Korean four ball game

billiardshot

billiardshot

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Deno, I hope maybe you can answer or guide me in the right direction. I' looking for information on Korean Four Ball game. Especially rules and books on the subject or website I might visit.
 
Thank penguin, I been watching TBC TV videos Korean 4 ball [4nine]. I noticed some does a 3-cushion shot at the end and some just play to match points [50 0r 100]. I thought a 3-cushion shot was reguire for match points. I have found I'm more relax and more mental awareness. But all is in Korean. I know 4 ball is a combination, carom, straight rail, balkline, and 3-cushion and play on a 4x8 billiard table. But what are the correct rule for Korean 4 ball.
 
You might try contacting almost anybody at the Carom Cafe - http://www.caromcafe.com/ - and then look for their contact info (not all that easy to find). This was Sang Lee's room prior to his death. They have quite a few of the correct tables, and may be able to give you pointers to books, etc. Most larger cities with any significant Asian-origin population should have at least one or two rooms where the game is played. Look for pool halls with Asian names. For example, in San Diego (as of a couple of years ago) there were two of them, both operated by people of Vietnamese origin and with Vietnamese names.

-- jwp
 
Thanks, jwpretd. I have email [contact] numerous website nippon billiard, Korea billiard, caromcafe, and a few other with no reply. And the few Asian I have talk with end up with different info. It sound almost like asking about bar rules. I looking for Korean 4 ball tournement rule, as play on TBC TV.
 
Sorry, I don't look at this site often and didn't see your reply....

In that case, your best bet is probably calling

Korean Billiard Equipment & Supply - 213-380-1121

Ko Ray Korean Billiards - 213-386-0337

These are both in downtown Los Angeles somewhat west of Macarthur Park (on Vermont, I think, near Wilshire). I'm only assuming that the first one is still open; I know that Ko Ray is still there. If you don't speak Korean, you may not be able to get really useful information from either place.
 
Jwpretd, Thank you for this info. I learn a few new things one 4ball call danguu in korean but I search and came up with danggoo. Its heading me in the direction I'm looking for. Since I don't speak Korean now, I might end up been able to read it with all the seaching.

Again Thanks!
Bob Watson
 
I play 4 ball

I enjoy 4 ball the most over all billiards games, but unfortunately, my lack of fluency in vietnamese prevents me from enjoying the social aspect of French Pool (straight rail billiards), lack of Spanish skills prevent me from playing much Carambola (3 cushion) and distance from Korean billiard rooms prevent me from playing much Sa-gu (Korean 4 ball billiards). Therefore, I'm stuck playing racks of 9 ball and one pocket. However, I do know a bit about the game and enjoy in immensely. If you have questions, I may be able to help a bit.
 
mr.tortfeasor - As much information as you want to share. Mainly Sa-gu/Danggu [Korean 4ball] Tournament rules and source for books on the subject. But really everthing. Please pm me or feel free to post information for other to read. The language whether translated or not is a problem, since some translation is hard to understand.

Thank you in advance.
Bob Watson [billiardshot]
 
Wow, that's a pretty broad question, I'm not sure I have time to write the book on it. :-)

Basically, I'm not sure that there is a "tournament" format. Koreans are (like most asians) notorious gamblers, and Sa-Gu is just another means of wagering. I guess I'll start with the basics. In Korean, "Goo" means "ball." So Soccer is "Chook-Goo," literally, kicked ball. To apply it to the cueing sports... Billiards is "Dan-Goo," 4 ball is "Sa-Goo" (Literally, 4 balls), straight rail is "Sam-Goo" (Literally 3 balls), 3 cushion is "Tree Cu-shion," and pocket billiards is called "Pocket-bol."

The basic rule format is that you have 4 balls, 2 cue balls and 2 red balls. One of the cue balls is distinguished from the other with a dot. Korean 4 ball-balls are larger and heavier than traditional carom balls. The break is similar to a billiard break shot, except the 2nd cue ball is located directly behind the 1st red ball to be contacted, at the 1st diamond across.

Scoring is like straight rail, except that if your cue ball contacts your opponent's cue ball for any reason, you lose your turn. If you fail to contact either red ball, you lose a point as well. Once you have reached the designated number of points to win, you must "finalize" the game with a 3 rail billiard.

The complexity of the game really shows itself by having the extra "obstacle" on the table in the 4th ball. With a smaller table and larger balls, plus very, very fast cloth, you'd be suprised how much a pain having 1 more ball on the table is.

It's a great game, I love it. I haven't read anything through books or other materials, this is just how the game was explained to me by other Koreans. I could be way off of what other people play, but at least this is the way they seem to play in Houston, Dallas, LA and Seoul.

If you have more questions, I'd be happy to answer, or find out for you next time I go to a Dang-ku-jang (billiard room).
 
Check out post below. This some subject/diagrams I have ran across:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=44139

Also watch 4nine [4ball tournaments] videos at; billiard tbc tv . This where/why the question about tournament rule was ask. I found numerous books on a japanese website on 4ball subject. Scoring would also be interest to understand for 4ball . Handicap score when playing? Play to 50, 100, or 500? Also do you use scoring beads or chips in a box? Chip in the box I read at one of the site I was searching.
Again Thank for this information mr.tortfeasor.
 
I'm about to head home from visiting my folks for the (long) weekend. But to answer some of your questions, I believe that a full game goes to 500 in 4-ball. However, a 'quick and dirty' game seems to usually be going to 50. Games are handicapped by spotting the lessor player a number of points.

As far as the score keeping, all the Korean rooms I have gone to use something best described as an "abacus" method of scoring, where there is a set of beads on the left and a divider of beads on the right. So when all the beads on the right are accounted for, you move 1 bead on the left to represent one "set" of beads on the right. I don't know if this is what you mean by "chips in a box."

HTH. And you can call me Alex. :D
 
where i played it, a shot was worth 10 points. the average skill level there was ~100 (10 shots), we played to 150 even.

dang, i'm gonna play billiards for lunch.

-s
 
Steev, instead of one point per carom. you play 10 point per carom to a 100. What about handicap for player? Also do you play a 3Cushion for last point?
 
That website is kind of hard to understand, at least some of the links that I went to. A lot is different in translation, even to the point where I have no clue. :-)

Although, if there are particular diagrams in Korean that you need translated, I can probably help, as long as the image is legible.
 
Alex, here another site [japanese also] on some books.

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...jp/&start=460&ndsp=20&svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&sa=N

Questions:

On the break is it, the same as 3Cushion or can you just hit two rails/cushions?

Balkline on table [4 corners ] How many gathering/crotching [ rail nursing],or shots are allow? Or what are the rule for corners ?

I also noticed from the videoes the rubber cue grip are more forward place than when playing 3C, does it matter?

Alex, Thank you on the above offer [diagram] . You can call me Bob. Write a book or write an article might not be a bad idea. you should check with http://www.professorqball.com
 
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There are no balkline rules. You are not required to hit a rail (or minimum # of rails) on any shot, including the break. There are also no rules against double kisses (as opposed to Mexican 3C).

I am not sure what you mean about the grip, are you talking about the dark part of the cue or the actual hand placement? Most Koreans use cues made by a company called "Hanbat." I have had quite a bit of difficulty finding any here in the US, and in Korea they are quite expensive. From my understanding, they are premium cues (with premium prices) in Korea, but Hanbat 'dumps' the cues in the European markets at a very reasonable price. As far as the dark part of Hanbat handles, they are shorter cues ~57" and they are not wrapped. It is just a dark wood or stained wood in the handle.

Hope it helps, Bob. Enjoy.
 
The reason I ask. Is in the 4 nine video a line is draw at each corner. Please understand I have found nowhere in Virginia Beach,Va, that play 4ball, but I still searching.

As for the cue I'm talking about the rubber sleeve that can be added to a wrapless cue. If you watch one of the video look at their cue. I use a carom cue.

I can help possible: I have been to Hanbat website. Sometime these cue show up on ebay. One person who sell them, ebay member TomHuff out of Washington [State]. You also might check with Carom Cafe in New York. This on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/French-Billiard...ryZ21212QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=41880


4ball is starting to sound like Bar Pool rule.

Every little bit of informations Help and you Have Help, Alex. Just as other AZ'er with their reply. I think 4ball might help our youth to play better pool.
But that a whole subject by itself.
 
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