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10 Pool Table Games Everyone is Playing

The pool is a great way to work on your social skills and have some good laughs with friends. Here are ten pool table games everyone is playing.

By allenjamesPublished 3 years ago 5 min read

It might be a good idea to play 8-ball and 9-ball if you have purchased a pool table from an online game room store. Most pool players are familiar with standard pool games like 8-ball and 9-ball, but you can also sharpen your skills by trying a new game. Here are ten pool table games to try out with your friends! You could find a new favorite!

Baseball Billiards

As the oldest group game in existence, Baseball Billiards has a fascinating history dating back to 1912. An oversized rack and 21 balls are required for Baseball Billiards, which contain nine "runs" per innings. In the center of the rack is a ball referred to as the pitcher, and the foot spot of the table is called home plate. All shots, except for a break, must hit the intended Pocket and ball. It is determined at the end of all nine innings who wins. The tournament is known to draw huge crowds. The winner is the one with the highest run total.

One Pocket

Two players (or two teams) compete in One Pocket with a combination of skill and accuracy. Each player chooses a corner pocket, and the game aims to score an object ball in every corner before the other player does.

Players must avoid leaving a good shot open for their opponents; otherwise, they will be able to capitalize on that shot and prevent further shots from being taken. One Pocket resembles chess, with a beginning, middle, and end.

Bowlliards

Although Bowlliards is named after ten-pin bowling, it's influenced by it. Ten object balls are stacked on the bowler's foot during each frame, with the front ball located there. Players try to pocket as many balls as possible in this drill before missing. If you buy a pool table from an online game room store, it is a good training drill and it is an excellent way to improve your shooting skills. It's a game that goes on until everyone pockets one. Once the balls have been removed, the first player has another chance. Strikes and spares are possible, as in ten-pin bowling.

Bank Pool

Bank Pool is a game where one player's main objective is to bank 5 balls in any order (or 8 balls if the rack is fifteen balls) in any order in the first few rounds. The ball must not touch any other ball for the points to count, legally. You must call each ball and Pocket first; then, off the cushion, the ball must go. A version of Bank Pool that was shortened in the 1990s and early 2000s became popular.

15-Ball

A 15-ball game can be played in several variations, including one in which you try to hit your lowest number ball first, just as you would with a 9-ball. To play with points, follow the same rules as 9-ball, except for balls one to ten, which are worth one point, and for balls 11-15, which are worth two points. Two or more players can play 15-ball, and all shots should be called. Play until you reach the winning number of points you determined before starting.

7-Ball

As a rotation-based game, 7-Ball was developed in the 1980s. During the break, the first player will choose one side of the pockets. A hexagonal rack is placed with 7 balls in the center, 1 ball at its apex, and the rest are arranged clockwise. During the game, the objective is to sink all the balls in ascending order without scratching the 7 number.

Cutthroat Pool

It is an exciting game where every player has to try to pocket their opponents' balls before they themselves do. Players must pocket their opponent's ball before committing a foul or scratch to win. Players claim groups of balls during the break. Once the player pockets their opponent's ball, they must keep shooting until a foul is committed. The winner is the last player to claim the ball.

10 Ball

There are some similarities between 10 Ball and 9 Ball, they are about the same in terms of structure, but some very big differences make this game more challenging. Rather than diamonds, it uses 10 triangles stacked in rows of 1-2-10 balls.

If the cue ball strikes the lowest-numbered ball first and the shot is called correctly, the players can win the game by pocketing the 10 balls at any time. Players may take over as the table is or require the shooter to continue if they sink a ball unintentionally or hit the called ball into the wrong Pocket.

It should be noted that all balls pocketed remain in the Pocket except the 10 balls. A player can continue if both an unintended ball and a called ball are sunk in a called pocket. A tournament-style game is normally played under a "best of" system that is generally agreed upon between all the players. There are no points assigned to any of the balls.

3 ball

Compared to the other pool games, 3 Ball is unique. As the name implies, the game is played only with three object balls and one cue ball. The major difference with this game is that one player can only play a single rack. This player will then take the other player's turn once they have sunk all the balls—and has calculated how many shots it took them.

Hence, if a group of more than two people wants to play 3 Balls, they can do so, but they will need to wait longer. One rack can be completed quickly if the group is a very good team.

Cut Throat Pool

Those looking for a great three-person billiards game should look at Cut Throat. This game involves all 15 balls, the cue ball, and the standard pool table. It is easiest and most fair to assign numbers before the game begins. Each player must assign ball groups from 1-5, 6-10, or 11-15 to all three players. This can be accomplished by flipping a coin, using rock-paper-scissors, or by mutually agreeing that all three participants accept.

The player's goal is to sink his opponent's ball as long as he is the last player left with any balls left on the table to win the game. If a player's last ball leaves the table, he is not allowed to play anymore. The player must sink an opponent's ball, foul, scratch, or win the game.

Players in Cut Throat receive one ball from a pocket and put it on the pool table when a player fouls, which improves their chances of remaining in the match. The player can return to the game if they have been knocked out and shoot while they still have one ball.

The new balls replaced on the table should be placed close to the foot spot and should not disturb any balls currently in play at the time of replacement.

When a ball is knocked off the table, pushed, double-touched, or moved on the table in any way other than by hitting it with the cue, it is considered a foul. A rematch is guaranteed if you become the last person standing because chances are your opponents will be an itch to play again!

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