1. This game is played with coloured balls, which (or small duplicate ones)
are dealt out from a pool basket or bag indiscriminately to the players at
the beginning of each game. Cues and rests of any description may be used.
2. The players must play progressively, as the colours are placed on the
pool marking-board, and the first stroke of each player--excepting
White--is made from the half-circle, as also the succeeding strokes of
every player when in hand.
3. Each player has three lives at starting, the object being throughout the
game to pocket the ball played on. White places his ball on the upper spot;
Red plays at White, Yellow at Red, and so on, each player playing at the
last ball, unless it be in hand; in that case the player plays at the
nearest ball.
4. Each player pays into the pool the amount decided on and starts with
three lives (excepting a less number is agreed on for any particular
player). Each pays forfeit for each life lost. {326}
5. When the striker takes a life, he must continue to play on the nearest
ball as long as he can take a life, till all the other balls are off the
table; his own must then be placed on the spot, as at the commencement.
6. The first player who loses his three lives is entitled to purchase a
star by paying into the pool the same sum as at the commencement, for which
he receives lives equal in number to the lowest number on the board. The
player, however, must decide whether he will star or not before the next
stroke is played.
7. If the first player out refuse to star, the second may do so; if the
second refuse, the third may do so; and so on, until only two are left in
the pool, in which case the privilege ceases.
8. If before a star two or more balls be pocketed by the same stroke,
including the ball played at, each having one life, the owner of the ball
first struck has the option of starring; but if he refuse, and more than
one remain, the persons to whom they belong must draw lots for the star. If
the balls pocketed do not include the ball played at, their owners must
draw lots for the star.