Results from 2024 U. S. 3-Cushion National Champioship

2023 Grand Averages for world’s top players ( includes 6 World Cups & World Championship )
1 - Dick Jaspers. 1.979
2 - Myung Woo Cho. 1.784
3 - Marco Zanetti. 1.782
4 - Nikos Polychronopoulos. 1.735
5 - Eddy Merckx. 1.733
6 - Quyet Chien Tran. 1.710
7 - Torbjorn Blomdahl. 1.662
8 - Haeng Jik Kim 1.652
9 - Jeremy Bury. 1.536
 
The tables were slow, and most of them played about half a diamond short. Patiño was able to adjust his game to deal with the playing condition of the tables, but Piedrabuena seemed to be uncomfortable with the tables throughout the entire tournament.
 
The tables were slow, and most of them played about half a diamond short. Patiño was able to adjust his game to deal with the playing condition of the tables, but Piedrabuena seemed to be uncomfortable with the tables throughout the entire tournament.
Adjusting to tables is what these guys have been doing their whole life. It's a big part of what makes them a great player. Pedro has played wonderful tournaments on short or long, fast or slow material many times. How well you adjust is as much form of the day as it is preference for a certain table character. Pedro could be as much as 0.150 - 0.200 stronger than Hugo in season average, which makes him at least a 70/30 favorite head to head. But Hugo is too good a player to get beaten all the time, I think his five national titles versus Pedro's twelve are a pretty fair reflection of their playing strength. And of the lack of competition in the US.
 
Adjusting to tables is what these guys have been doing their whole life. It's a big part of what makes them a great player. Pedro has played wonderful tournaments on short or long, fast or slow material many times. How well you adjust is as much form of the day as it is preference for a certain table character. Pedro could be as much as 0.150 - 0.200 stronger than Hugo in season average, which makes him at least a 70/30 favorite head to head. But Hugo is too good a player to get beaten all the time, I think his five national titles versus Pedro's twelve are a pretty fair reflection of their playing strength. And of the lack of competition in the US.
Don't know if Hugo or Pedro has taken anyone under their wing.
The only way the USA will produce a World Champion is if our best players get into teaching the game.
It's a long road for sure.

Just hope they're trying. Rather than being like Hoppe and going to his grave before disclosing his knowledge.
 
Don't know if Hugo or Pedro has taken anyone under their wing.
The only way the USA will produce a World Champion is if our best players get into teaching the game.
It's a long road for sure.

Just hope they're trying. Rather than being like Hoppe and going to his grave before disclosing his knowledge.

In my opinion, the way for the USA to produce a world champion will require several ingredients :

1. A combination of unusual levels of interest and talent in carom billiards, which is not so common if the youngster is raised in the states.
2. a) At least 10 years of immersion/competition in the small games in Europe (Belgium, Netherlands, or France) to absorb the wisdom of the game has been passed down through the generations in a land where it has been preserved. Learning the small games allows access to a set of skills that are rarely encountered in 3C, but are nevertheless invaluable towards mastery of 3C (take Caudron, Culemans or Hoppe, for example).
2. b) Further competition abroad...including Europe, Korea, and most of all Vietnam.

This is me spitballing. I'm curious to know the opinion of @erriep and @Texas Carom Club. If the high and mighty @Bert van Manen wants to chime in, then I would be pleased as punch..(but I'm not holding my breath for him).
 
I think ceulemans is quoted as saying no American will be a world champion until they master small games

I can’t find that quote but I believe that’s it

And we all know what Americans think about the small games
 
In my opinion, the way for the USA to produce a world champion will require several ingredients :

1. A combination of unusual levels of interest and talent in carom billiards, which is not so common if the youngster is raised in the states.
2. a) At least 10 years of immersion/competition in the small games in Europe (Belgium, Netherlands, or France) to absorb the wisdom of the game has been passed down through the generations in a land where it has been preserved. Learning the small games allows access to a set of skills that are rarely encountered in 3C, but are nevertheless invaluable towards mastery of 3C (take Caudron, Culemans or Hoppe, for example).
2. b) Further competition abroad...including Europe, Korea, and most of all Vietnam.

This is me spitballing. I'm curious to know the opinion of @erriep and @Texas Carom Club. If the high and mighty @Bert van Manen wants to chime in, then I would be pleased as punch..(but I'm not holding my breath for him).
High: on occasion. Mighty: not that I am ever aware of. As for an American 3-C world champion: can't see it happening in the next 8-10 years. You'd need an exceptional talent who, from his/her teenage years on lived in the right set of circumstances. Lots of hours of practice, the means to travel to int'l tournaments and coaching by someone who knows what's what. Not easy to check all those boxes. A background in the small games has helped some (Dielis, Caudron, Jaspers, Zanetti, Horn a.o.) but others have risen to the top without it (Blomdahl, Haeng Jik Kim, Merckx, Sayginer, Tran a.o.). Many roads lead to Rome.
 
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