Name a billiard game where an amateur has a chance against a pro

Samiel

Samiel

Sea Player
Silver Member
Can you name/describe a billiard game where a C Player has a decent chance against an A Player? It doesn't necessarily need to be a 50/50 chance, but maybe a game where everyone can have fun and maybe wager without it being overwhelmingly in the favor of the better player.

I'll give an example. I played this game with some Asian friends and we had a regular pro that would play with us.

1. We'd have a deck of cards (pieces of paper would work or maybe a pill bottle) with the numbers 1-15 on them (designating pool balls 1-15) and we'd each draw a card and keep it hidden. We'd also lag for shooting order.

2. The rack would be randomly ordered and a normal break would ensue. If your ball (your number) was made, you would immediately show your number and pay the breaker a dollar (or whatever the bet was) and their turn (and yours) would be over.

3. The next player would then shoot a ball (while maybe trying to position their own ball safely away). No call shot, so you could slam your ball into a pack, but you'd have to be careful not to make your own ball. If someone's ball was made, they would pay their dollar and their turn would be over.

4. Each player only had one shot. You could shoot at your ball and "try to make it" but accidentally leave it safe. If you accidentally made your own ball, you'd have to pay everyone else a dollar.

5. Fouls didn't count I believe.

In any case, the pro didn't rob everyone in this game and it was a good fun game for everyone.

Can you guys name any more games like this where everyone, regardless of skill (to a certain extent) could play and have fun?
 
Well -

Any game such as 8 ball or 9 ball in a race to 1 with the break going to the weaker player.

Good players hate races to 1 because it nearly becomes a coin flip odds.

Ken
 
You were playing pill pool. We used to play that at a bar I went to. It was always fun and for the most part pretty even.

We also played 'hickey pool"
Basically everyone is assigned a number of "hickeys" or misses. A pro could be 1 and a c player 2-3 etc.

The order is randowmly drawn. Rack all balls in no order and breaker breaks and must make a ball on the break or the shot after. PLayers shoot any ball and if they miss then a hicjey is taken. If the player that misses has 2 misses then he or she would now have only 1.

play until there is one player standing.

Works good for offices and work functions where people are not that good. Also no one really has to pay super close attention and any number of people can play. Of course the cream always rises to the top but at least everyone feels better and gets to shoot.
 
Honolulu hands down would be one game. It would still be tough but definitely a type of game that is a neutralizer.
 
Samiel said:
Can you name/describe a billiard game where a C Player has a decent chance against an A Player? It doesn't necessarily need to be a 50/50 chance, but maybe a game where everyone can have fun and maybe wager without it being overwhelmingly in the favor of the better player.

I'll give an example. I played this game with some Asian friends and we had a regular pro that would play with us.

1. We'd have a deck of cards (pieces of paper would work or maybe a pill bottle) with the numbers 1-15 on them (designating pool balls 1-15) and we'd each draw a card and keep it hidden. We'd also lag for shooting order.

2. The rack would be randomly ordered and a normal break would ensue. If your ball (your number) was made, you would immediately show your number and pay the breaker a dollar (or whatever the bet was) and their turn (and yours) would be over.

3. The next player would then shoot a ball (while maybe trying to position their own ball safely away). No call shot, so you could slam your ball into a pack, but you'd have to be careful not to make your own ball. If someone's ball was made, they would pay their dollar and their turn would be over.

4. Each player only had one shot. You could shoot at your ball and "try to make it" but accidentally leave it safe. If you accidentally made your own ball, you'd have to pay everyone else a dollar.

5. Fouls didn't count I believe.

In any case, the pro didn't rob everyone in this game and it was a good fun game for everyone.

Can you guys name any more games like this where everyone, regardless of skill (to a certain extent) could play and have fun?
Click to expand...

Virtual Pool
 
billiardthought said:
American Rotation if they know how to play safe
Click to expand...
I don't think this is true, unless you are talking about one rack with the weaker player breaking or a handicapped match. Playing an entire match to 100 or more even, an A player will dominate any C player, even if the C player can play defense at an A level. Good defense can help keep you in control during your own breaks, but there are not always good defensive opportunities, so you have to be able to run out as well.

In my experience, a full match of American Rotation will give you a pretty good idea where 2 players stand with respect to each other.
 
The first poolhall I worked in about 8 years ago before it closed down had a solid group of 6-10 guys that would come regularly and we would play the same game the op described we called it "dead pool" and u can play 1$-2$5$10$ or higher per ball n I didn't go thru ur rules but the most u can lose it two balls but u can win like double the amount of players essentially of u break n run out of happen to make every ones ball j ur ball in the same inning. It was so much fun playing dead pool late nights would go on for hours and we would sometimes play sharking allowed so people would go nuts lol and every single ball u would act like was ur money ball to psych people out or fake them out it truly was fun.

While there's a to. Of luck at the time everyone was from a high D low C to medium B speed in the group of 10 but eventually outsiders would happen to come by and play n eventually get banned from being run out players. Also we played on occasion like no warmup strokes just to keep it light fun n fast and aside from nit picking rules n different variations it can be a great game to get everyone involved and as long as u keep the bet low it stays fun.

To answer the question I tried to then got sidetracked but even with all the luck and randomness if there's 5 low level players and one A player he's going to clean up eventually if the game goes a good while and eventually as a low C player watching a guy run racks of rotation is about the worst feeling and u start campaigning to bam the guy from the game
 
One pocket

I used ta watch Amarillo Slim bet it up with Shannon Daulton. Slim went to 5 and Shannon went too 15. This game can constantly be adjusted to even out play. Your level playing Shannon could Be 15-2, just depends on skill level. As for the other games, there's infinite ways to handicap a match, you just have to think outside the box, tho time and experience makes one realize the true value of each different handicap.
 
couldnthinkof01 said:
Its called 3 ball. Might just be the best gambling game there is.
Click to expand...

Agreed. 3 ball is the truest gambling game there is in pool. It the balls are racked properly in three ball, it is a genuine gamble because you have no idea if a ball is going to fall on the break. You can have a measure of control to make sure nothing ends up frozen on a rail, but it completely evens out the field.

Coincidentally, three ball is the only game I don't play on a regular basis because I'm not much for gambling.
 
Ken_4fun said:
Well -

Any game such as 8 ball or 9 ball in a race to 1 with the break going to the weaker player.

Good players hate races to 1 because it nearly becomes a coin flip odds.

Ken
Click to expand...


I agree with this 100%...ANYTHING can happen in a race to one!
 
Samiel said:
Can you name/describe a billiard game where a C Player has a decent chance against an A Player? It doesn't necessarily need to be a 50/50 chance, but maybe a game where everyone can have fun and maybe wager without it being overwhelmingly in the favor of the better player.

I'll give an example. I played this game with some Asian friends and we had a regular pro that would play with us.

1. We'd have a deck of cards (pieces of paper would work or maybe a pill bottle) with the numbers 1-15 on them (designating pool balls 1-15) and we'd each draw a card and keep it hidden. We'd also lag for shooting order.

2. The rack would be randomly ordered and a normal break would ensue. If your ball (your number) was made, you would immediately show your number and pay the breaker a dollar (or whatever the bet was) and their turn (and yours) would be over.

3. The next player would then shoot a ball (while maybe trying to position their own ball safely away). No call shot, so you could slam your ball into a pack, but you'd have to be careful not to make your own ball. If someone's ball was made, they would pay their dollar and their turn would be over.

4. Each player only had one shot. You could shoot at your ball and "try to make it" but accidentally leave it safe. If you accidentally made your own ball, you'd have to pay everyone else a dollar.

5. Fouls didn't count I believe.

In any case, the pro didn't rob everyone in this game and it was a good fun game for everyone.

Can you guys name any more games like this where everyone, regardless of skill (to a certain extent) could play and have fun?
Click to expand...

We have a game that's similar to this. We call it poker. Everybody puts money on the pot. Each player gets 7 cards from the deck. ace to king is 1-13; 14 and 15 are jokers. Anybody can shoot the 14 and 15 for position. Every time you pocket a ball, you have to show that you have that card. If you have triples or doubles, you only need to show one, just a proof that you have it so you can continue shooting. The fun part is "bluffing" as you shoot a ball and intentionally missing. Players try to read each other on who has what balls. Players continually tease each other and even coaches each other on how to play safe for the next player that's going to shoot. I've won games where I didn't have to shoot anything as the previous players already pocketed my triple 4, double 9 and double Jacks. Or sometimes they play safety on you with the wrong balls and leaves you with an easy shot on your actual balls. First one to pocket or have their balls pocketed, reveals their hand on his turn and claims the pot. This was a fun game for all level players. Also encourages the real good players to coach weaker players in safety and strategy. " An enemy of my enemy is my friend" really applies to this game.

Forgot to add that if you pocket any ball that's not yours, you're automatically out.
 
Last edited:
Ken_4fun said:
Well -

Any game such as 8 ball or 9 ball in a race to 1 with the break going to the weaker player.

Good players hate races to 1 because it nearly becomes a coin flip odds.

Ken
Click to expand...

Yeah, and I think that is why many places run tournaments like that (race to 1, double elimination). It gives all decent players a pretty equal chance, but even at a race to 1 game, I never seen a weak C player win a race to 1 tournament.
 
Samiel said:
Can you name/describe a billiard game where a C Player has a decent chance against an A Player? It doesn't necessarily need to be a 50/50 chance, but maybe a game where everyone can have fun and maybe wager without it being overwhelmingly in the favor of the better player.

I'll give an example. I played this game with some Asian friends and we had a regular pro that would play with us.

1. We'd have a deck of cards (pieces of paper would work or maybe a pill bottle) with the numbers 1-15 on them (designating pool balls 1-15) and we'd each draw a card and keep it hidden. We'd also lag for shooting order.

2. The rack would be randomly ordered and a normal break would ensue. If your ball (your number) was made, you would immediately show your number and pay the breaker a dollar (or whatever the bet was) and their turn (and yours) would be over.

3. The next player would then shoot a ball (while maybe trying to position their own ball safely away). No call shot, so you could slam your ball into a pack, but you'd have to be careful not to make your own ball. If someone's ball was made, they would pay their dollar and their turn would be over.

4. Each player only had one shot. You could shoot at your ball and "try to make it" but accidentally leave it safe. If you accidentally made your own ball, you'd have to pay everyone else a dollar.

5. Fouls didn't count I believe.

In any case, the pro didn't rob everyone in this game and it was a good fun game for everyone.

Can you guys name any more games like this where everyone, regardless of skill (to a certain extent) could play and have fun?
Click to expand...

You describe that pill (from a bottle) ring game in a way that I do not understand, but I did used to play that pill from a bottle ring game a lot as a kid (but the way we played it is, each player would shake the pill bottle, and get a number, from 1 to 15, and we played the rack of 15 balls in rotation, and if any player makes their number, then the game is over, and they get a certain amount of money from each player). You described it in a different way I think (a way that is hard for me to understand).
 
justinb386 said:
You describe that pill (from a bottle) ring game in a way that I do not understand, but I did used to play that pill from a bottle ring game a lot as a kid (but the way we played it is, each player would shake the pill bottle, and get a number, from 1 to 15, and we played the rack of 15 balls in rotation, and if any player makes their number, then the game is over, and they get a certain amount of money from each player). You described it in a different way I think (a way that is hard for me to understand).
Click to expand...

This is kind of the way we played but on the opening shot you could shoot the 1, 8, or 15. If you played the 1 first you shot the 2 next. If you shot the 8 you could play either the 7 or 9 and if you played the 15 you would shoot the 14 next. Just had to follow the order of the way the balls that were played.
 
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