COW-BOY POOL.
1. The game is played by two or more contestants, on a pool table, with one cue ball and three colored balls numbered respectively 1, 3 and 5.
2. At the commencement of the game the ball numbered 1 shall be placed on the spot at the head of the table, the ball numbered 5 shall be placed on the centre spot, and the ball numbered 3 shall be placed on the lower spot, and whenever any object ball is pocketed or forced off the table it shall be replaced on the original spot, except as provided for in Rule No. 12.
3. The opening player may play from any point within the string line he may choose, but must play upon the No. 3 ball before striking any other, or forfeit his hand.
4. The winner is the player who first accomplishes the main object of the game, which is to score 101 points by the “Cow-Boy method,” which is that the first 90 points may be scored by either carroms or the pocketing of one or more of the numbered balls, which shall count that number for the player; the scoring of a single carrom shall count 1, and a double 2.
5. On arriving at the exact number of 90 points, the contestant must next obtain 10 more points by carroms only; and having arrived at the score of 100, the last point must be obtained by playing the cue ball onto the No. 1 ball and thence into any pocket he may designate, without touching either of the other balls, however, and should the cue ball enter any other pocket, the hand is out and the run, if any, lost.
6. Any point made by a player and scored for him by either the marker or himself at the completion of any hand can never be lost; but should a player at any time make a scratch, miss or foul, any points previously made by him in that hand shall be lost and the hand shall pass.
7. At the completion of the first 90 points all the balls must come to rest on the table before the player makes his next stroke; otherwise the following stroke shall be a foul.
8. At the completion of 100 points the balls must all come to rest before the player makes his next stroke; otherwise the stroke is foul.
9. Should a player pocket the cue ball twice in succession without striking any object bail, he shall forfeit the game.
10. Should a player while upon his carroms pocket any ball, the hand is out, and he loses any points he may have made on that run.
11. Whenever, except on the final stroke, the cue ball is pocketed or forced off the table, the hand is out, the points scored on that run are lost, and the cue ball is in hand for the following player, who must play on a ball outside the string line, or else on some point of the cushion outside the line.
12. Should the spot on which any pocketed ball belongs be occupied, said ball shall be left off the table until the spot is free and the balls are at rest, with this exception—that should the 1 ball be pocketed, and its spot occupied, any player who is exactly 100, and whose turn it is to play, may demand that all the object balls be spotted and he shall play with ball in hand.
13. It is a foul if the player touch any ball with his person or clothing. It is a foul if he strike the cue ball twice or with anything but the point of the cue. It is a miss if he shoot without causing the cue ball to strike any object ball. It is a scratch if he cause the cue ball to enter a pocket except on the 101st point, or leave the table.
14. Carroms obtained by pushing during the first 90 points are legitimate, but not during the following ten points; and the 101st shot must be a clean stroke, and a push shot will not be allowed.
15. When a player is 100, should he fail to strike the 1 ball his hand is out and his run, if any, forfeited.
16. During the first 90 points, should the cue ball be frozen to an object ball, and if by a push causes the object ball to move, any resulting carrom shall be valid. If, however, the frozen object ball fails to move, it shall be considered as not having been touched except that should the cue ball strike a cushion, it shall not be a scratch.
17. Any cases not covered by these rules shall be governed as far as possible by the accepted rules of pool and four-ball billiards.