New Pool Game Ideas

Indian A carom game I designed to stimulate good cue ball control and knowledge of cushion angles. The game is similar to bottle pool, but without the bottle, and Cowboy, without the gimmicky rules. If was teaching someone to play pool, this is the game I would start them out on because it trains them to keep their eye on the cue ball.

Advantages: (1) Any number of people can play. (2) Easy to handicap -- experts can play along with novices in a social setting. (3) Player always has a shot. (4) Safeties are not a factor -- purely an offense-minded game. (5) Simple rules. (6) Rewards good cue ball control, not shot-making. (7) Many ways to score. (8) Easy to learn -- in its lowest handicap form this game is not intimidating to novices.

Disadvantages: (1) Cannot be played on a coin-operated table. (2) Doesn't improve safety play or shot-making. (3) Very little strategy involved.

Check out Six Stroke, by Bev at Cloudbow Billiards. (Bev is a frequent contributor to rec.sport.billiard.)

Around the world I haven't tried this game yet. Should be interesting. Seems to be challenging even for good players.

Variations of eight ball The rules of eight ball are modified like no other game. Check this link out to find some interesting twists on a familiar game.

A variation on nine ball for solo play is also presented. I call it Baca Ball after its contributor, Joe Baca.

Dan Allred (of Rec.Sport.Billiard fame) offered this variation of nine-ball some time ago. It makes the game more economical on a coin-op table.

A gambling game with an unusual rack is Donkey .