A good game for home gathering?

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livemusic

AzB Silver Member
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Say you're going to have friends over and most shoot pool, say, mostly D to C- level. Accustomed to playing 8-ball on 7 ft bar box. I have 8 ft table. Thinking they might enjoy 9-ball but what do you think? Or another game? Also thinking of... would 9-ball be faster games than 8-ball? That would provide faster turnover. This might be where it would be each player has a partner. I dunno how to do it... blind draw or what. Or change it up. Whatever is fun. 8-ball is fine but just wondering about this.
 
livemusic said:
Say you're going to have friends over and most shoot pool, say, mostly D to C- level. Accustomed to playing 8-ball on 7 ft bar box. I have 8 ft table. Thinking they might enjoy 9-ball but what do you think? Or another game? Also thinking of... would 9-ball be faster games than 8-ball? That would provide faster turnover. This might be where it would be each player has a partner. I dunno how to do it... blind draw or what. Or change it up. Whatever is fun. 8-ball is fine but just wondering about this.
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If you have four players, I think money ball would be good. I posted the rules somewhere. It is a partners game but the partners are determined during the game. Best if all players are OK with small stakes. Lots of luck shots when all 15 balls are on the table.

With three, cutthroat.

With that level of player, I think you want 3-6-9 or 5-9 as money balls (or points balls) if you play nine ball. Play a ring game.
 
I have similar gatherings. What I have found to work the best is playing 9-ball with partner teams, alternate shot. I write each persons name on a piece of paper and draw them out of a hat to determine the partners. If I have a couple of really good players in the bunch, I will draw one of their names with a name of not as good player to eliminate chance of two really good players being partnered up. Each game goes fairly quick. . I tried 8 ball, but didn't get near as quick a turnover with the teams.

Everyone that has come to play has stated how much they enjoy that format.

Aloha
Randy
 
Odd ball with 4. $.10 or .$25 a way.
.Cut throat with 3 or 5. $.50 - $1.00 a game.
 
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livemusic said:
Say you're going to have friends over and most shoot pool, say, mostly D to C- level. Accustomed to playing 8-ball on 7 ft bar box. I have 8 ft table. Thinking they might enjoy 9-ball but what do you think? Or another game? Also thinking of... would 9-ball be faster games than 8-ball? That would provide faster turnover. This might be where it would be each player has a partner. I dunno how to do it... blind draw or what. Or change it up. Whatever is fun. 8-ball is fine but just wondering about this.
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Here is a game alternative that keeps everyone involved :

https://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=45123

Dave
 
Have each one bring a roll of quarters, or provide a roll for each, then play some three ball.
 
I usually play cut throat or what my dad use to refer to as “screw your buddy”. I think they are the same game. 3 player game. Determine the first 3 players and the break. Player 1 breaking player gets balls 1-5 second player 6-10 and third player 11-15. You can shoot any ball you want in including your own. A scratch means other 2 players get balls spotted up. Game is concluded by eliminating the balls from opposing player with winning player only having his or her balls left on the table. First player out is removed from the next round and new player comes in. Actually a fun game for groups.


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DrawBack74 said:
I usually play cut throat or what my dad use to refer to as “screw your buddy”. I think they are the same game. 3 player game. Determine the first 3 players and the break. Player 1 breaking player gets balls 1-5 second player 6-10 and third player 11-15. You can shoot any ball you want in including your own. A scratch means other 2 players get balls spotted up. Game is concluded by eliminating the balls from opposing player with winning player only having his or her balls left on the table. First player out is removed from the next round and new player comes in. Actually a fun game for groups.


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Cutthroat was my first thought as well. Bob Jewett also mentioned it above. For a party with lots of people, I have also played the same game with five players where each person gets 3 balls. Cutthroat is a fun alternative to 8-ball particularly since the same people do not tend to win every time. It is difficult (particularly if there is drinking involved) to switch back and forth between cutthroat and 8-ball. People get confused if they are supposed to shoot in their balls or shoot in everybody else's balls.
 
I also suggest Kelly Pool. I have a group of up to 6 people playing on my single table. I am by far the best player, 4 others are sort of equal about one level below and 1 of them is a "bloody beginner" who only pockets really easy balls. That's why Kelly Pool at least gives everybody a chance to win and thus they enjoy it the most. Poker Pool did not work as well because I still won most games due to the larger selection of balls you can shoot at and thus decent position play heavily favors better players. 3-ball did not work too well either. The other option was cut-throat. The less-experienced players have a chance to team against the best player and this makes it a little harder for the best player(s).

If you want to have fun with your buddies for a longer period make sure you pick a game that is based a lot on luck else they might not enjoy playing with you for long.

And try several games, maybe your group is different. Watch closely if they still enjoy your current suggestion.

I tried many games, including Baseball, Rotation 61, 9-ball, 1-Pocket, Straight Pool, 3-ball, 7-ball, 99 and many others. But they definitely want to play Kelly Pool most times, followed by Cut-Throat and the occasional 8-ball (because that is what they only knew before we met).
 
Killer is a fun game for a small group at your group's skill level.

Each player starts with three lives or however many you want to play with.

Draw for order of play.

The first person breaks, if they don't make a ball on the break they have to shoot again and make a ball.

Each player takes in turns to pot a single ball. If you miss you lose a life.

After all 15 balls are potted, you re-rack and re-break.

The winner is the last person standing.

If you foul by failing to hit a ball or scratching you also lose a life and the incoming player gets ball in hand behind the headstring.

The goal for every player each inning is to pot a single ball on the table and play position to make it difficult for the incoming player to have an easy shot.

You can also add in the rule if you make the 8-ball (racked in the center) you can gain back a life.

This is nice because no one is sitting for long because you can only make one ball at a time.
 
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I found some rules for Kelly and couldn't make sense of it at all! And I vaguely remember this as a game played at my local pool hall when I was young decades ago. But I don't find a smidgeon of recollection from those rules I found. Plus, the rules just didn't make any sense, it didn't seem to be written well. If anyone knows a Kelly link, advise.
 
gogg said:
Somebody suggested a ring game.... enjoy that as much as anything!
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Ring games are great but only fun with money involved. Also favors a good rotation player. You can find yourself stuck some $$$ if not careful. Unless all the players are money players it won’t go over very well. In a pool hall.....great fun.


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My whole family plays so the pool table stays busy at our occasional gatherings. To try and get more people involved at one time I started looking for an Eagle 21 pool ball set. Different colored solid balls for multiple player games.

Well the company has apparently gone out of business, so I was having no luck. I eventually ordered different replacement balls to build a set.

With 4 people playing, we have 5 of each different ball (1,2,3,4) and an 8 ball. So 4 people can play a real game of 8 ball. No need to explain unusual game rules and what not. It works well on the 9 foot table. It might be a little bit congested on the 8 footer.

Bottom line is, it’s real fun sharking and having a good time.


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