5 Pool disciplines to which we should give more attention

No one doubts that the three predominant forms of American Pool are 8-ball, 9 ball and, increasingly, ball 10. But there is life beyond these popular games. There are at least 5 other disciplines of American pool that often go more unnoticed. However, because of their strategic character and the skill they require, they deserve to be as famous as those of a lifetime. So today the protagonists are them.

1- Straight Pool (14.1)

Also called continuous pool or 14.1, this is actually the oldest pool that there exists, as it was already played before the Ball 9 conquered the billiard world. It is played with the whole rack, every pocketed ball is worth one point and the goal is to reach a specific figure (75, 100 or 125 points, usually). When a player pockets the penultimate ball that is on the table, the rack is reassembled (leaving empty the hole of the first ball) and then the player must try to pocket the fifteenth ball trying to break the pack the most to keep adding points.

2- One Pocket

The inventors of names of Pool modalities did not squeezed too much their head in their task, so this game is called One Pocket because each player is assigned with a unique pocket where he will have to pocket a certain number of balls to win (usually 8). During the game, each player tries to pocket or at least bring closer to his object pocket the more balls the better, trying never to leave an easy shot to the contrary. One of the geniuses of this game is the great Efren Reyes, six times champion of the prestigious One Pocket Derby City Classic.

3- Bankpool

This modality is suitable only for those who dominate shots by cushion. It is played with the whole rack and win the first player to pocket eight balls by one or more cushions (provided that the white ball hits directly the target ball, as it is not valid to hit the cushions first). To be a Bankpool champion as John Brumback, you must know perfectly some diamonds system and you must move the white ball very precisely to leave you relatively easy cushion shots.

4- Three ball

While playing with three balls is usually more typical of carom games (free, cushion or three cushions), there is also a Pool modality called Three Ball. Logically it is played only with three balls that are placed in the traditional rack and the goal is to pocket them with the minimum number of shots possible. You must try to pocket any ball in the opening break shot to be able to end the game in 2 or 3 shots and have any chance of winning.

5- Cutthroat (murderer Pool)

Cutthroat is a relatively unknown game for three players whose goal is to pocket the balls of the adversaries. Each player get 5 balls assigned (usually the one doing the opening break shot, get the balls from 1 to 5, the following one the balls from 6 to 10 and the third one from 11 to 15) and wins the last player left with at least one ball in the table. It is therefore to "kill" rivals leaving them without bullets, this is without balls, on the table.

Tell us in the comments section what do you think about these modalities and if you've ever practiced them.