Kelly Pool game

Traditional games theme

2–15 players, 4–6 optimal. Each gets a secret ball #. The lowest # must be stuck for every shot. The winner is the 1st to have their # sunk by anyone.

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A typical rack, there are variants but 1, 2, and 3 never change position. Kelly Pool needs a setup. Generally 15 'peas' are placed in a 'pod' (jar). Each pea is numbered 1–15. Players draw a pea and the number they get is their secret ball. The break must cause at least 4 balls to strike a rail and be started by striking the 1 ball. Sinking a ball requires the player to go again. They are no safeties, safeties are fouls. The lowest ball on the table must be struck first or its a foul. Any balls pocketed in a foul are spotted (placed back on the table). No call shot. If a foul is committed, the next player can play the table or make the fouler play it. If the cue ball leaves the table (airborne or pocketed) then the next player has ball-in-hand from the head string (the near end of the table from the rack position) and still has the option of making the fouler play the table. If the lowest ball on the table is behind the head string, then it gets spotted. If someone's secret ball is pocketed, by any player, they win.
In another variation, points are scored and subtracted (players may be left with negative points):
If a player pockets their own secret ball, everyone must give them +2 points
If a player pockets someone else's secret ball, he gets +1 point and the owner of the ball loses -1 points. The owner must speakup before the next turn or he's out of the game and the pocketer get +2 points instead of +1 (he should try to stay in the game, he may pocket someone else's secret ball).
If a no player is able to pocket his own secret ball and every ball gets pocketed, the peas are drawn and the balls are racked again. The scores are cumulative and each 'do-over' uses double points from the games game (+2 and -1, +4 and -2, +8 and -4, etc)
If a player succeeded in pocketing their own secret ball, and all balls are pocketed, then the player with the most points wins. In case of an unlikely tie, do-over with double points

Parent group

Cue sports

Games by year

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The first Kelly Pool game video game was released on October 1993.

Platforms

NES 2

Most common companies