What's a Good Group Game?

angldemn

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Anyone know a fun casual game for about four people so if there's a beginner or two in the group they won't be sitting on the stool watching the others play. It could be something you made up yourself.
 
Scotch doubles, 8 or 9 ball, everyone shoots ever rack (at least one team)
beginners hopefully get some easy shots.
 
Thanks, it's such an obvious an easy change; better player goes first, leaves an easy shot.

Any other ideas?

Scotch doubles, 8 or 9 ball, everyone shoots ever rack (at least one team)
beginners hopefully get some easy shots.
 
Three ball!

Anyone know a fun casual game for about four people so if there's a beginner or two in the group they won't be sitting on the stool watching the others play. It could be something you made up yourself.

Three ball, although primarily a gambling game, is cheap and lesser players can get lucky and win a little. Line up three balls on the spot and make those balls in the least amount of shots. Five shots does not win. Must be four or less. One tie all tie. Ante one dollar and before you know it pot doubles and triples ($12). Scratching is a one shot foul. Scratch on the break means you are shooting a three on your next shot. If you feel froggy start playing for $5. My break is very hard stop shot and balls return to hit cue and go flying to a hole! Not a call shot game. If you have no good shot then bang hard and let em fly!! Sometimes good players are not allowed to play because they will win too much and bust up the game!?!? Too many good players will also result in many ties. Almost need a 1 or 2 to win!
 
Try Pill Pool

Also known as "Kelly Pool". It's similar to playing 9-ball (i.e., lowest numbered ball), but with this game, each player chooses a 'pill' out of the bottle, and plays until they either make thier own ball, or all the 'pill' balls have been made.

The entire Wikipedia description can be found here.

At holiday get-togethers, we found that EVERYONE enjoyed this game. We would play for small stakes (family, after all). You got 5 cents from your opponent for pocketing his/her ball, and if you managed to make your own ball, everyone paid you 10 cents each.

Good times.
 

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I wish I could remember it but...there was a game like 6 or 7 of us played at a friends house one night. It was called Texas something or other but that was a fun game. We played for money to make it more fun and everyone got a shot at winning. I wish I could remember the name or the rules but it was a great time and very interesting.
Wish I could be more helpful
 
I haven't played it in awile but I always had fun playing 3-ball.
Every round everyone playing throws in $.25 to a $1. Or what ever everyone agrees on.
And if 2 people tie all tie. And everyone reante's after every round.

Sorry Mr. Wiggles, your a faster typer then me.
 
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Three ball, although primarily a gambling game, is cheap and lesser players can get lucky and win a little. Line up three balls on the spot and make those balls in the least amount of shots. Five shots does not win. Must be four or less. One tie all tie. Ante one dollar and before you know it pot doubles and triples ($12). Scratching is a one shot foul. Scratch on the break means you are shooting a three on your next shot. If you feel froggy start playing for $5. My break is very hard stop shot and balls return to hit cue and go flying to a hole! Not a call shot game. If you have no good shot then bang hard and let em fly!! Sometimes good players are not allowed to play because they will win too much and bust up the game!?!? Too many good players will also result in many ties. Almost need a 1 or 2 to win!

I really like this one, but we did rack the three balls in a triangle formation.

I've played another variation where everyone also throws a flat dollar bill onto the table before starting (no stuffing deep under rails). If you make the cb stop on a dollar, at the end of that game you collect all table dollars. Everyone antes again at the end of the round.
 
With two better and two lesser players, it's tough to beat scotch doubles if the teams are even.

Look at it this way... the better players should strive for pinpoint position for whitey so that the lesser player on their team need only play a simple stun shot to get position on the next ball (for the better play to shoot).
 
Yes 3-ball is racked in a triangle.
Theirs also cut throat for 3 people.
Player 1 gets balls 1 to 5
Player 2 gets balls 6 to 10
Player 3 gets balls 11 to 15
Object is to shoot your opponents balls in before your balls get shot in.
And we always played were you "can't" shoot your own ball in just to keep shooting.
 
Not a triangle!

In every game of three ball I've ever seen or played, the balls were racked in a triangle.

No. Too easy! But heh, it's America, do what you want. Never seen it that way and I'm really old. Most importantly, go play pool!! Have a good one!
 
Yes 3-ball is racked in a triangle.
Theirs also cut throat for 3 people.
Player 1 gets balls 1 to 5
Player 2 gets balls 6 to 10
Player 3 gets balls 11 to 15
Object is to shoot your opponents balls in before your balls get shot in.
And we always played were you "can't" shoot your own ball in just to keep shooting.

Cut throat is awesome. I used to love that game when I first started playing.

Here's another fun part of the game.
If someone scratches you can also have the rule that a ball comes up for the other two players even if that person has been cut out. To keep everyone fighting to be last man/woman standing. Enjoy!
 
Flat dollars!

I really like this one, but we did rack the three balls in a triangle formation.

I've played another variation where everyone also throws a flat dollar bill onto the table before starting (no stuffing deep under rails). If you make the cb stop on a dollar, at the end of that game you collect all table dollars. Everyone antes again at the end of the round.

Hey, I like that flat dollar thing and will suggest that next time I play. More players chiming in on the triangle rack!?!? Whatever floats your boat.
 
Cutthroat

It's an easy 3 player game. Each person gets one group of balls: low (1-5), mid (6-10), or high (11-15).

The way friends and I play, we all lag for the break and closest person to bottom rail breaks. The first person that makes a ball (could be the breaker or one of the other players), chooses the group he/she wants. The second person to make a ball (if they get the chance), chooses the group he/she wants. The third person gets the remaining group by default.

The object of the game is to be the only person with at least one ball from your group on the table. For example, if you break, make a ball (say the 6-ball), and choose the low balls, you should try to pocket your opponents' balls (7-15 now since the 6 went on the break). If you mess up position where you can't shoot at an opponent's ball but can make a ball from your group, you can pocket your own ball, play position for an opponent's ball, and continue shooting. You get to keep shooting as long as you make a ball.

If you scratch or commit a foul, each of your opponents gets to spot a ball from his/her group that was pocketed earlier.

It's a very easy game, but you can do things to make it more difficult, such as:

1. Make it call ball and pocket.
2. Give weight (for example, you only get 3 balls [1-3 or 7-9 or 13-15] and each of you opponents gets 6 balls... or you only have 1 ball and each opponent has 7... etc.)

Since you have 4 people, one person will have to sit out, but you can make it so that the first person out has to sit out the next game.

Also, a person that goes out (has none of his/her balls on the table) can get back in the game if one of the other players scratch because he/she will be able to spot one of his/her balls.

On a foul, you can play where the incoming player gets ball-in-hand or has to shoot from the kitchen.
 
Yes 3-ball is racked in a triangle.
Theirs also cut throat for 3 people.
Player 1 gets balls 1 to 5
Player 2 gets balls 6 to 10
Player 3 gets balls 11 to 15
Object is to shoot your opponents balls in before your balls get shot in.
And we always played were you "can't" shoot your own ball in just to keep shooting.

You saved me some typing! Modified for 4, you can have one player with a handicap or 3 balls each with another 3 as joker since you can't shoot your own just to keep shooting!
 
I always play poker pool when in a group.
Grab a deck of cards and deal each player 5 cards.
The first player starts and trys to sink the ball corresponding the cards he has in his hand. Jack=11, Queen=12, King=13, 14 & 15 are wild, to be used a shape balls.
Every time you sink one of your balls you put that card face up on the table.
First one to get rid of his hand wins.
If an opponent shoots a ball that you have a card for you get to put it down but cannot do that until it is your shot.
If you scratch you have to pick up another card and add it to your hand.
If you want to gamble we always did $1 to the winner per hand plus an extra quarter for every card you have left.
 
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