Reverse Eight-Ball

This game came up when I was researching Cowboy Pool the other day. I later learned that it's simply called Reverse or Backwards Eight-Ball, though some people call it Cowboy Pool, hence the confusion.

Quite simply, it is a standard game of Eight-Ball but played "in reverse", that is to say, you hit the object balls with the cue and try to hit the cue-ball.

One could perhaps argue that it's lazy to include a game so similar to regular Eight-Ball, but I feel like it's interesting enough that it warrants inclusion.

Materials & Setup

To play this game you need

• A standard Pool table
• A standard set of 15 Pool balls and cue-ball

Set up the Pool table like you would for a regular game of Eight-Ball, using whatever ball setup rules you're used to.

The Game

As mentioned, the game is played in reverse from regular Eight-Ball.You cue the object balls, and try to hit the cue-ball.

The aim and general rules of the game are still the exact same as regular Eight-Ball, each player must pocket all of the balls of their own suit (solids or stripes) and end with pocketing the 8-ball.

The way you do this is by hitting the ball you wish to pocket with the cue, have it bounce off the stationary cue-ball, and then continue into the pocket.

You must hit the white ball first in every shot, failing to do so is a scratch.

Using Snooker terminology, the game thus has 15 cue-balls and one object ball. The white ball is always ball on, and all pockets must be done with in-offs (aka losing hazards).

The Break

The break works the same exact way as it does in regular Eight-Ball.

It is also the one and only time the white ball may be cued.

Once the break has happened, only the numbered balls may be cued.

Structure

The game is structured the same exact way as regular Eight-Ball.

Depending on the rule-set, you must call every shot, though you don't necessarily have to cue the ball called, as long as the ball called enters the pocket.

If you successfully pocket your ball with a legal shot, you get to shoot again.

The 8-ball must be pocketed last.

Fouls

• Pocketing one of the opponent's balls is a foul. The ball stays pocketed.
• Pocketing your own ball as a result of an illegal shot also a foul.
  The ball is re-spotted on the foot spot, or as close as possible to the foot spot if that spot is occupied.
• Failing to hit the white ball as the first ball hit is a scratch and gives the opponent ball in-hand on the white ball.
• Pocketing the white ball is also a scratch, giving the opponent ball in-hand.

Sources

• http://www.billiardsforum.com/pool-rules/reverse-8-ball-rules
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight-ball#Backwards_eight-ball