Three Ball

We always played it with the rule "1 tie all tie". Then we throw in more money to the pot and do another round.

The score of 3, making one on the break and then getting the next 2 shots, would sometimes win. With 5 or 6 players it usually would tie. Pots would add up at $1 per round. It's a very fun game. :)

I like the rule of spotting a 4th ball, if nothing goes on the break. Hmmmm.....may have to get another 3 ball game going soon.
 
Great, great social exciting game, making me also want to get one going. It's @ the only game bangers will jump in with much better players and play even!

1 tie all tie
any foul - adds one as penalty
scratch - add one, ball in kitchen
 
KoolKat9Lives said:
Great, great social exciting game, making me also want to get one going. It's @ the only game bangers will jump in with much better players and play even!

1 tie all tie
any foul - adds one as penalty
scratch - add one, ball in kitchen
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I've always played you scratch, you're out for that round. Definitely one tie all tie though.
 
Very fun game! A bunch of us used to play this all time after a weekly tournament. We played it where you had up to 5 shots, break shot counted as one, one tie/all tie. There would be a lot of 3's and the occasional 2. Haven't played this in years.
 
Do not break from the side, no action there. I put the cue ball 2 inches right of the spot and power stroke it with below center. Draw the cue ball but not so low you lose all your power. More or less try to cut the headball in the corner. I can make the headball 25% of the time in the side pocket doing this. Plus you will get good action on the other balls.
 
tucson9ball said:
We always played it with the rule "1 tie all tie". Then we throw in more money to the pot and do another round.

The score of 3, making one on the break and then getting the next 2 shots, would sometimes win. With 5 or 6 players it usually would tie. Pots would add up at $1 per round. It's a very fun game. :)

I like the rule of spotting a 4th ball, if nothing goes on the break. Hmmmm.....may have to get another 3 ball game going soon.
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This is how I've always played it in many rooms, bars, and several states. Johnnyt

PS: If I played today I'd want the magic rack used.
 
RonnieOSullivan said:
I've always played you scratch, you're out for that round. Definitely one tie all tie though.
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No no no...that ruins the god-shot where a guy makes two balls in one shot. That's about half the fun of it.

We also play that verbal sharking is allowed and encouraged when a guy is about to win the round. No touching, just noise, etc. The best shark that saved a round ever was when the bartender waited for just the right moment and threw one of those big-ass glass ashtrays right over the shooters head where it missed the table and exploded on the floor.....he missed....the game goes on!!!!


Jeff Livingston
 
We do one tie all tie and you throw in another buck. If a guy ran out of money he will usually be able to finish except if he is an a-ho, then who knows. I think a couple of APA 3's won all of the money last night. I think there were only two 2 rounds last night. Most of the wins were 3, though that was often tied. This is not a "pool" crowd, it is more of a get-out-of-the-house-and-have-a-beer-and-hang-out-with-the-guys crowd. And harassment of the players is definitely encouraged.
 
Triangle the 3 balls. Scratch counts as 2 shots. One tie-all tie and everyone sweetens the pot.

Still don't know the best way to break. I've witnessed a few scores of ONE and even done it once myself. Have no idea how it happened, it just did. :)
 
Underclocked said:
Triangle the 3 balls. Scratch counts as 2 shots. One tie-all tie and everyone sweetens the pot.

Still don't know the best way to break. I've witnessed a few scores of ONE and even done it once myself. Have no idea how it happened, it just did. :)
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Must have been the heater under the table equalizing zen, ying and yan in harmony . ;)
 
Tre ball.

doitforthegame said:
So the old timers (like me) at my men's club have discovered three ball. Six, eight even ten guys play. The pots get rather large (at least for a bunch of old barstards) when it gets to the 3rd or 4th round. So anyway, I had never played this game before and my break shot absolutely was terrible. I think only one game a ball went in on my break. So, is there any secret to the break?
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My idea is break hard, squatting the cue ball with a stop shot. Straight down middle of table or cue is flying. Balls rebound back into cue ball and hopefully go sideways. I made two ones in a row one time!! Everybody quit! Balls always racked in line. Four or better to win. One tie all tie. Can't knock balls off table. Scratch is one penalty stroke. Don't understand breaking soft. Fours seldom win and get tied. Great game for all skill levels, but as usual good players have an edge. Sometimes GOOD players will break up a game by winning too much. Be advised this can be a crooked game. As in I don't tie my buddy and he doesn't tie me. They LET each other win and split the winnings. Which brings us to (What's wrong with pool today?)
 
alphadog said:
Used to play a lot on the barbox. One guy would break soft with top.7/8 ball hit.he would make all 3 on the break at least 20%. low % but always got the cash!
Nobody could replicate his break.Hell yes we all tried!
Lots of fun.
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Do you rack the 3 balls in line? We play 3 rack in a triangle.
3 on the break would be about .02% and certainly not 20%.
 
Poolrooms would do themselves a favor if they promoted 3 ball, partner money ball, and ring games. Once you get it started you will have a few tables going all day and night with players getting in and out of the 3 games. If there aren't enough to play, jump in yourself until another player wants in. If one of the games is going to end because of a player is leaving and no one else is around to fill the spot jump in yourself until someone wants in. That's how to keep the games going. I had a money ball going 12 hours a day in a 9 table room and that table paid for all the overhead. Johnnyt
 
State Fair

We have a 3 ball break we call the "State Fair Four" because at the state fair, the 3 ball game that you can win a prize for a 4 but the table as you can expect is crap. Rails you could drop your car keys thru, just silly.

So that one is side rail soft break to the 2nd ball - it and the 2nd ball go to the bottom rail, stop shot to the bottom corner, head ball stayed on the spot to the top corner with follow and the last ball on the side rail to the same corner as the first ball. Repeat.

For the cash, I'm slightly off center and use a touch of inside, squat the cueball. Normally 1 of the 2 travel around for the side pocket. Speed seems to be the key, something you practice on the table before all of your buds show up so you have it down.
 
CreeDo said:
I haven't played in years, but I seem to remember a break where you can make the 4 railer dead?
One of the corner balls goes to the foot rail, then side rail, head rail, opposite side, and in the hole.
Sort of like what happens in 10 ball frequently. Is this possible in 3 ball?
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If shot correctly you can make both corner balls 4 rails in the 2 foot rail pockets (they criss cross)
 
Ralph Kramden said:
Do you rack the 3 balls in line? We play 3 rack in a triangle.
3 on the break would be about .02% and certainly not 20%.
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Why is this so hard to believe? The table was a old valley-huge pockets-oversized cb-new
cloth-stretched very tight. Jon told me he practiced the break everychance he got! As a poor
college student, who knew he didnt play well enough to take down the cash playing money
ball,he saw the possibility to score at 3ball.
Like many have said sharking was encouraged,or expected. No one would shark Jon as we all wanted to see how he did it. Funny how you cant talk BS and observe at the same time!
Maybe Jon's % wasnt 20-but I know of nights where it was damn close. We used to play 3
ball or money ball from about 4pm till 2am on fri.Sat. we did the same from maybe 1 till 2am.Playing 2and 2,or 3ball a couple of us made pretty good scratch for a mid 80's wknd.
Jon didnt play that often-game probably would have folded if he did.We respected Jon's
aces enough that we quit calling him Jon Boy[he favored the Walton's character]and called him "Ace".
The beauty of the games is players can get in and get out. Business men would donate 20 just to be in on the sharking!Players would come and go as there schedule=gf -work-family
would allow.
Bar owner was thrilled as he sold plenty of alcohal and would make 200 in quarters.Yes he would play to keep the game going.
 
TCo said:
We have a 3 ball break we call the "State Fair Four" because at the state fair, the 3 ball game that you can win a prize for a 4 but the table as you can expect is crap. Rails you could drop your car keys thru, just silly.

So that one is side rail soft break to the 2nd ball - it and the 2nd ball go to the bottom rail, stop shot to the bottom corner, head ball stayed on the spot to the top corner with follow and the last ball on the side rail to the same corner as the first ball. Repeat.

For the cash, I'm slightly off center and use a touch of inside, squat the cueball. Normally 1 of the 2 travel around for the side pocket. Speed seems to be the key, something you practice on the table before all of your buds show up so you have it down.
Click to expand...

State Fair 3 ball.... For $2 you get a 50 cent prize if you pocket all 3 in 4 shots.
If you pocket all 3 in 3 shots your prize is worth $1... All 3 in 2 shots, a miracle.
 
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