A billiard or pool table offers a chance for many types of games other than the most well-known 8-Ball and 9-Ball. Some are simply variations of the two, but others take on different rules and playing formats. Along with these, some offer great options for group or team play.
8-Ball
Perhaps the most well-known pool table game is the standard 8-Ball. It’s an easy game to play and has a relatively fast pace. In many matches or tournaments, the overall winner is the one who wins the best of 3 or 5 games.
Setup
8-Ball is played on a standard pool table and uses all six pockets with no limitation. Sometimes played as a team game, it’s generally limited to 2 players. In team play, each team member gets alternating shots.
8-Ball uses all the standard 1-15 balls with seven stripes, seven solids, and a single 8-Ball.
Gameplay
The first person to sink either a striped or solid ball will play whatever group they pocket through the game. There is no order to how the player should aim for their balls. The player continues to shoot as long as they successfully sink one of the balls in their group.
On a miss or a foul, the current player turns the play over to an opponent.
Once a player sinks all 7 of their balls, they now aim for the 8-Ball. The player must call the intended pocket before shooting and loses with a scratch, or if the 8-Ball goes into one of the other pockets.
Cutthroat
For occasions when there are uneven numbers of players, Cutthroat is a great option for three players at a time.
Setup
Cutthroat also uses a standard-sized table and all 15 balls, racked in a standard triangle. Before the break, each player is assigned a group of 5 balls, 1-5, 6-10, and 11-15. The player assigned the 1-5 balls breaks, with a rotation for subsequent games.
Gameplay
Along with being one of the few games for odd numbers of players, it is also one where the object of the game is to keep your balls on the table and not from going into a pocket.
For example, the player assigned 1-5 will try to knock in any ball numbered 6-15. Once the player sinks a ball, they can continue to shoot until they miss, scratch, or foul. The player who has the last remaining ball (s) on the table wins.
9-Ball
Likely the second most popular pool table game for two players is 9-Ball. There are some similarities to 8-Ball as far as general rules. However, the setup and gameplay are significantly different. Though, some find it enjoyably more challenging.
Setup
As the name implies, 9-ball uses the 1 through 9 balls. The balls are racked in a diamond pattern, with the 1-ball center on the foot point. The break occurs as with the other games, and there is no need to pick stripes, solids, or a particular set of numbers.
Gameplay
The primary rule of the game is to play the lowest number on the table. So long as the lowest ball is hit first, there is no set order by which the balls must be pocketed. The same rule from the other games regarding consecutive shots applies in 9-Ball. The player who sinks the 9-Ball after hitting the lowest numbered ball on the table first wins. This can occur whether the 9-Ball is the last on the table or not.
3-Ball
A unique game played on a pool table, 3-ball does not involve alternating shots. A player breaks and shoots until all three balls on the table are in a pocket.
Setup
This game only uses the 1-3 balls. The balls are set up in a triangle pattern with the 1-ball centered on the foot point and the other two behind it.
Gameplay
While this is a multi-player game, the player continues to shoot until they sink all three balls. Then, the next player would do the same. The player who needed the fewest shots to pocket all three balls in their turn wins that game.
As this is a fast-paced game, many opt to have a best of 3 or best of 5 matches. Also, as there is no dividing of the balls on the table between players, there is no limit on the number of players that can play. The only impact is the time between each player taking their turn.
Bank Pool
Bank Pool is a relatively difficult game, but one that will quickly improve your skills for all others. The general rules are similar to the other games, including subsequent shots, scratches, and fouls. Beyond that, however, the differences are significant.
Setup
Bank Pool uses all fifteen balls racked in the standard triangle with the apex centered on the foot point. There is no set order for the rack, and any ball can be at the apex.
Gameplay
The rules are where Bank Pool sets itself above all other pool table games. There is no set order for the balls that need to be pocketed, nor is either player assigned a group or type of ball. A ball is successfully pocketed only if the result of a bank shot.
For each shot, the player must call the ball they are trying to pocket, the cushion they are banking off of, and the pocket they are aiming.
A ball that is pocketed without all three of these calls, or not from a bank shot, is not counted. Instead, it is placed on the foot point before the next player shoots. The first player to sink eight balls, of any color or number, wins.
More Games
The games described here are just a fraction of what can be played on a pool table. There are many more, and each one has several variations that players can adapt to their skill level or the number of players wishing to play.
