Plus Two Shot." This shot is common. You don't have a good angle to make a simply "natural" 3-cushion shot, so instead you go to the top rail, then the side rail, across to the other side rail for your third rail. This speed should be medium speed. You might have to adjust your hit to anywhere between A,B, and C depending on the table conditions:
START(%BH5O6%CN8O6%Ei8O6%GN9P8%HY5Z8%Ir8C2%Js6D2%Ki2O3%Qs5C4%Rs4B7
%Ss6D4%WJ4P4%XN3P2%eA3a3)END
Second solution- "Reverse shot." This is super sensitive and highly variable depending on the condition of the cloth and balls. The shot works best on newer cloth with clean balls. If the cloth is older or dirty, the balls must be very clean and polished for it to work well. Notice that on the first rail there are spots at A,B, and C. You might need to hit anywhere between those spots to make the shot, or even slightly beyond depending on the table. Do not blast it, this is a finesse shot with lots of english, so you want to be way out on the ball and the speed is just greater than a roll:
START(%BH5O6%CN8O6%Ei8O6%GH5P6%HC3V5%IK5[8%J[9C3%Ki2O3%Q[2A7%RX3A7
%S]7A6%WL8P2%XI0P3%eC7a4)END
Third solution- "Off Ball Reverse." Although as a rule of thumb in billiards you want to go off a ball before going to the rail first, this shot is sort of an exception. Here you can go to either side of the first OB with some draw and reverse english. The slight draw will flatten the angle and the reverse will make it come straight off the side rail to make the third ball a bigger target. This is a very difficult shot, although a good player will make it look easy. In the diagram, I have show a partial line for the red ball. It will travel much farther than I have shown. I did not want to confuse the shot with too many lines. The point being that the red ball must be hit just right to make it avoid hitting the white immediately. The speed is medium on this shot:
START(%BH5O6%CN8O6%Ei8O6%GF6[5%HC0Q9%IH1C4%JO8O3%Ki2O3%UH2Q5%VF5[8%WC3S6%XN3P2%Yl8T6%Zs9W2%[s7W1%\g4[8%]g0[8%^B6S7%eC3b1)END
A top player will choose any of these solutions based on the subtleties of the exact layout, the conditions of the table and balls, and personal preference. There isn't really a standard shot here because of its variables and level of difficulty. I suggest you practice each solution equally. It will be discouraging for a while, but once you start to learn the angle of the table it gets much easier. Good luck learning the solutions. If you are ever in Chicago let me know and we can work on them together.
Deno Andrews
