What Happens When you Scratch in Cutthroat Pool

Video Transcript

"Hi, I'm Michael Lamendola with expertvillage.com and today we're going to shoot some pool. Alright, finally I won the lag around here so I get to break. So, just like in eight ball or nine ball, if I make a ball on the break, I keep moving. Let's just see what happens. Alright, I made the eight ball. That's one of Jeff's. So, I keep shooting, trying to make all of my opponent's balls. Now, if I make all of six through ten, Jeff is eliminated and his turn gets skipped. But, let's say that I'm shooting all these balls and the only shot that I have is one of mine, one through five. That's why they call it Cutthroat. Because if I can make one of my balls to continue shooting everyone else's, then I'm going to do so in order to keep shooting. Because I'm not eliminated until all of my balls are sunk. So, right now I'm looking and I see that I can make the eleven ball. And then what do I have next? I've got the seven ball. See, it's really easy in this game because you've got so many choices. It's not like you're limited by only six or seven balls. Now, in this case, I'm looking and all I can see, the easiest shot that I have is the four ball, and that's one of mine. But, if I make it, I keep shooting. So, even though that was one of mine, my turn continues and I keep going until I miss. Once I miss, then it's the next player's turn - six through ten - that would be Jeff. And as long as the player, whose next turn it is, has balls on the table in his group, he gets to keep playing. You win Cutthroat when you've sunk all of your opponents' balls and only your balls remain. Now, one stipulation. Let's say that the only balls left on the table were one of mine and two of my opponent's, and the only shot that I had was mine. If I can make my ball and successfully make my opponent's other two balls and not miss, then I win. But, if I make my ball and leave myself with no balls on the table, and then miss one of their shots, I lose. Okay, I got a little excited and while trying to make one of Louis's balls I scratched. Well, that's good news for my two opponents in Cutthroat because, when you scratch, each of your opponents gets one ball pulled. So, in this case, the eight for Jeff, the fifteen for Louis. Find the spot where the one ball went, or the front ball on your rack. Eight ball, fifteen ball, doesn't matter what order. And then the next person in line gets to shoot. Now, let's say, for example, that Jeff didn't have any balls on the table. Well, now he's back in the game. So, even if you're taken out, you're not eliminated because if your opponent scratches while the game is still going, then your ball gets pulled out and you get to keep playing."