Unique Pool table games
- Thread starter blackflagsailor
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We played Cut Throat like all of the above but you could even make your last ball. If you made your last ball and then missed an opponents ball you out. When we played all scratches were cue ball in the 'kitchen' and not BIH.
Gerry S.
Cowboy Billiards
Basically our version of Cowboy Billiards was pretty simple. The short game is played to 50 points. It is played with 3 object balls and the cue ball. The object balls are spotted on the head spot, foot spot, and the center spot. The cue is placed anywhere in the kitchen to start the game. The points are 1 point for making a ball(dosen't need to be called) and 2 points for a 'billiard'. So it's possible to make 7 points on one shot..lol When you pocket a ball it is spotted on the closest available spot.
You can pocket balls until you reach 25 points. But when you get to 25 points that's it! From that point on you can only make 'billiards'. If you make a ball or if you scratch you get to start all over again.
The 'billiards' weren't anything fancy. All you were required to do was have the cb contact 2 obs. Walla, 2 points. Going extra cushions didn't get you anything but the 'billiard'.
We played a ton of this. I think you can see how this helped learn where the cb was going and how to control it. It ended up being a good training tool for me. I was way ahead of my other friends on cb control. I know I probably forgot other rules or whatever but its been like 40 years or so since I had a steady diet of it. BTW, it was in a rules book at the time and maybe it still is today.
Gerry S
Basically our version of Cowboy Billiards was pretty simple. The short game is played to 50 points. It is played with 3 object balls and the cue ball. The object balls are spotted on the head spot, foot spot, and the center spot. The cue is placed anywhere in the kitchen to start the game. The points are 1 point for making a ball(dosen't need to be called) and 2 points for a 'billiard'. So it's possible to make 7 points on one shot..lol When you pocket a ball it is spotted on the closest available spot.
You can pocket balls until you reach 25 points. But when you get to 25 points that's it! From that point on you can only make 'billiards'. If you make a ball or if you scratch you get to start all over again.
The 'billiards' weren't anything fancy. All you were required to do was have the cb contact 2 obs. Walla, 2 points. Going extra cushions didn't get you anything but the 'billiard'.
We played a ton of this. I think you can see how this helped learn where the cb was going and how to control it. It ended up being a good training tool for me. I was way ahead of my other friends on cb control. I know I probably forgot other rules or whatever but its been like 40 years or so since I had a steady diet of it. BTW, it was in a rules book at the time and maybe it still is today.
Gerry S
Ralph Kramden posted this one a few months ago called Contact pool. Very interesting game and difficult.
Here are the rules: http://sites.google.com/site/poolandbilliard/Home/contact
And here's the original thread:
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=245186&highlight=difficult
Here are the rules: http://sites.google.com/site/poolandbilliard/Home/contact
And here's the original thread:
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=245186&highlight=difficult
Spider.. Colors.. Red Ball
There are games for 3 players on this website. To see them go to the Game page on the site.
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The game I grew up playing, and still play once a week is "Razzle." It is a 15 ball rotation game with money added.
Normally, it is played with four people, all drawing pills for the order. There are four money balls, the 5, the 8, the 10, and the 15, and the team that wins "game" gets the fifth money ball. To win "game", you need to acquire 61 points or more, with each ball being face value. The order stays the same at the beginning of every new game, but may change during a game depending on who is partnered with who. You cannot shoot directly before or after your partner.
At the start of the game, there are no teams. Teams are decided by the the person that makes the 1 ball gets the person that makes the 5 ball. If the same person makes the 1 and the 5, it goes to the 8 ball. If the same person makes the 1, and all four money balls, then they "razzle" by themselves, and the other three players pay them, based on the monetary value of each money ball.
Now, the rules are that you have to make the lowest numbered ball on the table move for the shot to be legal. It can be moved by the cueball, or another ball. You do not need to hit the lowest ball first. Fouls cost money, usually half of what money balls cost, and that pot goes to the team that wins game. Any ball made on a foul, or knocked off of the table, gets spotted. There is no ball in hand, and all scratches are behind the headstring. If the lowest ball is behind the headstring on a scratch, the player must play the cueball past the headstring before making a legal hit, or contact another ball that is past the headstring first.
So, say money balls are worth $1, and fouls 50 cents. If the winning team has three money balls, each of the two players on the losing team owe $3, and the winning team splits the pot. If the winning team has two money balls, the losers each owe a buck. If the winning team gets all four money balls, it is a "razzle" and the losers owe $5 dollars each. If the winning team only gets one money ball, the winners each owe the losers a dollar, but the winners still split the pot. If the winning team gets zero money balls, the winners each owe the losers $3, but the winners split the pot. If one person gets all four money balls, and has at more points than any other single player, they collect $5 from the other three players, and they get the whole pot. But, if one player gets all four money balls, but does not have more points than one of the other players, the player with the most points automaticall becomes the partner of the person with the money balls, and it is a regular "razzle."
If the two teams tie at 60 points, the difference in money balls is paid to the team with more, but the pot stays untouched. Another game is then started and the two teams stay the same for that game. At the end of any regular game, the teams are dissolved, and the new game begins. And you can rotate people in and out after games.
The game can also be played with 3 or two people, either way there are no teams. The payouts for 3 players can be a little difficult.
"Razzle" is a great game, and a really great social game. You can play for small stakes, and play all night without anyone getting hurt. Or, you can play for real stakes, and win, or lose, big.
If anyone reading this actually goes and tries this game, or has actually played it before, please let me know. I would love to hear about it!!:thumbup:
Braden
P.S. Sorry this was so long, but I felt it should be explained correctly.
Normally, it is played with four people, all drawing pills for the order. There are four money balls, the 5, the 8, the 10, and the 15, and the team that wins "game" gets the fifth money ball. To win "game", you need to acquire 61 points or more, with each ball being face value. The order stays the same at the beginning of every new game, but may change during a game depending on who is partnered with who. You cannot shoot directly before or after your partner.
At the start of the game, there are no teams. Teams are decided by the the person that makes the 1 ball gets the person that makes the 5 ball. If the same person makes the 1 and the 5, it goes to the 8 ball. If the same person makes the 1, and all four money balls, then they "razzle" by themselves, and the other three players pay them, based on the monetary value of each money ball.
Now, the rules are that you have to make the lowest numbered ball on the table move for the shot to be legal. It can be moved by the cueball, or another ball. You do not need to hit the lowest ball first. Fouls cost money, usually half of what money balls cost, and that pot goes to the team that wins game. Any ball made on a foul, or knocked off of the table, gets spotted. There is no ball in hand, and all scratches are behind the headstring. If the lowest ball is behind the headstring on a scratch, the player must play the cueball past the headstring before making a legal hit, or contact another ball that is past the headstring first.
So, say money balls are worth $1, and fouls 50 cents. If the winning team has three money balls, each of the two players on the losing team owe $3, and the winning team splits the pot. If the winning team has two money balls, the losers each owe a buck. If the winning team gets all four money balls, it is a "razzle" and the losers owe $5 dollars each. If the winning team only gets one money ball, the winners each owe the losers a dollar, but the winners still split the pot. If the winning team gets zero money balls, the winners each owe the losers $3, but the winners split the pot. If one person gets all four money balls, and has at more points than any other single player, they collect $5 from the other three players, and they get the whole pot. But, if one player gets all four money balls, but does not have more points than one of the other players, the player with the most points automaticall becomes the partner of the person with the money balls, and it is a regular "razzle."
If the two teams tie at 60 points, the difference in money balls is paid to the team with more, but the pot stays untouched. Another game is then started and the two teams stay the same for that game. At the end of any regular game, the teams are dissolved, and the new game begins. And you can rotate people in and out after games.
The game can also be played with 3 or two people, either way there are no teams. The payouts for 3 players can be a little difficult.
"Razzle" is a great game, and a really great social game. You can play for small stakes, and play all night without anyone getting hurt. Or, you can play for real stakes, and win, or lose, big.
If anyone reading this actually goes and tries this game, or has actually played it before, please let me know. I would love to hear about it!!:thumbup:
Braden
P.S. Sorry this was so long, but I felt it should be explained correctly.
Odd ball or I've heard it called cowboy pocket billiards. Full rack rotation, 4 handed, 1 an 9 are partners for just that rack. Break and shooting order are fixed, unless partners follow each other, then alternate opponents till game end. 8 odd balls and 61 ball points total 10 points max per rack, unless you do blitzes.
Fun pill game...
I've played lots of Razzle - mostly for fun...and Odd-Ball - mostly for money.
Here's a great pill game that's a lot of fun...lots of banging balls for luck but more strategy than you might think...
Pomp-8
• 16 pills in bottle
• Each player selects 3 pills
• Players keep 2 pills, discard 1
• 8 & 16 pills are “wild”
• Order of play - low to high discard pills
• 15-ball rack
• 1-ball at apex, 8-ball in center of rack, 7-ball and 9-ball on the corners
• Non-call shot game
• Object balls are lowest and highest numbered balls on table – must be hit first
• When player’s both pills are off the table – may then shoot for the 8-ball
• Object of the game is to sink the 8-ball
I've played lots of Razzle - mostly for fun...and Odd-Ball - mostly for money.
Here's a great pill game that's a lot of fun...lots of banging balls for luck but more strategy than you might think...
Pomp-8
• 16 pills in bottle
• Each player selects 3 pills
• Players keep 2 pills, discard 1
• 8 & 16 pills are “wild”
• Order of play - low to high discard pills
• 15-ball rack
• 1-ball at apex, 8-ball in center of rack, 7-ball and 9-ball on the corners
• Non-call shot game
• Object balls are lowest and highest numbered balls on table – must be hit first
• When player’s both pills are off the table – may then shoot for the 8-ball
• Object of the game is to sink the 8-ball