One of a few pool games that are enteraining with three players. Each player is represented by five balls, and attempts to pocket the other ten balls on the table. Cutthroat may be played as a called shot game if the players are so willing.
The 15 object balls are racked randomly, and one player breaks from behind the head string. The table is open until the end of the first turn in which a player pockets any ball. At that point, the player who turn just ended declares his/her set of balls: high (numbers 11-15), middle (6-10), or low (1-5).
Pocketing any object ball is rewarded with the allowance of another shot. (A player may pocket his/her own balls to acheive better leave.) A scratch allows the next player to take the ball in hand and place it anywhere on the table prior to his/her next shot.
A player is out of the game if all five of his/her object balls are pocketed. The winner of the game is the last player who has object balls on the table.
Want more information? Please see billiards.