Poolgame: Kill the King

DaWizard

DaWizard

Well-known member
Kill the King - a game of tactics and cunning play

Kill the King explained
Kill the King is a chesslike poolgame, it’s simple and differs alot compared to regular poolgames. The objective of the game is to kill the opponent’s king. This is done by calling and potting the opponent’s Kingball in any pocket. The game starts with both players deploying their troops: the king + a couple balls. Players take turns. Each turn you get to choose: shoot or reinforce? This is a game of tactics and subtle ‘one pocket’-like shots. Either win by force, by an assassination or a hail mary shot.

Contents
1. The set of balls and their roles
2. Setting up the game
3. Deploying the troops (recruitment phase)
4. Playing the game
. 4.1 Recruiting a ball (placing a new ball on the table)
. 4.2 Making a shot

1. The set of balls and their roles
Kill the King uses all solid and striped balls and the 8-ball. No cueball is used as any ball of your suit (group) can be used as the cueball. Players can lag or flip a coin to decide who takes solid or stripes.
  • The King: the 7-ball and 15-ball are the Kings of each team. Protect your King at all times. The King can pot (kill) the opponents’ King.
  • The Kingslayer: the 2-ball and 10-ball are allowed to kill the king.
  • The Saboteur: the 3-ball and 11-ball can be used to disable one or more balls for the next turn.
  • The Assassin: a player writes down the number of any of his balls and keeps it a secret. That ball is the assassin. He too is allowed to kill the King.
  • The Wall: the 8-ball is a wall. It does nothing except blocking. It cannot be used as a cueball.
Every other ball can pot (kill) a ball of the opponent, as long as the number is equal or less. This means that in general balls with a higher number are stronger than those with lower numbers.
For stripes: deduct 8 points to know the similar value of the solid ball (e.g.: the 9 = 1 or 13 = 5) or use the colors to see which number corresponds.

Image: the balls that are used and the various roles they play in the game
kinggg.jpg


2. Setting up the game
Both players get to setup the King and a couple balls from their recruits. How many balls depend on their recruitment.

Selecting recruits to deploy
Both players may spend up to 12 points to buy troops (aside from the King). The player with the solid balls is first to select a ball. Deduct the points of the ball from 12. Then stripes does the same (note: deduct 8 points to get the same value as the solid balls) Then solid, then stripes, etc, until the players don’t have any points to spend or choose not to spend.

Example Tyler (solid) vs Albin (stripes):
Tyler chooses the 6-ball. Albin the 10-ball (=2-ball). Tyler the 2-ball. Albin the 13-ball (=5-ball). Tyler the 3-ball. Albin the 12-ball (=4-ball).
Albin decides to stop recruitment and saves 1 point. Tyler recruits the 1-ball last.

Albin has spent: 2 + 5 + 4 = 11 points (1 point left)
Tyler has spent: 6 + 2 + 3 + 1 = 12 point (no point left)
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3. Deploying the troops
1) Place the 8-ball in the exact center of the table.
2) The player that recruited the most balls gets to start. If it’s equal stripes gets to place first.
3) Each player chooses a half of the table, if necessary flip a coin. In this half you get to place your troops. No edge of the ball may cross the centerline. No ball may touch the 8-ball.
4) Players take turns placing their balls, one by one, until the last one is placed.
5) Both players place their recruits in the order they want. It is advised to place the King last.
6) Line up the reserves, the balls that have not been recruited, in numerical order with the lowest number first. This is the reservist-queue for new troops that can be deployed during the game.
7) Note down the number of the ball that is your assassin on a piece of paper. Keep the number secret.
8) Optional: reorder the reservist-queue.

If the player has points left from recruitment, they may use this to reorder their reserves. For each point they may move one ball anywhere up or down the queue.

Example:
Albin has 1 point left and spends it to move the 6-ball to the front of the queue.
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Image: Tyler vs Albin: the starting position after the players took turns placing their balls on their side of the table.
To add: in step 7 the Tyler noted the 4-ball as his Assassin and Albin noted the 13-ball as his Assassin.
exampleking.jpg

Image: Here is the same image with the roles displayed:
exampleking2.jpg

4. Playing the game

so-itbegins-lord-of-the-rings.gif


The last player to place a ball in the recruitment phase does not start.
The other player that starts has two options:
  1. Recruit a ball
  2. Make a shot
4.1 Recruiting a ball (placing a new ball on the table)
A player can recruit one ball, if he has at least one in the queue. The player must always pick the first ball in line. He may place it anywhere on the table, but it may not be frozen to another ball. After this the turn ends.

4.2 Making a shot
A player can make any shot he wishes, but there has to be visible movement. There are no fouls in this game. Any of the players' suit/group is a cueball, including the King. Any shot is legal, except potting your own King, which results in a loss.
There are 3 shot options:
  1. Calling and making a shot
  2. (un)intentionally shooting any ball in a pocket that was not called (or shooting balls off the table)
  3. Just shooting a shot
After either of these shots the turn has ended and it's the opponent's turn to recruit or shoot.
 
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4.2.1 - Calling and making the shot
The best progress is to call and pot an enemy ball - or even better: the King! You can only legally call a shot if the number of the cueball is equal to or lower than the number of the objectball. The exceptions to this rule are the Kingslayer and the Assassin. They can pot the King despite being a lower number.
If a ball is legally called and made in the right pocket, the opponent's ball is placed at the back of his reservist-queue.
You are allowed to call multiple balls in one shot. In the upcoming example: if the player sees the opportunity, he may call the 4-ball and the 1-ball. If both are potted, both are placed in the reservist-queue. Starting with the lowest number first (i.e. first the 1-ball, then the 4-ball).

The King
The King can pot any ball, including the other King. Potting the opponent's King while keeping your own King on the table is an instant win, regardless of any other balls being (accidentally) potted. Potting the King in the wrong pocket or by a ball that is not allowed to legally pot the King results in a respot. Accidentally potting your own King results in an instant loss.

Example:
Stripes is going to shoot using his 13-ball. His 13-ball can only pot 5 or lower. He decides to shoot at the 4-ball. He calls the pocket and makes it. The 4-ball is placed at the end of the opponent's reservist queue. End of turn.
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The Assassin
The Assassin is one of three balls that can kill the King. The Assassin can also be potted by your opponent. The player has two options when that happens: 1) say nothing and keep his Assassin in the queue for a while, until he re-enters. or 2) re-assign his Assassin. In this case he publicly announces that his Assassin was killed and he writes down a new number. It can be any of his balls on the table or in the queue. The cost of reassigning is that the enemy King cannot be legally called the next turn.
Example:

Tyler used his King to pot Albin's valuable 14-ball (aka the 6). He makes it but the King rolls a little too far. Albin's 13-ball (the Assassin) now has a difficult bankshot on the King. Calling the shot reveals that the 13 is the assassin. So he has to have faith in the bankshots and call it (and in the proces reveals his assassin, or not and let the assassin wait for a better chance.
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4.2.2 - (un)Intentionally shooting a ball in the wrong pocket (or off the table)
In this game it's usually not beneficial to pot balls in a pocket that you did not intend to.
Examples of this happening:
  • A ball is shot of the table
  • A ball ends up in a pocket (that was not called)
  • A ball with a lower number pots a ball with a higher number
If you shoot and the ball that was wrongfully pocketed, or shot of the table was yours it is off the table and is placed at the end of you reservist-queue. Potting your own King, or shooting it off the table, results in a loss.

If you shoot and the ball that was wrongfully potted was your opponents' ball it results in respotting the ball anywhere on the table. In the next turn however, the ball cannot be used as a cueball and in the turn of the opponent it cannot be called - it's immune, so to say. The immune, respotted ball(s) may however be moved by other balls.

If you pot the 8-ball or shoot it off the table, it is respotted (as close as possible) to the center.

4.2.3 - shooting any shot
The player can also just shoot a shot. Such a shot does not have any requirements. It does not have to move a ball or touch a rail. It's usually used to maneuver balls to better locations. I.e. get your balls to safety and endanger the opponents'.

The Saboteur
The saboteur has the ability to sabotage one or more balls. If the ball of the opponent is moved by the saboteur it cannot be used as a cueball in the next turn. If all the remaining balls are moved by the saboteur, his powers fail and all balls can be used regularly in the next turn.

The Wall
The 8-ball functions as a neutral entity. It cannot be used as a cueball. It can be used as an objectball to block, or in combinations. If the 8-ball is (accidentally) potted or goes of the table it is respotted as close to the center as possible (frozen to another ball if needed).
 
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garczar said:
Please stop with the crazy ass games. Need to get out of mom's basement more often.
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That's a little harsh.

However, there is a subforum that was specifically set up for new games and the rules/strategies for old games. Here it is:

Cuesports: Rules & Strategies

Maintained by the staff at 300ways.com, this area is for questions and comments concerning the rules and strategies covered in the book Over 300 Ways to Play Billiards.
forums.azbilliards.com
 
Bob Jewett said:
That's a little harsh.

However, there is a subforum that was specifically set up for new games and the rules/strategies for old games. Here it is:

Cuesports: Rules & Strategies

Maintained by the staff at 300ways.com, this area is for questions and comments concerning the rules and strategies covered in the book Over 300 Ways to Play Billiards.
forums.azbilliards.com
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I had seen that forum, but thought it was general strategy. (I only read the description) Im going to request a move, thanks!
 
Twocylndr said:
Gives me a brain cramp.
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If you'd see it on video you'd be surprised how easy it is. I just feel the need to be complete 🙂

1. First you buy balls.
2. Then you place them + King.
3. Each turn you can place a ball OR shoot. After you did either, it's the opponent's turn.
3a. If you place a ball: take one from your queue and place it anywhere on the table.
3b If you shoot: you can only pot an enemy with an equal number or lower.
4 kill the King by potting it. Only the kingslayer, the assassin or the opponent's King can do this.

That's it 👌
 
DaWizard said:
...yes, you can make the Saboteur the Assassin.
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Here forward, things get pretty interesting.
The classic business model for running a pool room has broken down before our very eyes. Slid beneath the waves. Only The Wizards vast matrix of interconnected this and that can save the game.
I’ve run the numbers.

Who in lies sanity?

Who will be our guiding light?

Our savior?

Our guru?

The Wizard!
 
...what! with those first couple of highly recognized standards for a game set-up?
- the necessary line across the center of the table which is perfect for that sides with boundaries game and the black ball is correctly spotted for a different great game: other than being in the wrong lane it would seem there would be some potential for this game.
 
While I am skeptical that there will be a new pool game I am interested in pursuing on my own, I am open minded to hearing new ideas.

My questions are simple. What would game play look like? What are some of the strategic decisions that would need to be made? How might the shots that come up differ from other games?

The problem with this presentation is that it requires I spend a lot of time reading multiple pages of rules, trying to sort out how the game might be played, imagine different decisions, and maybe even play a few racks against myself to even begin answering those questions. This is WAY too much work to take on without a convincing reason to believe it is worth that effort.

I think if you bring a new game to market you have to be prepared to demonstrate how it is fun, original, and exciting without asking your audience to spend hours trying to figure it out on their own. OP might have the greatest pool game ever but I'll never know because I'm not taking this on. It is OP's job to make the case and I don't believe a dry rule list is a persuasive demonstration.

Now if OP makes a youtube video showing some game play with commentary that highlights the flow of the game, and in a 5 minute clip can showcase what makes this game special then, while I'm skeptical, I'd be open minded enough to give it a watch and evaluate it. But I'm not prepared to squeeze water from a rock.
 
eddieindetroit said:
(snip)
The Wizard!
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It's DaWizard

I welcome the sarcastic comments. The artful ones give me a good chuckle.
The posts are serious though. I don't think ill be the one discovering the new "9-ball". But I strongly feel that there is something more entertaining and exciting than 9-ball, for players and viewers. And I enjoy pondering on concepts. So here we are!
 
Tin Man said:
(snip)
Now if OP makes a youtube video showing some game play with commentary that highlights the flow of the game, and in a 5 minute clip can showcase what makes this game special then, while I'm skeptical, I'd be open minded enough to give it a watch and evaluate it. But I'm not prepared to squeeze water from a rock.
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Very good post. I too think a 5 minute video would be a better way to present all this. Part of doing it this way is for me to force me to think of rule exceptions. And even then, it would've been better to playtest, adapt, playtest, adapt and then post here. Unfortunately I don't have easy access to pool nowadays. But i'm going to arrange it and make a video. (by phone, because I don't have a handycam any more)

For this game I do not have a clue how things will pan out! I usually have an idea, but here not really. I expect some manoeuvring and then one side gaining an advantage (having more balls) or some sneaky attack.
 
Tin Man said:
My questions are simple. What would game play look like? What are some of the strategic decisions that would need to be made? How might the shots that come up differ from other games?
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I think in the recruitmentphase phase there could be various strategies:
- buying few strong balls, as they're expensive
- buying as many balls as possible
- buying your preferred balls and rearrange your queue with left over points so the ball you need enters the arena quickly
- funky stuff with the assassin

Placement of the balls might be really difficult at first. Also because our minds are not used to you can pot any ball with the equal number or less.

But once the game starts I think there will be a chess like, or 1pocket like, game. A game where you manoever balls to gain an advantageous position. And at some point you turn that into profit (e.g. pot enemies or even the King) or you slip and lose the game.
 
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