another 4 handed game. Found this old 2007 post.
Same rules as rotation, but every odd ball is worth one point and high score is worth one point for a total of nine points. We used to play this in Harrisburg Pa when I was a teenager. Down town at the Casino Billiards they used to play a dollar a point four handed on two, three tables every afternoon. Some times I even saw the big guys play for $5 a point. Once I saw them play $10 a point. They weren't allowed to play 9-ball as it was considered a gambling game.
There were guys such as Dick Minick, Stanley Stonic, Big Slim, Whitey Booth who could break and run out. The weird thing was Minick, Booth, Slim when playing straight pool run would run 4-5 balls and miss. In odd ball, If they broke and had a open table they were almost even money to run all 15 balls in rotation. I wonder what they would have done playing 9-ball.
I am talking about 50 years ago, as I am 65 years old.
JPA
My favorite four handed game was similar. Full rack rotation slop counts. All odd balls are worth one point. There are 8 odd balls in a full rack. Who ever makes the 1 is partnered with whomever makes the 9 for that rack ony. There is a breaking order and a shooting order. Once the 1 and 9 are down, those two players are now Partners for the rest of that rack, and partners are not allowed to follow each other for the remainder of that rack. There is also another way for each team to score 2 points. At the end of each game count up all your balls to see if they total more than 60 points, if they do, that team also gets 2 additional points. So if your team gets all 8 odd balls and 61+ points, then there total winnings (if 25 cents per point) would be ten points x twenty five cents. Each opponent would pay the other player $2.50. If one team gets points and two odd balls that means the other team has to have 6, so 6 minus 4 equals two, which would be 50 cents payout to each. You never know who your partner is till play moves along, and it will change each game. Greatest game for BS ing and having some good laughs.
We called this game odd ball, I've also heard it called Cowboy Pocket Billiards. Great when players skill levels are not quite the same.
