(About the Author)

These series of “Game Rules’ provide rules of many different games for the pool table. The rules here have been simplified from the official versions – to make them a little easier to understand.

There are other games that have been invented, copyrighted and generally available to the playing public. Web searches will turn these up and the rules printed out for use.

Cut-throat

Just as the game suggests, this is a vicious game, full of short-term alliances and stabs in the back.

Object

Pocket all opponents’ balls while keeping one or more of your balls on the table.

Opponents

Three players.

Balls

Regular set of balls.

Racking

Standard rack. Any of 1-5 ball on the top, 6-10 ball on one corner and 11-15 ball on the other corner.

One player owns the balls 1-5, another 6-10, and the third 11-15.

Breaking

Breaker determined by local rules (coin, lag, card draw, etc.)

Note: On following games, winner breaks, first player knocked out is third and racks the balls.

Four balls to the rail or ball pocketed.

If no legal break, incoming player can accept the table layout or force a re-rack and break himself.

Scratch on the break, incoming player shoots from the kitchen. Any balls made are spotted.

Regular play

Call ball and pocket.

If multiple balls are spotted, lowest is closest to the foot spot.

Note: If the shooter sinks his last ball during his inning, he can still win if all other balls are pocketed in the same inning (no balls left on the table).

All illegal balls (balls not called, jumped, or made on a foul) are re-spotted. (Unless they belong to the shooter, then they stay down).

If player is down to one ball and commits a foul, he can spot one ball from each opponent instead of taking a ball off the table.

If a player was previously knocked out, and a foul restores his ball to the table, his turn is restored.

Fouls

Penalty is loss of turn and removal of personal ball from table or spotting one ball for each opponent.

• No legal shot
• Ball off the table
• Scratch (incoming player shoots from the kitchen)
• Illegal ball touching (optional – moved balls can be replaced with opponent’s approval and play continues with no penalty)