Rules for SCOOTER


Contents:

  1. TYPE OF GAME
  2. PLAYERS
  3. BALLS USED
  4. THE RACK
  5. OBJECT OF THE GAME
  6. OPENING BREAK
  7. RULES OF PLAY
  8. LOSS OF GAME
  9. FOULS
  10. ILLEGALLY POCKETED BALLS
  11. JUMPED OBJECT BALLS
  12. SPOTTING

Except when clearly contradicted by these additional rules, the General Rules of Pocket Billiards apply.

TYPE OF GAME

Scooter is a unique game created by Brandon Ramirez to lengthen the play time of Cutthroat and provide more of a challenge while keeping the free-for-all multi-player aspect.   The inspiration for the increased difficulty came from playing Snooker.

PLAYERS

 Three (or three teams).

BALLS USED

 In addition to a standard set of object-balls numbered 1-15 plus a cue-ball there are fifteen un-numbered balls (five red, five, yellow, and five black).   These two sets are referrred to as numbered balls (numbers) and colored balls (color).

THE RACKS

 Two standard triangle racks are used. The colored balls are racked on the apex of the foot spot, and the numbered balls are racked, in the kitchen, with the apex of the rack on the head 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.

OBJECT OF THE GAME

 To be the only one with balls from his group of numbered balls on the table.   Balls are taken off the table by being pocketed on legal shots, or by being "dropped" as payment for a foul.

OPENING BREAK

 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 on the colors or pocket a color.   If he fails to do so it is an illegal break (a foul) and the second shooter has the choice of either:

  1. a re-break by the fouling player
  2. accepting the table in position and shooting, or
  3. shooting the opening break shot himself.

Any balls which fall from a legal opening break count as legally pocketed balls if there were no fouls.

RULES OF PLAY

 Determination of groups is done by legally pocketing a color ball (the numbered balls map to the colors as follows: red -> 1-5, yellow -> 6-10, black -> 11-15).   If a player pockets two different colors on a stroke he has choice of which color will be his.

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.

As long as a player has his color on the table those will be the ball he is "on".   When a player is shooting a his color he does not need to call the shot.

When a player legally pockets his color he can then shoot either another color of his group or any numbered ball.   When a numbered ball is legally pocketed the player then shoots one of his color again (mirroring snooker).

When a player has none of his color on the table he can shot any numbered ball of his choosing.   If a player sinks his last ball he can still win the game if he clears the table of the remaining numbered balls in the same inning.

When a player is put out any colors of his group will remain on the table.   When one of those balls is pocketed the player is revived by spotting one of his numbered balls and his place in the shooting order is re-established.

LOSS OF GAME

 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. )

FOULING

 NOTE: A scratch is a foul where the cue ball leaves (and does not return) to the playing surface.

When a player fouls he must either PUSH or PULL.   PUSH has the player selecting a numbered ball of his group and removing it from the table.   PULL has the player spotting one of his color balls .

If a player has only one numbered ball and all of his color are on the table when he fouls he will owe the table a color of his group and must spot it once it is made.   The player will be forced to PUSH his last ball when he owes the table three color balls, thus putting the player out.

Pocketing a numbered ball when the player is on a color is a foul, UNLESS his color drops before the numbered ball.

Pocketing just an opposing player's color is a foul.   The color remains pocketed.   If the player was out he is revived.

ILLEGALLY POCKETED BALLS

 When a player pockets one of his colors on a foul the ball is spotted and the foul is charged.

Any numbered balls pocketed on an illegal shot will be spotted.   (Note that an uncalled shot on a numbered ball is an illegal shot.)

JUMPED OBJECT BALLS

 Jumped object balls are a foul.   Jumped object balls will be spotted.

SPOTTING

 Color balls are spotted to the foot spot along the long string (normal spotting), in the order Red, Yellow, Black (low to high).

Numbered balls are spotted to the head spot along the long string (a mirror to the normal spotting).

These rules are used by Billy Aardd's Club, NMIMT, Socorro, NM.