As one might expect from a blog writing about obscure billaird games, I was bound to make my own.
Here's a game that started out as a Nine-Ball Pool variant that incorporates the rules of Brazilian Snooker. I call it 1-7-1 Rotation Pool, so named after its board setup.
The game came about from me being unhappy about how easy it can be to win in Nine-Ball if you get a lucky break, as it is possible to pot the 9-ball in the first shot if the balls lay favourably.
In 1-7-1 Rotation you must go through all of the balls sequentially (kinda).
Anyway, without further ado, here's the rules.
Materials & Setup
To play 1-7-1 Rotation you need
- A Pool table
- All the balls needed to play Nine-Ball.
That is, Pool balls numbered 1 to 9 plus a cue ball.
To set up the game, place the 9-ball on the head spot, the 1-ball on the foot spot, and the remaining 7 balls randomly in a "flower pattern" (a central ball surrounded on all sides) with the centre ball on the centre spot, like so:
One at the head, seven in the middle, one at the foot. One seven one. The name of the game.
To rack up the seven centre balls, you can use a regular Nine-Ball rack:
The Game
The object of the game is to score more points than your opponent by slowly and methodically clearing the balls off the table.
Unlike Nine-Ball, there's no money ball in this game. The game doesn't end as soon as the 9-ball is pocketed. Instead, the structure is much more similar to Snooker.
In fact, the game itself plays almost exactly like Brazilian Snooker albeit with more balls and higher point values.
The Break
To break, the starting player (chosen by whatever means) places the cue-ball in the kitchen, the area at the head of the table behind the baulk line.
This player then has to shoot the 1-ball and try to scatter the balls in the middle without
a) Snookering the opponent and
b) pocketing anything.
Snookering someone simply means to put the other player in such a position that they don't have a clear shot at the ball-on (which after the break is the 1-ball).
If the break failed, the other player may either play the table from there or request a redo.
If the break fails thrice in a row, the opponent is awarded 9 points and play simply continues from there.
Structure
The game is played in frames, similar to Snooker, where a player continues playing so long as they are pocketing a valid ball.
On a player's turn they may choose between two different types of shot.
A "safe shot" and a "hazard shot" (known as a "free shot" and a "penalty shot" in Brazilian Snooker).
Play continues until all the balls are eliminated from the table. The winner is whoever has the most points.
Safe Shot
In a safe shot, the current active player tries to pocket the current ball-on, the lowest numbered ball on the table.
If they fail to pocket this ball, the frame simply ends and the turn is passed to the other player.
If they successfully pocket that ball, they score the ball's printed value in points. They then have to make a "bonus shot" (more on this later).
If the bonus shot succeeds, the active player then again has a choice between a safe shot and a hazard shot.
Hazard Shot
A hazard shot is risky. Instead of trying to pocket the ball on, the active player can nominate any other ball on the table as well as a pocket for it to enter. This nominated ball becomes the ball-on for the shot (important for fouls).
Failing to make this shot either by missing the pocket or pocketing it in the wrong pocket is a foul.
If the shot succeeds, the active player is awarded the ball's printed value in points, the ball is re-spotted, and then the active player is forced to make a safe shot.
Bonus Shot
The bonus shot is structured in the same exact way as a hazard shot, in that the active player nominates a ball and a hole.
The only difference is that failing to pocket the ball on the bonus shot does not constitute a foul.
Re-Spotting
Any ball that is pocketed either by mistake or as a result of a bonus or hazard shot is re-spotted.
To re-spot a ball, place it on the spot that is furthest away from the cue-ball.
If that spot is occupied, place it on the spot second-furthest away from the cue-ball.
If that spot is also occupied, place it on the closest spot.
Lastly, if that spot is also occupied, place it as close to the farthest spot as possible.
Scoring
Points are awarded according to the printed values on the balls. That is to say, the 1-ball is worth 1 point, the 2-ball is worth 2 points, and so on.
The maximum number of points a player can score (based on a rough back of the envelope calculation) is 189 points.
Fouls
Committing a foul always rewards the opponent the value of the current ball-on.
Fouls include
- Pocketing the wrong numbered ball (it is re-spotted).
- Failing a hazard shot in any way, this includes missing the pocket.
- Pocketing the cue-ball. Opponent gets ball in-hand anywhere on the table.
- Missing or not hitting the ball-on first.
- Not hitting a cushion (pockets count as cushions).
- Hitting a ball with anything other than the cue-ball.
- Hitting the cue-ball with anything other than the cue tip.
- Hitting the cue-ball twice in the same stroke
- Jumping a ball off the table. The ball is re-spotted.
- Jumping the cue-ball off the table. This gives the opponent ball in-hand.
Variants
I'm a very indecisive person, so I often create a whole lot of variants just because.
9-Ball Hazard Rotation
The original version of 1-7-1 Rotation.
The game is racked identically to Nine-Ball:
The only rules change is that the balls are always re-spotted on the foot spot regardless of where the cue-ball is placed.
To break, you must hit the 1-ball, scatter the balls, and not pocket anything else.
1-7-1 Rotation Pyramid
Replace the cue-ball with the 10 ball, which is worth 10 points:
The game is now played according to Russian Pyramid rules:
After breaking, any ball can be used as a cue-ball.
All shots can either be shot normally, or by hitting the object ball and perfoming a carom shot into a pocket (called an in-off in Snooker or a losing hazard in English Billiards). The only requirement is that if you plan on doing a carom shot, the ball-on must be used as a cue ball, and if planning on doing a regular shot, the ball-on must be first thing hit.
All other rules still apply with regards to safe, hazard, and bonus shots and the pocketing order.
This variant can also be racked in the 9-Ball Hazard Rotation style.
Play it on an actual Russian Pyramid table with Pyramid balls for an extra tough challenge.
The game ends once only the 10-ball remains on the table.
Chinese Pool Table
Less of a variant and more of an added challenge.
Instead of playing this on a standard Pool table, play the game on a Chinese Pool table.
It's slightly bigger and has smaller rounder pockets, which should make sinking the balls harder.
Both variants can realistically be played with this setup.
No comments:
Post a Comment