Pool Secrets from Legendary Players... gather for free coffee with dusk to dawn and back to dusk, the striped balls, 9 thru 15). expectations for a friendly uninterrupted. One player, who 3) A player’s choice of cue ball poker game to commence. had entered a Six Pocket session and object ball must correspond Until a quorum of card players on a Sunday evening, was once in color and the player then was in attendance, they heard to request in the middle of becomes known by their color. jousted in a game of Golf the marathon, “Remind me that I Mr./Miss Yellow: Cue Pool, a community affair in have a doctor’s appointment on Ball #1, Object Ball #9 BYTES! which all could participate. Tuesday.” And, came the reply… Mr./Miss Blue: Cue For players of lesser skills to share “Too late, it’s Wednesday.” Ball #2, Object Ball #10 in the test with those of greater To onlookers, Six Pocket appears Mr./Miss Red: Cue P&B Facebook Friend: skills, a few changes in the rules misleadingly simple, tempting a Ball #3, Object Ball #11 Harold, were often considered. Each day test of their own abilities, but alas it Mr./Miss Purple: Cue I was wondering if you could help additional minor tweaks to the is not. Perhaps its most distinctive, Ball #4, Object Ball #12 me out with the official rules to rules of Golf Pool were made yet unintentional element, is the Mr./Miss Orange: Cue the game of Six Pocket. It doesn’t until… on one fateful morning desire of rivals to form alliances Ball #5, Object Ball #13 seem to be an official game so it’s in 1979, when asked to clarify and apply pressure on the tactics of Mr./Miss Green: Cue not in any book or any website… the latest conventions and make others while plotting their own blind Ball #6, Object Ball #14 Thanks, sides and double crosses. Suffice Mr./Miss Brown: Cue Pete Berardi to say, Six Ball #7, Object Ball #15 San Diego, CA Pocket is not for the gentle, TABLe & PoCKeT P&B Fan email: meek, or pure DeSIGNATIoNS: [email protected] at heart… A 9-foot table is recommended How about re-introducing or for those but an 8-foot table will work, too. the greatest pool game ever who have a (A 7-foot table could get a bit too invented to the whole world! bad heart. crowded for over four players Six Pocket Willy due to the number of balls that So it would be continuously in play.) FROM P&B Publisher: began, and Each pocket on the table is Pete & Willie, yet another adjustment, Harold now if you will lend a bridge designated with a number from 1 Good Timing! We originally printed said, and we paraphrase, “Ya’ hand to it, it may… to 6, beginning with the right hand the Rules to Six Pocket Billiards in wanna’ make it that easy, give …continue happily ever after. pocket behind the head string as 1994, fifteen years after its creation. ‘em all their own cue ball and Pocket One, the left =hand pocket Now, after 30 years, it’s probably a object ball… or forget-about-it!” behind the head string as Pocket good time to do it again. We’ll also Necessity had once again proved Six Pocket’s Two, and continuing clockwise put a link to the Six Pocket Rules to be the mother of invention. No with the left hand side as Pocket on our website, poolmag.com. one saw it coming or could have Three, the top corner on the left as for the “whole world” to enjoy. forecast that they were witness Official Rules Pocket Four, the top right corner as Shoot straight, to the evolution of a new species PLAYERS: Pocket Five and the right side as Harold of pool game. In the years that The game of Six Pocket can be the final pocket, Pocket Six. During followed, Six Pocket spread far played with 2 to 7 players. For the play, the pockets are played one and wide throughout the pool most enjoyment, the ideal field at a time, in order from 1 to 6. Once upon realm. Each night, when other should be between 4 to 6 players. The table’s playing surface Chicago area rooms had to close, is marked with three spots: a time… the action players and spectators CU e BALLS & oBJeCT BALLS: the Head Spot (in the center of congregated at Harold’s “round- 1) One Community Cue Ball the head string); the Foot Spot …In the late 70’s, there the-clock” Pool Parlour for Six (a normal white cue ball). (where the head ball in a rack opened a 24/7 pool room Pocket. There would be as many 2) In addition to the “white” is normally positioned); and the called Harold’s Pool Parlour as seven players on a single Community Cue Ball, each player Center Spot (center of the table). (1976-1997), 20 miles west table. The audience was replete is assigned their own Individual of Chicago. As time went with alternates, eager to jump in Cue Ball (using one of the solid SCORING eQUIPMeNT: by it became the custom for when defeated players dropped colored balls, 1 thru 7) and their Pencil and paper will do early morning customers to out. Sessions often lasted from own Object Ball (using one of fine. Some hardcore Six Pocket 28 P&B August 2010 www.poolmag.com Remembering SIX-POCKET after 30 Years… rooms have installed several 3) The first player to make their One. A player always has the players continue in the same strings of wooden beads, ball in a designated pocket is option of using either their own cue manner, each taking only one color-coded for each player. responsible for recording the order ball or the Community Cue Ball. shot during their turn, until all in which the rest of the players In this case, since Mr. Blue’s own the players have pocketed their o BJeCT: enter the pocket (See Scorekeeping). cue ball is blocking the Community object balls in Pocket One. The player, with the option of Cue Ball’s path to his object ball, Whichever player is the first using their individual cue ball and/ BALL PLACeMeNT: the most likely shot would be to to enter the first pocket begins or the community cue ball, attempts The opening player places their use the 2-Ball (Mr. Blue’s cue ball) play for Pocket Two after all the to make their assigned object ball own Object Ball, their own Cue Ball, in an attempt to bank the 10-Ball players have completed Pocket in each of the table’s six pockets and the Community Cue Ball in their (object ball) to Pocket One. One. Pocket Two begins with (in their numerical pocket order) beginning positions on the table. It would be an unlikely option the player spotting his or her in the least number of strokes. A player’s own cue ball is always here, but Mr. Blue could attempt object ball on the foot spot. The placed on the Center Spot to to use the Community Cue Ball in beginning player for Pocket Two ORDER oF PLAy: begin play for Pocket One. For all a two-cushion kick to knock the would then have the option to 1) Pocket One: Players decide subsequent pockets, a the beginning order of play for player’s own cue ball is 5 6 1 Pocket One. This can be done by played from where it is lag, numbers from a hat, coin resting when that player toss, etc. This order must then be returns to the table. recorded to help players recall the The Community Cue order in which they will shoot. It Ball is placed on the also provides players at the table table’s Head Spot to 10 2 the knowledge of which incoming begin play for Pocket players will follow them (an One by the first player. important element of the game’s After the opening Six Pocket Opening Shot strategy). For example, if there shot by the beginning were seven players in the game, player, the Community after the order was decided, it Cue Ball’s position is 4 3 2 could be recorded as: (1st Pocket) played from wherever Blue, Red, Green, Yellow, Orange, it sits on the table. 10-Ball back toward Pocket One. use either their own cue ball or Brown, Purple. Players do not A player’s object ball is placed Each time a player comes to the Community Cue ball, from begin shooting for Pocket Two on the Foot Spot when it is their the table, they get one (1) shot, and wherever they are sitting when until each of the competitors has turn to begin each pocket. For then play rotates to the next player. the player returns to the table. made their object ball in Pocket subsequent shots at the same The only time a player continues When all six pockets have One. Once a player makes his pocket, the player’s object ball is shooting at a designated pocket been completed in the same object ball in the designated played from where it sits. When without rotating shots with other manner, the game has ended. Pocket, they are done until it is an object ball is legally scored players, is when their’s is the time to play for the next pocket. (legally pocketed), it remains off only object ball left on the table SCORING & SCOReKeePER: 2) Pockets Two thru Six: The order the table until the player begins because all the other players Scoring is accomplished by of play to subsequent pockets is play for the next pocket, at which have legally made their object recording the total number of determined by the order in which time it is returned to the Foot Spot.