3 Ball Pool

Three-Ball is a form of billiards played mostly in the pool halls of America. 3 ball is a fast-paced game which can include more than two competitors, so it is popular among gamblers. Most games are played for one to five dollars, though you might find up to a half-dozen players in on the wager.

Another reason that 3-ball is a money game is the luck factor. Because pocketing balls off the break is so pivotal in Three-ball, luck becomes a significant part of the game.

The object of three-ball is to be the player who pockets all the balls in the least number of shots. Therefore, pocketing a ball or two on the break takes on a much greater importance than in a game of eight-ball or even nine-ball.

Three-Ball Equipment

Three-ball is played on a regulation billiard table using standard cue sticks and a standard cue ball. There are only three object balls used in the 3-ball format, so that a game of threeball plays much faster than some of the more famous billiards games.

Because each player takes a turn pocketing the balls, and therefore players do not share the same object balls, three-ball can be played with more than two players. Usually, having more than four or five players begins to slow down the pace of the game. With five or more shooters, each person might be playing for a larger pot, but those people stand around watching a large percentage of the time.

The Rack in 3 Ball

Players rack only three balls in the rack, pushed to the front so that they form a small triangle pattern. These balls are usually the 1, 2 and 3 balls, though this is not necessary. It does not matter which order you pocket the object balls.

There is an alternate racking style in three-ball. This is the straight-line rack. The straight-line rack positions the lead ball on the foot spot as one would expect, but leaves the other two balls in a straight line behind the lead ball, pointing towards the center of the foot rail. This usually produced by pushing them against one of the straight-edge sides of the triangular ball rack.

The straight-line rack is meant to make it harder to pocket multiple balls on the break. If the triangular pattern is used, there are certain ways to position the balls where two or more balls are likely to shoot towards a pocket.

Player Turns in Three Ball

Unlike 8-ball or 9-ball, players do not alternate shots after a missed shot or foul. Instead, a shooter continues his or her turn until all the object balls have been pocketed. Once this is done, the balls are re-racked and it is another player's turn. Like in other games, this turn is called an inning.

This continues until all players in the game have shot for an inning, where they have broken a rack and pocketed all their balls. After this is finished, a winner is determined by which player took the fewest shots to complete the task.

Points

Each shot counts a point in three-ball. Therefore, the lower of a score a player has, the better that player's score. Top players are capable of sinking three balls on the break, receiving one point for their feat. In this case, other shooters can only tie the score.

Three-Ball Fouls

If a player commits a foul, one point is added to the score. Fouls in three-ball tend to be the same as in eight-ball. This includes common cue ball fouls like double hits of the cue ball, pushing instead of hitting the cue ball, knocking the cue ball off of the table or pocketing the cue ball.

If a cue ball is pocketed, the shooter places it in the kitchen for the next shot.

Non-Fouls

Not everything which is a foul in eight-ball is a foul in three-ball. This is because such actions require an extra shot, and therefore already penalize a shooter in 3-ball.

For example, a shot where the cue ball fails to strike an object ball is not considered a foul. To waste a shot without hitting an object ball simply increases the shot total, which is to the shooter's disadvantage.

Similarly, a weak break which does not break up the balls is not a foul. Such a break is to the shooter's disadvantage.

Also, "slop shots" are not illegal in three-ball. A slop shot is an uncalled shot, or a shot which uses banks, kicks, combos, caroms or kisses which might not be legal in other games. This increases the randomness of three-ball.

In other variants, players must make called shots.

Keeping Score in 3 Ball

Players tend to write down the results of each player's inning. Also, two or more players are apt to name the number of the shot, or the score, before each subsequent shot. Therefore, on a shooter's second shot, players might remind him that this is shot #2.

All Tie

Many times, three-ball takes on the "skins" format used on golf course. In the case of three-ball, this is called all-tie rules.

In all-tie rules, if two or more players tie for the lowest score, then no player wins that game. A new ante bet is placed and all players in the original wager are eligible for what is essentially a doubled-down bet.

This means that players who did not tie for the lowest score on the first round of player are allowed an equal opportunity to win the next round and the double wager. In certain instances, shooters might choose to walk away from the bet, if that player doesn't want to double the bet.

The Money Pocket

In certain variations of three-ball, there is a money pocket on the table. This is one random pocket on the table which, if the final ball is sunk into it, a shooter's score is reduced by one point. If a foul occurs on this shot, the money pocket rule does not apply.