Trulečník

Split the groups before the break — rock-paper-scissors, drawing a ball from a bag, or lagging for order — it truly does not matter, no group has a built-in advantage. The assignment holds for the whole game and never changes. Players then take turns in group order (A first, then B, and C last).

In classic cut-throat you "claimed" a group by potting the first ball, which caused disputes. Assigning up front removes all doubt.

A legal shot has two conditions. The cue ball must first strike one of your opponents' balls — any of them will do. And after that contact, either a ball must be pocketed or at least one ball must reach a cushion. If the cue ball hits one of your own balls first, or neither of those happens after contact, it is a foul.

On both of these fouls the cue ball stays where it lies — the opponent who shoots after you does not get ball in hand, but gets two shots: the first to nudge the cue ball into a better spot, the second to actually pot.

It happens. Your potted ball stays down — you have just hurt yourself, and on top of that you have helped the opponent who takes their turn just before you: thanks to you, one of their balls comes back into play, provided they have any pocketed. If that opponent had already been eliminated, this returned ball brings them straight back into the game. The returned ball goes on the foot spot, just like any other returned ball. Potting your own ball ends your turn — the cue ball stays where it lies and the next player simply plays on. If, however, a single shot potted both your own ball and an opponent’s, your ball still stays down — and on top of that, the opponent gets back the very ball you just sank, spotted on the foot spot like any other returned ball.

The penalty for a foul depends only on where the cue ball ends up:

The cue ball left the playing area — potted, off the table, or a foul on the break. The next player takes the cue ball in hand and places it anywhere (behind the head string after a break foul).

The cue ball stayed on the table — no contact, first contact with one of your own balls, or nothing potted and no ball reaching a cushion after contact. The cue ball stays where it lies and the next player gets two shots (reposition the cue ball with the first, only pot on the second).

Numbered balls potted on the fouling shot stay down, and a foul returns no ball to anyone — only the cue ball comes back, and only when it left the playing area. Balls return solely when a player sinks their own ball (see “When you sink your own ball”).

A returned ball goes on the foot spot. If it is occupied, place it just behind it on the long string toward the foot rail, at the first free spot.

You are out the instant you have zero of your own balls on the table. Balls pocketed on a single shot count simultaneously — the shot finishes first, then eliminations are checked. This applies to you too: if you sink your own last ball, you are out — even if you did it with your own cue.

As soon as, after a shot settles, exactly one player has any balls left, that player wins immediately. No need to clear anything further.

If a single shot pockets all remaining opponents' last balls at once (leaving only yours), you win.

After the shot, count the players who still have at least one of their own balls. If one remains, they win. If two or more remain, play continues: the eliminated are out (for now) and the turn passes to the next surviving player in group order. You keep shooting only if the shot was legal, pocketed at least one opponent ball, and you did not eliminate yourself.

If all three agree the game is going nowhere (endless safeties, say), re-rack. The new break goes to the next player in group order after whoever broke last. Groups stay the same.

No claiming a group by the first pot. Draw before the break, fixed for the game.

A sunk own-ball stays down, your turn ends, and the opponent before you gets one ball back.

We unified the foul penalty around the cue ball: if it leaves the playing area the next player gets ball in hand; if it stays on the table, they get two shots. No ball is returned for a foul.

Balls from one shot fall simultaneously; the resulting table state decides. Clear all opponents and you win.