Pool game at the carnival?

California Fats

California Fats

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Has anyone else stubbornly dumped money into this? It never fails... Every single year the fair comes around, I insist on playing until I win. It usually takes me 2 or 3 tries.

For those that have not seen it, they rack 4 balls in a diamond shape at the foot spot. The object is to break, then run the table without missing or scratching. Sounds simple, right? The catch is you have to do it on the crappiest, unleveled table, and shoot with "cues" who's tips look like they were shaped to resemble a square. Forget english, because if you can avoid a miscue, the felt and rails will not reciprocate.

EDIT

Here is the video my girlfriend took of me beating it after the 3rd damn try!

http://youtu.be/MaL31ur07KA
 
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I beat them every year

THe three keys are take your own chalk, Use the concrete to scuff the tip and shoot hard so the unlevel table dosent come into play. Oh ya and a soft break so you dont have to move the cue very much.
 
J-Flo said:
THe three keys are take your own chalk, Use the concrete to scuff the tip and shoot hard so the unlevel table dosent come into play. Oh ya and a soft break so you dont have to move the cue very much.
Click to expand...

I have been tempted to bring my own gear, but my girlfriend always calls me a douche for taking it so seriously. At 10 bucks a game, I'm a douche-bag and a half! :thumbup:

EDIT:
Sorry, I should have specified: The 10 bucks per game was actually my choice. You actually wage on what prize you get if you win:

$10=Jumbo
$5=Large
$3=Medium
$2=Small

Go big, or go home!
 
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We used to have more then one set up at the york fair but haven't seen any in years... It was an easy stuffed animal for whoever the girl was that was with me lol
 
Finesse is out the window. If you are used to it and slip back into it - you are dead. Been there, done that. :-)
 
I used a Willards tip shaper on the best tip available. The table was at least 6 inches higher than a standard table. The cloth made the balls move like they were in mud. All shots had to be crisp...mostly stun shots as the ball reacted sluggishly to what you wanted it to do. I won a stuffed animal on the first try. A guy behind me asked me to shoot for him and he would give me $5 if I won a stuffed animal for his daughter as well. I ended up with a cluster off the break and failed. So you can say I was one for one at the Montgomery County Fair...
 
It is a Sucks Game, few win, the Carnies make money faster than you can in a CD. Three Ball is the game at the AZ State Fair. The table are not level, the cloth has shall we say funny sports that make a ball roll wrong, the house has the edge, the cues are crooked like the game. SUCKERS BEWARE.
 
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they had this at the miami fair one year. I walked up and there was a group of people all standing there sweating it but no one was playing. I gave the guy my money, used the ol tip tapper and made the best of the what crapola chalk they had. Then soft break to get the balls open and ran out pretty quickly and easily with mostly center ball. walked off with the largest doll. As I left four different people all immediately gave the guy money and were giving it a go. The carny guy gave me a wink and said thanks buddy!
 
I have won many dolls

The TX state fair changed the rules - now you have to run them in order - not too hard but again with the crappy cues, bad felt, unlevel table etc.. it can be a challenge. Also they have shimmed pockets to make it even harder.
 
California Fats said:
Has anyone else stubbornly dumped money into this? It never fails... Every single year the fair comes around, I insist on playing until I win. It usually takes me 2 or 3 tries.

For those that have not seen it, they rack 4 balls in a diamond shape at the foot spot. The object is to break, then run the table without missing or scratching. Sounds simple, right? The catch is you have to do it on the crappiest, unleveled table, and shoot with "cues" who's tips look like they were shaped to resemble a square. Forget english, because if you can avoid a miscue, the felt and rails will not reciprocate.
Click to expand...

I've won so many stuffed animals on these games, it's ridiculous.

But here's something interesting... at the Six Flags in Houston, their tables were in good condition, the pockets were big, the cues were in decent condition, there was plenty of room.

Freddie <~~~ and they told me I couldn't play anymore
 
Run the Century said:
The TX state fair changed the rules - now you have to run them in order - not too hard but again with the crappy cues, bad felt, unlevel table etc.. it can be a challenge. Also they have shimmed pockets to make it even harder.
Click to expand...

At the Tennessee Fair, I also had to run them in order on American Snooker tables. Plenty of room though and the snooker tables had fairly big pockets.
 
Wasted $30 at the county fair last year trying to win this one. For prizes, instead of stuffed animals they had these mini dirt bikes, 40cc or something.

Thought it would be easy but after 3 tries I only made 1 ball. Before I started my fourth try I took a ball off the rack to measure the pockets. I measured 3 pockets on one side and they were all different sizes. When I asked the carney about it he gave my money back and told me politely to go away. :rolleyes:
 
California Fats said:
Has anyone else stubbornly dumped money into this? It never fails... Every single year the fair comes around, I insist on playing until I win. It usually takes me 2 or 3 tries.

For those that have not seen it, they rack 4 balls in a diamond shape at the foot spot. The object is to break, then run the table without missing or scratching. Sounds simple, right? The catch is you have to do it on the crappiest, unleveled table, and shoot with "cues" who's tips look like they were shaped to resemble a square. Forget english, because if you can avoid a miscue, the felt and rails will not reciprocate.
Click to expand...

:thumbup:

Oh...that is so easy to win!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just break nice and easy. This way all your shots will be short shots and all your balls are on one end of the table.

I hustled these guys so much they don't let me play. Bring your own chalk.:smile:
 
The first time I played it, I managed to score the giant stuffed animal for my girlfriend. I was very pleased with myself.

Looking back at it... I was like an APA 4... using the most beat stick and equipment possible... they required a ball to go on the break too, or it's game over! I got pretty lucky.

I'd probably need ten tries to do it today lol.
 
poolguy4u said:
:thumbup:

Oh...that is so easy to win!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just break nice and easy. This way all your shots will be short shots and all your balls are on one end of the table.

I hustled these guys so much they don't let me play. Bring your own chalk.:smile:
Click to expand...

Same here.
 
IL state fair used to have it and we won enough to be limited to once a week.
We actually hustled the new guy at the stand. It was $5 a try for the biggest animal. My buddy conned the guy to 3 tries for $10. My buddy wins on the 2nd try and says I paid for 3 tries, can my friend try. He says ok so I get up and win on first try.
Then their first comment to the crowd is "see it can be done".
As others said, chalk and a soft break. Shimmed unlevel tables with dead rails, chipped balls and the rock cue ball.
 
You really can't win the prizes aren't worth the price. Bur the last time I did it my date said to quit she didn't think it was fair and her arms were full.
 
LOL

This is why it is a winner for the carny.

IF you win, you have paid $10 for $.50 prize.

IF you lose, you have paid $10 for $0.0 prize.

For all that have played, PT Barnum had a phrase...

There is sucker born every minute.....:rolleyes:

Ken
 
Hero

I made a deal with the guy. Mt daughter
gave him five bucks and my son gave him
three. The five bucks would get to choose
from the largest stuffed animals and the
three would choose from the mid sized. Ran
them on the first try and my daughter's prize
was larger than her six year old body. That was
my one and only opportunity that day. I ended
up having to carry a large, light blue elephant out
to the car.

On that day, in one little girls eyes, I was hero.
 
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