How to Play Cutthroat Pool

Cutthroat is a pool game designed for three players. It's not a difficult game to learn; if you understand the basics of straight pool, you'll have it down in no time.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Choose your balls. Player 1 has balls 1 to 5, Player 2 has 6 to 10 and Player 3 uses 11 to 15. You must take turns in the same order.

2. Place the balls in the triangle and rack them tightly. In Cutthroat there is no set order, so you can line them up any way you choose. Remove the triangle and allow Player 1 to break.

3. Shoot for your opponent's balls while protecting your own. If no balls sink during the break, Player 1's turn is over. If at least 1 ball sinks, Player 1 continues shooting until he misses. When Player 1 misses a shot, it becomes Player 2's turn.

4. Repeat Step 3 with each player until only one player's balls remain. The object of Cutthroat is to be the last person with at least 1 ball left on the pool table. That person is the winner.

Tips & Warnings

• Sacrifices are legal in Cutthroat. If the only shot you have is your own ball, you can sink it (Sacrifice) and keep shooting. However, if you sacrifice your last ball and don't sink all the remaining balls on the table, you lose the game.
• If a player sinks the cue ball (called a Scratch), she must reinstate a previously sunken ball for each opponent. If an opponent was already out of the game, the reinstatement of his ball brings him back in again.