Except when clearly contradicted by these additional rules, the General Rules of Pocket Billiards apply.
Cutthroat is a unique three player game. To win this game, the player must see his opponents' balls taken off the table while he still has some of his on the table (except for the case where he runs off all balls and wins).
Three (or three teams).
The standard set of object-balls numbered 1-15, plus a cue-ball. The numbered balls are split into three groups. The first group is composed of balls 1-5, the second group has balls 6-10, and the third group has balls 11-15.
Standard triangle rack with the apex on the foot spot. A ball from the first group should be on the foot spot. A ball from each group should be placed in each of the different parts of the rack. That is, the three corners of the rack are filled with one ball from each group, one ball of each group goes on each side of the rack, and one ball of each group goes in the middle of the rack.
To be the only one with balls from his group on the table. Balls are taken off the table by being pocketed on legal shots, or by being "dropped" as payment for a foul.
Shooting order is determined by lot or lag. The player being third in the shooting order will rack the balls, while the player being first will break them.
The starting player must make an open break or pocket a ball. If he fails to do so it is an illegal break (a foul) and the second shooter has the choice of either:
Any balls which fall from a legal opening break count as legally pocketed balls if there were no fouls.
Should a player foul on the opening break, their opponent has cue-ball in hand behind the head string. Any balls made on a foul break must be spotted (in numerical order, lowest closest to the foot spot), except for those belonging to the breaker's group. In addition the breaker must then "drop" (take it off the table and put it in a pocket) one of his balls to pay for the foul.
When shooting the player must make the cue-ball contact an object-ball and then either:
Failure to do so is a foul.
A player may shoot at any ball that he chooses, but before he shoots he must call the ball and the pocket. He need not call any detail such as kisses, caroms, combinations, or cushions (all of which are legal). A legally pocketed ball entitles the shooter to continue.
If a player sinks his last ball he can still win the game if he runs the table out in the same inning.
Does not occur until the game is won. This is necessary since a player can be put out of the game (when his last ball is pocketed -- at the end of his inning if he pocketed it) and then later be brought back into the game by one of his opponents choosing to spot one of his balls to pay for a foul they committed.
(When the game is over the last person to have been put out is the second player of the next game, the winner becomes the breaker, and the last person racks for the next game. This usually results in a shuffling of who has which group from one game to the next.)
Any player's ball(s) pocketed on an illegal shot will be spotted. If the shooter pockets his own balls on an illegal shot they will stay down. (Note that an uncalled shot is an illegal shot.)
Object balls leaving the table are not pocketed balls and will be spotted, unless they belonged to the shooter (in which case they don't return to the table).
After the penalty has been paid the cue ball is put in play from:
A foul (includes scratches, which includes jumped cue ball) requires the shooter to either:
Any balls pocketed on a foul stroke will be spotted, unless they were the shooter's.