log in
sign up or:

By using this site you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service

forgot password?

Billiard Game Commonly called 61 (or 61-pool)?

2/4/2018 11:20:51 PM

Billiard Game Commonly called 61 (or 61-pool)?

Are you familiar with a billiard game commonly called 61 (or 61-pool)?

I'm not referring to what some call rotation, but rather a derivative of it. Four people play rotation. Partners are made by the potters of the one and 5*.

The money balls are 5, 8, 10, 13, and 15 counting one point each, and the team making 61 or more of the 120 points gets two points. Out of a total of 7 points available the game winners must amass 4 or more points. A set can be a round robin of four games with the possibility of partner changes each game.

*If one player makes the one and 5, then his partner is whomever makes the 8. That being the same it become the next money ball, or 10, and so on. * If one person makes all five money balls he is his own partner and his three opponents pay him double for that game.

I've never seen published rules for 61-pool, and if they exist I'd really like to have them in print. It would settle our squabbles about best effort, ball in hand or not, and spotting balls or not.

This question relates to the following billiard rules:

Billiard Game Commonly called 61 (or 61-pool)?

Replies & Comments
  1. jidowilbilliardsforum on 2/15/2018 9:15:57 PM

    Are you talking about this:

    Fifteen-Ball Pool was played with 15 object balls, numbered 1 through 15. For sinking a ball, the player received a number of points equal to the value of the ball. The sum of the ball values in a rack is 120, so the first player who received more than half the total, or 61, was the winner. This game, also called "61-Pool" was used in the first American championship pool tournament held in 1878 and won by Cyrille Dion, a Canadian.

    If this is the "61-pool" you are talking about, I am sure I can track down the rules for you.

    Despite being defunct for over 100 years, the rules of that game are still listed in the Billiard Congress of America's Official Rules and Record Book.

    And some more history of 61-pool:

    The earliest championship game was called "61-pool". It was a single-rack game played with fifteen numbered object balls. Each ball was worth its numerical value, and the first player to reach the total of sixty-one or more was the winner. A match consisted of a race to a specified number of games. usually twenty-one. This was the manner in which the world championship was decided from 1878 until 1888. However. this style of competition was inherently flawed. Under the numerical scoring system, the five highest-numbered balls had a greater total value than the other ten; therefore, a player could win a game. and a match. while scoring far fewer balls than his opponent.

    Source: Willie's Game: An Autobiography

    I did find another summarized set of rules for 61 billiards, but I think you probably already know these bits. I am sure we can find better.

    "Traditional Rotation", or "61 Billiards"

    Balls are racked in an 8 ball triangle, with the 1 ball at the front (apex) on the foot spot, the 2 ball on the right rear corner (from the vantage of the player racking the balls), the 3 ball at the left rear corner, and the 15 ball at the center. All other balls are placed randomly.

    In informal British play, it’s common to push the rack forward farther so that the 15 ball rests on the foot spot.

    The game requires players to strike the lowest-numbered object ball on the table with the cue ball, in an attempt to pocket numbered balls for points.

    The score for pocketing an object ball is equal to the number printed on it (e.g., the 4 ball is worth 4 points).

    A frame is over when a player or team has 61 or more points. A match may consist of multiple frames (e.g. a race to 10), or in multiple rounds of multiple frames (e.g. three rounds of best 2-out-of-three).

    If you can just confirm this is what you are looking for, I will dig into some of our older cue sport rule books.

  2. jidowiljidowil on 2/16/2018 1:41:54 AM

    Thanks for your response, but unfortunately this is not what I'm seeking.

    The "61" I am talking about has five 'point' balls within the rack, and two more points are gained by totaling 61 points, or more. This totals 7 points possible per game played.

    The team scoring 4, or more, points wins that game. The next game can, and likely will, give you another partner. So, a running scoreboard is kept until play is over for the day/evening.

upload a photo or document

use plain text or markdown syntax only
log in or sign up

Sign in to ensure your message is posted.

If you don't have an account, enter your email and choose a password below and we'll create your account.

Preview:

Billiard Game Commonly called 61 (or 61-pool)?

  • Title: Billiard Game Commonly called 61 (or 61-pool)?
  • Author:
  • Published: 2/4/2018 11:20:51 PM
  • Last Updated: 2/15/2018 8:16:55 PM
  • Last Updated By: billiardsforum (Billiards Forum)