Learning 3-Cushion

Poolmanis

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
That´s what i have been doing lately.
I feel i also got stronger in pool too while learning this marvelous game. Of course my pocketing is little bit rusty due playing almost only 3-cushion but i can put 5-7 packs more consistent in pool now than ever!
Anyways I just hit record button often when i practice and I got my first run of 10 on video!
I think I made 4 times 9 before finally got my first 2 digit run.
I set my goal to be able to run 15 someday when I fell love to this game(too).
 
3C is good for learning paths and how to hit a ball. Most pool players hit the ball too chunky and try to make up things that are not very natural with the CB.
 
Nice shooting! My high run is 8, but it was an aberration - the balls just kept lining up for shots I was hitting well that day. Good luck getting to 15...
 
Great job, very impressive. Now tie your shoes before you step on a lace and break your neck lol.
tying-shoes.gif
 
i never felt like it helped me with pool but i dont play 9 or 10 ball
straight rail i think tho does for me anyway alot especially for small moving games like 1pkt straight pool and 8 ball

very interesting table too, looks like a chinese 8ball style, 8ft even looks lol but happy to play on any carom table
 
When Efren first came to the United States it was obvious he had skills that non of the other players could approach.. Skills developed playing Rotation and 3 Cushion Billiards .
 
i never felt like it helped me with pool but i dont play 9 or 10 ball
straight rail i think tho does for me anyway alot especially for small moving games like 1pkt straight pool and 8 ball

very interesting table too, looks like a chinese 8ball style, 8ft even looks lol but happy to play on any carom table
it is Old Turkish 10ft table. After i made some railwork on it and put Simonis 300 on it it plays pretty good :)
 
On the 5th point point were you trying to go 5 rails instead of 3?
No. 5 railer would need very thin hit and it is harder to do. It also have big kiss danger after 2 rails.

Critical part of learning 3-cushion is to know kisses and how to avoid them.

Best way to do that is choose another shot where is no kiss.
That 3 railer i did shoot pretty thin and used low english to curve cueball to corner.
There was 3 or 4 shots on this run where i chose shot certain way to make sure i would not get kiss.
 
I believe 3C really shaped my game to what it is today. I grew up playing alot of it. Its real popular with us Vietnamese even here in the US. All the rooms around me have aleast 1 carom table. They typically have the best cloth in the building :)
 
How did you start your 3C journey? I’ve got several books I occasionally look at, plus watching a few videos now and then.

I’ve got so many holes in my pool game I’m afraid to give 3C any real time.
 
How did you start your 3C journey? I’ve got several books I occasionally look at, plus watching a few videos now and then.

I’ve got so many holes in my pool game I’m afraid to give 3C any real time.
The Wirthy One plays good 3c...I can give you his 900#
 
No. 5 railer would need very thin hit and it is harder to do. It also have big kiss danger after 2 rails.

Critical part of learning 3-cushion is to know kisses and how to avoid them.

Best way to do that is choose another shot where is no kiss.
That 3 railer i did shoot pretty thin and used low english to curve cueball to corner.
There was 3 or 4 shots on this run where i chose shot certain way to make sure i would not get kiss.
Let me ask a question. If you were playing 'Pool' especially Banks maybe 1 pocket. Would you just avoid playing a shot that may win you the game because there is the possibility of a 'kiss' in it or, try to learn how to beat the kiss? Of course, you wouldn't. You'd try to figure out how to avoid it.

It's the same in 3C, Knowing the techniques/strokes/speed of CB/ quantity of OB/principles of detecting kisses and how to avoid them is essential.

Here's a couple of examples and explanations of kisses in shots.

KissorNOKissAxiom.jpg
KissorNOKissAxiom02.jpg
 
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Yes. I know ways to avoid kisses. Often they need a lot of knowledge and precision. When i can avoid situtation where i need avoid kiss i choose that. Unless of course if another shot is a lot easier i would go for that.
Also, when i do free practice i force to myself play fast like I would be under short shot clock. I feel shot selection then comes more practical for competitions. Games with 40 sec shotclocks feel luxurious then.

Thanks for diagrams!

P. S i learned most of my stuff from listening Blomdahl commentating 3-c matchses and playing Sang Online. I believe you know him. He lives in L.A, plays with Musashi and have 30+ run
On survival 7ft.

Finland also have zero good carom players.. and just few tables. So i am at my own for learning. I am not yet good player. Sang said me when we got table that im 0.5 from start and can get 0.8 pretty fast if i put practice in and he thought i could get more than 1.0 with time. So far he have been right. Im close to 0.8 now.
 
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How did you start your 3C journey? I’ve got several books I occasionally look at, plus watching a few videos now and then.

I’ve got so many holes in my pool game I’m afraid to give 3C any real time.
Played first a lot of straight rail on shooters pool simulation online. Then i started to play 3-cushion there and finally get table to our club and put some practice. Also i used to watch Kozoom 24/7 free stream where was Blomdahl as commentator. He is so elegant commentating and he often say things where you learn so much.
 
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Yes. I know ways to avoid kisses. Often they need a lot of knowledge and precision. When i can avoid situtation where i need avoid kiss i choose that. Unless of course if another shot is a lot easier i would go for that.
Also, when i do free practice i force to myself play fast like I would be under short shot clock. I feel shot selection then comes more practical for competitions. Games with 40 sec shotclocks feel luxurious then.

Thanks for diagrams!

P. S i learned most of my stuff from listening Blomdahl commentating 3-c matchses and playing Sang Online. I believe you know him. He lives in L.A, plays with Musashi and have 30+ run
On survival 7ft.

Finland also have zero good carom players.. and just few tables. So i am at my own for learning. I am not yet good player. Sang said me when we got table that im 0.5 from start and can get 0.8 pretty fast if i put practice in and he thought i could get more than 1.0 with time. So far he have been right. Im close to 0.8 now.
BTW, from the diagrams I posted, how would You avoid the kiss in each of the examples and score the shot?
 
BTW, from the diagrams I posted, how would You avoid the kiss in each of the examples and score the shot?
Upper Diagram i would try either very thin with left english and try hit corner below red ball(jaspers shot), or I think ticky probably easier from 2 closest cueball places.

Lower diagram i would elevate and shoot 7:30 soft masse stun to slow down cueball and barely dodge kiss. Or i would try Jaspers shot from red ball.
 
I am getting closer to my goal slowly. I set it to be able to run 15 when I started learning the game.
I was going to play vs myself but I lost count in my mind so I just wanted to see how much i was able to run from break.
Found out I did make run of 11 :)
I feel i got very lucky because i dodged kiss very close 2 times. My Korean Carom Teacher says "walking in rain and not getting wet!" :D
Started new game after I watch my run and ran 6 on white and yellow after this 11..
 
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