Following on from a query last month about whether it was worth attempting a triple, I noticed at a recent tournament 3 failed triples (there may have been more on other lawns) which gave the innings away badly.

What handicap should someone be to have a triple as a legitimate tactic, or alternatively, what % in practise should someone attain?

I don't think it's based simply on handicap, nor merely on practice record. I've been doing them in practice for 3 years, but every time I get near one in a tournament I go toi pieces — some kind of psychological flaw I'm sure. I need to get the first one out of my system and I'm sure they'll flow easily.

(Two games running I got a 4-b peel before 6 and then completely missed a ball less than 2 yards away attempting to rush it to 6).

But a key part of doing triples is knowing when to abandon them, assuming it's a game of sufficient importance that winning is more important than doing a triple. If you are good at three-ball breaks, it's only the peels themselves that pose the additional challenge. Estimating pull is difficult, and the peel will often bounce out (or sometimes miss altogether), but you can exercise some caution and only go for the peel if the other balls are well placed. Then if the peel bounces out, at least the break should continue. One example would be not trying to peel 4b after H3 unless you have a good pioneer at H4.

On a practical note I think there's a lot to be said when starting on triples that if the 4b peel isn't at least jawsed before H6, just abort. The chances of succeeding if you haven't got to that stage when you're inexperienced are too small to make continuing worthwhile.

[Keith] Wylie's advice of practising delayed double finishes (4b peel before penult) is very worthwhile. Once you understand this position fully then delayed triples (or standard triples with stuff going wrong) cease to appear scary.

But keep going, if you are a B-class player aspiring to triples and becoming an A-class player, there is no such thing as an individual game which is more important than going for things to improve your game. And if you arrive in the A-class as a confident tripler you are on a good start.

I had been given this advice as well and for far to long I ignored it. I found during a triple I'd worry about it getting behind schedule and that would play on my mind. When I practised and become confident at completing straight double peels the pressure came off and the triples started to flow more often.

I started practising the rover peel from various positions then moved onto the penult peel then put the two together. Practising small bits at a time helped me.

Another excellent piece of advise I received was the attitude to take when triples failed. Don't get angry that the triple failed, get angry when you don't finish the break to the peg. That thought process allowed me to better assess risk vs reward for a line of play to take.