Cowboy Billiard Rules
“The game of
golf would lose a great deal if croquet mallets and
billiard cues were allowed on the putting green.” -Ernest Hemmingway, 1899-1961
Except when clearly
contradicted by these additional rules, the
General Rules of Pocket Billiards apply.
TYPE OF GAME AND OBJECTIVE [ top ]
Cowboy is another game that combines carom and pocket billiards skill,
and employs a very unusual set of rules. Certainly a change of pace
game; how many games have you played in which the cue ball must be
pocketed on a carom of the 1 ball on the last shot??! To score 101 points prior to
opponent(s).
PLAYERS [ top ]
Any number.
BALLS USED [ top ]
Object balls 1,3 and 5, plus the cue ball
ball.
THE RACK [ top ]
No triangle needed; the 1 ball is placed on the head spot, the 3 ball
on the foot spot, and the 5 ball on the center spot.
SCORING [ top ]
The first ninety points exactly may be scored by any of these means on
legal scoring strokes: pocketing any of the object balls: points equal
to the balls' numbers; and/or carom of the cue ball off two of the
object balls: one point; and/or carom of the cue ball off the three
object balls: two points. Points 91 through 100 (exactly) must, and may
only, be scored by execution of carom shots #2 and #3 above.
Point 101 (winning point) must be scored by caroming the cue ball off
the 1 ball into a called pocket without the cue ball contacting any
other object ball. Should a player accomplish more than one scoring
possibility permitted by these rules, he scores for each; thus a single
shot can result in a total of 11 points scored.
OPENING BREAK [ top ]
No "break shot" as such. Beginning with cue ball in hand behind the
head string, starting player must cause the cue ball to contact the
3 ball first. If starting player fails to do so, incoming player has
the choice of (1) requiring starting player to repeat the opening shot, or (2)
executing the opening shot himself.
RULES OF PLAY [ top ]
A legally executed shot, conforming to the requirements of "Scoring",
entitles the shooter to continue at the table until he fails to legally
execute and score on a shot. On all shots, player must cause the cue
ball to contact an object ball, and then the cue ball or object ball
must contact a cushion. Failure to do so is a foul. At the completion
of each shot, any pocketed object balls are spotted on their same positions
as at the start of the game. If the appropriate position is occupied,
the ball(s) in question remain off the table until the correct position
is vacant after a shot. If, however, the 1 ball would be held out as a
player with exactly 100 points is to shoot, the balls are all placed
as at the start of the game, and the player shoots with cue ball in hand
behind the head string. When a player scores his 90th point, the shot must
score the number of points exactly needed to reach 90; if the shot producing
the 90th point also scores a point(s) in excess of 90 for the player,
the shot is a foul. When a player is playing for points 91 through
100 (which must all be scored on caroms solely), it is a foul to
pocket an object ball on a shot. When a player is playing for his
101st point, it is a foul if the cue ball fails to contact the 1 ball,
or if the cue ball contacts any other object ball.
When a player pockets the cue ball on an otherwise legal shot, and according
to the special requirements given in "Scoring" for counting the 101st point,
pocketing the cue ball on such a shot on the 101st point is not a foul.
Player loses the game if he fouls in each of three consecutive plays at the table.
ILLEGALLY POCKETED BALLS [ top ]
All spotted per the provisions of "Rules of Play" #3 (above), with no
penalty, except in the special cases covered by "Rules of Play" #4 #5.
OBJECT BALLS JUMPED OFF THE TABLE [ top ]
All spotted; no penalty.
CUE BALL AFTER JUMPING OFF TABLE/SCRATCH [ top ]
Incoming player has cue ball in hand behind the head string.
PENALTIES FOR FOULS [ top ]
No point deduction, but any points scored on previous shots of the inning not scored,
and player's inning ends. After fouls other than cue ball jump or scratch,
incoming player accepts the cue ball in position.
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