3-cushion billiard: The COME-BACK game, The Edgie's style.

• Introduction:
  Traditional 3-cushion billiard games are played as following:
  • Player-A tries to make a billiard by hitting both object balls with his cue ball.
    The cue ball must contact cushions 3 times or more before it contacts the second object ball.
  • Player-A scores a point and keeps on trying if a billiard is made.
    Otherwise, Player-B takes over the inning and starts his inning.
  • Whoever reaches the game-point (e.g. 30) of billiards first wins.
      This "game" is too much a 'sport" than a game, since the win heavily depends on skill rather than luck, especially when the game-point is high.
      This game is perfectly OK for pure competitional purposes, but it is boring and often difficult to find and match compatible players for a good game.
      One way to handicap such a game is to spot the weaker player centain points, but the player taking the spot already admits to being weaker and winning is not really a victory.

• An alternative way: the come-back game,
  AKA: the Robinhood style, the low-ball game, the Edgie's-style, Billiard 9-ball.
  • The playing is the same. ONLY the scoring is changed.
  • Players always play as the equal or lower side of the two-scores.
  • Players win by reaching the game-points (9 as standard, or whatever) first.
  • Games may be played by more than two players, though only two scores are needed.

• Handicap, Optional rules and Twists
  • Handicap: a player may have "2 for 3" (243) (3 points for every 2 billiards he makes) 142, 244, 344 etc.
  • For tournament, players are classified 2-9 levels, 9 as most advanced player.
    When a 2-player play with a 4-player, he has a 244 handicap.
  • Special ending: the last billiard must be a rail-first shot.
  • Special ending: the last run must have at least one "rail-first shot or kiss-shot".
  • Special ending: the last run must have at least 2 points or more.
  • Inning continues, even though game point is reached, Hi-run may have many uses.
  • Players may take a "pass" to skip his turn if not all players have passed.
  • The followings may be used to replace the "lagging for break":
    1. Game starts with 1-0 as the beginning score.
    2. The Chinese break: two cue balls at foot and head spot, red ball at the center. Shoot toward the longer side of table only.
    3. If the first play reaches game point at the break, the second player may do his break shot, the higher score wins.
• Disscusion:
  • This game grows intense when the game-points are getting close.
  • This game has more to do with running a good run at the crunch time, and is more exciting.
  • Most players may compete with each other, more-or-less regardless the different skill levels.
  • Advanced players may feel free to make billiard when trying to bring new player.
  • New-comers may benefit more when advanced players can do their best.
  • More relaxed period to explore new shots when game-point is high.
  • Properly set game-points may stimulate a player's better performance.
  • Personally, this is the game I think will save 3-cushion billiards.





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