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Ménage à Trois Billiards

Ménage à Trois Billiards at Hearst Castle (2016)

Ménage à Trois Billiards is played on a standard pool table and combines aspects of three classic cue sports: Carom Billiards, 3-Cushion Billiards, and Pocket Billiards.

The game can be played by two (or three) individuals or teams. Only three balls are used, usually the One Ball, Two Ball and Three Ball, although any three differentiated balls will suffice. The game accommodates players of differing skill levels, hence, it is well suited for mixed company.

Origins Originating at what is now known as Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California, USA, Ménage à Trois Billiards was played after the Billiard Room was completed at La Cuesta Encantada in 1934. The game continues to be demonstrated by guides and docents for the benefit of tour groups.

Play- To start the game, the three balls are laid out along the center line running the length of the table. They are placed (or “spotted”) at the foot spot , center spot and head spot respectively. The starting player chooses one of the balls to act as a cue ball for the first shot. The player strikes the “cue ball” sending it toward a rail or an object ball. Points are awarded for caroms, pocketed object balls, and banked shots (see below). When points are scored, the player (or team) continues with their turn and takes another shot. In team play, shots are taken alternatively by each player as long as the team continues to score points.

Pocketed balls are immediately re-spotted at the closest available position on the table (head spot, center spot, foot spot).

The game continues until a predetermined number of points have been scored by a player or team (Example: 21 points) .

Scoring For basic play, ANY ball may be used as a cue ball on each shot.

ONE POINT is awarded when ANY ball causes an object ball to be pocketed (variation of Pocket Billiards).

TWO POINTS are awarded when a ball designated as a “cue ball” for the shot strikes BOTH other balls on the table, and at least one rail has been contacted by ANY of the balls (variation of Carom Billiards).

THREE POINTS are awarded when the ball designated as “cue ball” is banked off at least (3) rails before making contact with a final object ball (variation of Cushion Caroms or 3-Rail Billiards).

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Note: if the ball acting as cue ball is accidentally pocketed, it is considered as a scratch. The turn is over and the next player or team takes their turn.

Note: on any given turn, consecutive points cannot be awarded for the same category of shot. Example: if a point is awarded for a pocketed shot, the next point on that turn cannot be made by pocketing another ball. The next point can only be awarded as a carom shot or a rail shot.

Note: no EXTRA points are awarded. Example: If a player begins a turn and the cue ball caroms off both object balls - and then causes one of the object balls to be pocketed, only the first eligible point(s) count in scoring. In this case, the shot would be scored as a carom and awarded (2) points.

REFERENCES Everton, Clive (1986). The History of Snooker and Billiards (rev. ver. of The Story of Billiards and Snooker, 1979 ed.). Haywards Heath, UK: Partridge Pr. ISBN 1-85225-013-5.

"Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved 2014-04-14.

Kastner, Victoria. Hearst Castle: the Biography of a Country House. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2000.

Morgan, J., Hearst, W. R., & Loe, N. E. (1987). San Simeon revisited: the correspondence between architect Julia Morgan and William Randolph Hearst. San Luis Obispo, Calif: Library Associates, California Polytechnic State University.

Shamos, Mike (1999). The New Illustrated Encyclopedia of Billiards. New York City: Lyons Press. ISBN 1-55821-797-5.

CORRESPONDENCE George Loorz Papers, San Luis Obispo Historical Society.