Cutthroat Pool

Cutthroat is a pool game designated to three players. It is more a friendly drinking game than a serious tournaments play, therefore cutthroat rules may vary from one pool hall to another. Notorious for its ability to break friendship apart, cutthroat pool sometimes referred as Screwyerbuddy pool. 

The pool game objective is pretty simple: each player is assigned a group of 5 balls (the low balls are the balls numbered 1 through 5, mid balls 6 through 10 and the high balls are the balls numbered 11 to 15). Your goal is to pocket your opponent's balls and to strive to leave your balls on the table. The winner is the last player who had managed to leave (at least) one ball on the table. 

So, if you are not too emotionally attached to your buddies, here's how cutthroat is played:

1. For starters you'll need two friends, and basic pool equipment, including a pocket billiard table, cue stick, and a set of billiard balls.
2. To determine which one of you will be honored to break open the game, you'll also need to toss a coin or make some other type of raffle.
3. On the same occasion, decide which one of you will get to be the first to pick the group of balls, who will get to be the second to pick the group of balls and which one of you will be left with no choice but getting the remaining group.
4. Let's say you've been picked. Hit the cue ball and break the rack. You'll be entitled to continue shooting as long as each shot of yours ends with a sound of a ball, any ball, dropping into a pocket.
5. If you "cut your own throat", i.e. pocket your own ball, you are still entitled to continue shooting at the table.
6. In cutthroat pool, if you, or any other player scratch (pockets the cue ball), then the incoming players get to re-spot their balls or to immediately pocket one of the scratching player's balls.
7. The cutthroat pool game continues in that manner until only one lucky ruthless player has one (or more) of his balls on the table. 

Strategy & Tips

Cutthroat pool strategy is more offensive than defensive. However, most of your offensive efforts should be focused on setting on your opponents' one at each other. For example, when it is not your turn to shoot, raise the shooter's awareness to the third player's balls and t heir closeness to the table pockets and so on.