I see the pro players do it all the time. It is called “safe”. Because as someone said, the objective of the game is “winning”. Even Efren Reyes do it, and he is GOAT imo
Your thoughts on '3 fouling' your way to victory?
- Thread starter smiling_Hans
- Start date
There is no three foul in eight ball. Are you talking about nine ball?
someusername
Well-known member
I 3 fouled Efren twice in a row and then my alarm went off.
No worries... I've seen enough of your posts to have a full grasp of where your thoughts are coming from. Not surprised we stand on opposite sides of this fence.
Unfortunately the only source of fascination I get from the game these days comes from reading the posts here on AZB. I still do appreciate the kid comment.
Wow. Four pages on this?
I wouldn't play three fouls in a regular pool hall or against lesser players, but the rules are the rules in competitive play between high-level players. It really is that simple.
Not a fan of unwritten rules as seem to exist predominately in baseball.
I wouldn't play three fouls in a regular pool hall or against lesser players, but the rules are the rules in competitive play between high-level players. It really is that simple.
Not a fan of unwritten rules as seem to exist predominately in baseball.
And that is exactly how a couple friends of mine are playing. They know well enough that their opponents are noble and of high ego. The opponents either wins or loses, careless about whether it is a foul or not. They especially wouldn’t play safe as they called it “dirty plays”
1/ opponents either lost with 3 fouls or
2/ opponents are now afraid of 3 fouls and re-adjusting their shots, their ways of pocketing and playing. To finally realize that all the balls are set and ready for a clean sweep winning turns
3/ finally, when either 1 or 2 kicked in, they will keep on losing
The way I see it is that the game is more about “minds” and “strategy” much as chess. There are no wrong or “dirty plays” in chest. The same as in “life”. If you didn’t anticipate it, or underestimating your opponents, and or overly confident in yourself with a high horse, you can blame no body.
weird how conversations can go
Wouldn't an unwritten rule be something like it's inappropriate to play for 3 fouls against lesser players..? ...and how does one know if an unknown opponent is a lesser player until they finish playing them..?
Weird how conversations go indeed.
For instance, I did not use the word 'inappropriate.' I simply choose not to use the three-foul rule against lesser players because it's not as fun for me. Lots of lesser players aren't even aware of the rule.
As such, it's not a rule of mine, written or unwritten. It's a choice. Naturally, I know which players in my pool hall are better or worse than me.
For unknown players, I play by the official or house rules. The three-foul rule has not come up with any unknown players in my hall since I began playing regularly again several years ago ...
For instance, I did not use the word 'inappropriate.' I simply choose not to use the three-foul rule against lesser players because it's not as fun for me. Lots of lesser players aren't even aware of the rule.
As such, it's not a rule of mine, written or unwritten. It's a choice. Naturally, I know which players in my pool hall are better or worse than me.
For unknown players, I play by the official or house rules. The three-foul rule has not come up with any unknown players in my hall since I began playing regularly again several years ago ...
Last edited:
My problem with the 3 foul rule for a handicapped tournament is a considerably stronger player attempting to 3 foul a virtually beginner level player, particularly if they have other options. I may choose to continually hide and foul an opponent until I feel I can run out, but I won’t call them on the 3 foul.
I have no problem with the opposite or with the weak player riding the 9 every chance they get. Realistically we’d all agree it’s their best chance to win.
I three-fouled Jose Parica. He laughed.
Isn't that pretty much why the tournament is handicapped, to give the weaker player weight?
Handicapping, at it's best, creates equality when two players get to the table to battle.
They should be equal after the handicap is issued.
Anything within the rules should go and is legal.
A 3 foul win looks the same as a break and run on the scoreline. I have a hard time understanding any argument against it. If those are the rules you are playing then to hell with anybody who doesn`t like it. Just need to make sure everyone knows the rules going in.
No 3-consecutive-fouls rule in the WPA's 8-Ball rules, but it is used sometimes. I've seen it in Appleton's World Pool Series and in some pro challenge matches.
It was briefly in the BCA 8-ball rules around 1980 along with ball-in-hand for any foul but that went away within a couple of years.
Did you see it actually used for the win in the pro matches?
3 fouls is one way to break opponents
'Automatic' against beginner players.
I looked (fairly quickly) through my notes on the World Pool Series 8-Ball events and found 3 instances of it. Oddly, 2 of the 3 were in the same match -- an Orcollo/Pagulayan match in Nov. 2017 -- in which they both lost a game on 3 consecutive fouls. The other instance was Hohmann losing a game to Line Kjorsvik in Jan. 2017.