“See, watch this: cushion, cushion, ball, cushion, ball,” said Ira Lee, tracking the path of a cue-ball shot in a series of incredibly calculated caroms by Hugo Patino, the great Colombian billiards player. “That’s called an umbrella shot because of the path the ball takes. Beautifully played.”

Ira Lee, who was inspired in billiards by the tournament’s namesake, contemplated his next shot Thursday at the Carom Cafe in Queens.

Cheers and applause went up around the room for Mr. Patino, the 2003 United States national champion, who was competing yesterday in the Sang Lee International Open billiards tournament in Flushing, Queens.

“If you notice, the cue ball just traveled more than 35 feet, which you never get in pool,” said Michael Ian Shamos, one of several billiards historians watching the tournament at the Carom Cafe.

The 80 entrants, who seemed to outnumber spectators yesterday, include some of the world’s best players of three-cushion billiards, a game played with three balls on a pocketless table slightly larger than a pool table.

A player scores by striking the cue ball once so that it hits the other two balls, and at least three sides of the table — also known as cushions or rails — all in a single shot. The three cushions must be struck before the cue ball contacts the second of the two other balls.

It is never easy, and depending on the positioning of the three balls, it can require staggering displays of acumen with a cue stick. Yesterday, the players — dressed in white shirts with black slacks, vests and bow ties — often spun the cue ball severely to ricochet repeatedly off the sides in paths that seemed calculated with a protractor and executed by remote control.

Robert Byrne, another billiards expert, motioned toward a small crowd of billiards aficionados who gathered to watch the players on the 10 tables in the competition area. “You have 18 of the top 20 players in the world competing for one of the most prestigious titles, and look how few people are here to watch them,” he said.

Mr. Byrne pointed to the four tables closest to him and said, “Look, you have the national champions from Colombia, Mexico, Holland and Korea.”

He pointed toward Dirk Snip, from the Netherlands, calling him “the tallest billiards player in the world.”

With Mr. Snip crouching over a table while surveying his next shot, Mr. Byrne added, “He’s seven-foot, but he’s got the shortest name.”

Later, Mr. Snip said his height helped him see the table better and his long reach was also an advantage.

“I’m the tallest billiards player and I’m from the smallest country,” he said.

Players or experts constantly emphasize how much harder and complex the game is than ordinary pocket billiards, requiring more skill and ball control, and the insight and forethought of chess.

Three-cushion billiards shots follow intricate geometric patterns, with the cue ball sometimes hitting up to 10 cushions in a single shot. Shot names include the Snake (the ball curves severely from backspin) and the Ticky (the ball ricochets rapidly in a cushion-ball-cushion-cushion-ball pattern).

The cue stick is a bit thicker than a usual pool stick. It is also stiffer and shorter so a player can strike the cue very hard to spin it. This is because players often strike directly down on the cue ball with great force, to spin the ball for a drastically curved shot.

This is also why the table surfaces are supported by strong two-inch thick slabs of slate, heated by electric coils that must be turned on at least 24 hours before play. The surface must be nine degrees above room temperature to keep moisture off the cloth surface and maintain a consistent roll.

The tournament finals, a round-robin setup among the 10 remaining players, will be tomorrow and Sunday at the pool hall. The tournament — with a total purse of $85,000, and the winner’s s

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