US 5,350,171 AGranted

Method and apparatus for playing a pocket billiard game

AssigneeGrand Prix Billiards, Inc.

InventorThomas J. Wozniak

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Abstract

Disclosed is a pocket billiard game in which players alternately must contact any one of a first collection of substantially indistinguishable object balls and, if successful, must contact a particular ball of a second collection of numbered balls. Further disclosed is a method for avoiding entirely the spotting of object balls and a method by which a player may earn through skill the right to begin pocket billiard games subsequent to a first game. Further disclosed is a set of pocket billiard object balls suitable for playing the disclosed game containing a first collection of eight balls of solid color and a second collection of eight striped balls bearing distinct numeral markings.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A method of playing pocket billiards with a cue ball on a pocket billiard table having pockets, comprising:

a) providing a collection of no more than 21 object balls, said collection having a predetermined set of equal valued balls and a predetermined set of differing valued balls;
b) arranging said object balls in a predetermined configuration upon the table, all said object balls in contact with at least two adjacent object balls;
c) alternately designating one of said two predetermined sets as a target set;
d) using movement of said cue ball to strike a ball in one of said two predetermined sets designated as said target set;
e) using movement of said cue ball to strike a ball in the other of said two predetermined sets so long as the preceding strike of the cue ball in step d) caused a ball in said target set to enter any of the pockets on the table, all object balls entering a pocket remaining in said pocket until all other object balls have been pocketed;
f) awarding a predetermined number of points for each ball pocketed from said equal valued set of balls and a number of points for each ball pocketed from said differing valued set of balls corresponding to the numerical point value associated with said ball;
g) repeating steps c) through f) until all of said object balls have been pocketed.

4 more elements

A method for one or more players to play pocket billiards with a cue ball on a pocket billiard table having pockets and a playing surface, comprising:

a) providing a collection of no more than 21 object balls, said collection having a predetermined set of equal valued balls and a predetermined set of differing valued balls;
b) providing a set of rules defining when an object ball is legally pocketed and when a winner is determined;
c) designated on said playing surface one or more racking areas for arranging said object balls when starting play;
d) assigning a rotational order of play to the players;
e) alternately designating one of said two predetermined sets as a target set;
f) using movement of said cue ball to strike a ball in one of said two predetermined sets designated as said target set;
g) using movement of said cue ball to strike a ball in the other of said two predetermined sets so long as the preceding strike of the cue ball in step f) caused a ball in said target set to enter any of the pockets on the table, all object balls entering a pocket remaining in said pocket until all other object balls have been pocketed;
h) awarding a predetermined number of points for each ball pocketed from said equal valued set of balls and a number of points for each ball pocketed from said differing valued set corresponding to the numerical point value associated with said ball;
i) repeating steps e) through h) until all of said object balls have been pocketed.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.