How to Play Checkers Pool

By Jaques of London · Est. 1795 · Updated 2026-08-17

Checkers Pool combines the spatial thinking of draughts with the potting skills of pool. Players must plan their runs across the table in sequence, earning points only when they pot balls in the correct order dictated by the checkers movement pattern. It rewards both positional thinking and cue-ball control in equal measure.

The game is a firm favourite at social clubs, pub games rooms and family leisure centres because it levels the playing field: raw potting power counts for less than clever sequencing. A thoughtful beginner can trouble an experienced pool player, which keeps games competitive and the table busy.

A little history

The precise origins of Checkers Pool are unclear. It belongs to a loose family of novelty pool and billiards formats that emerged in British and American social clubs during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when combining two popular parlour games into a single format was a common way to refresh interest in a games room. No definitive first publication of the rules has been widely documented.

Setting up

1. Rack all 15 object balls in the standard triangle at the foot of the table, 1-ball at the apex, balls arranged in numerical order left to right, row by row.
2. Agree the points target before play begins. A common target is 61 points for two players; adjust downward for quicker games or more players.
3. Decide the break order. A coin toss or lag determines who breaks first.
4. Place the cue ball behind the baulk line ready for the opening break.

How to play

1. The breaking player shoots from behind the baulk line and must drive at least two object balls to a cushion or pot at least one ball on the break. Failing to do so is a foul and the opponent may re-rack or accept the table as it lies.
2. After the break, play proceeds in turns. On each turn a player may pot any ball they choose, subject to the checkers movement rule below.
3. Checkers movement rule: the cue ball must travel in a diagonal direction relative to the table's long axis before contacting the object ball. Visualise the table as a draughts board. The cue ball's path from where it rests to the object ball must cross at least one diagonal line of that imaginary grid. Any ball potted following a straight (non-diagonal) cue-ball path does not score and is returned to the table.
4. If a player pots a ball legally, they score points equal to that ball's number and continue their turn.
5. If the potted ball's number is 8 or higher, the ball stays down and its value is added to the player's score. Balls numbered 1 to 7 are re-spotted on the table after scoring, giving opponents further targets.
6. A player's turn ends when they miss a pot, pot the cue ball (a scratch), or commit any other foul.
7. On a scratch: the incoming player places the cue ball anywhere in the baulk area. No penalty points are deducted unless house rules specify otherwise.
8. On any other foul (wrong-direction cue-ball path, failing to contact an object ball, potting a ball off a straight path): the illegally potted ball is re-spotted, no score is awarded, and the turn passes.
9. Play continues clockwise until one player reaches or exceeds the agreed points target.

Winning and scoring

The first player to reach or exceed the agreed points target (commonly 61 in a two-player game) wins the frame. In a multi-player game the winner is the first to hit that target; remaining players may continue to resolve second and third place if desired. In a match format, frames are played to a set number and the player winning the most frames takes the match.

The fine points

The most common dispute concerns whether a particular cue-ball path qualifies as diagonal. The standard ruling is to judge by the dominant angle of travel: if the cue ball travels closer to 45 degrees than to a straight line along either axis of the table, it counts as diagonal. When players cannot agree, the ball is re-spotted and the turn ends without penalty. A ball that rattles in the jaws and comes back out is not considered potted under any circumstances.

When a re-spotted ball has no clear spot available because other balls occupy the position, place it on the nearest available spot along the centre line toward the top cushion. If the cue ball lands frozen against an object ball after a legal pot, the player may shoot away in any direction on the next shot but must still satisfy the diagonal rule before contacting any object ball to score.

How to win more often

• Plan two shots ahead, not one. Potting a low-value ball is only worthwhile if it leaves the cue ball on a clean diagonal line to a higher-value target.
• High-numbered balls (11 to 15) stay down when potted, so prioritise clearing them early before opponents get to them.
• Use the cushions to manufacture diagonal angles when the cue ball is awkwardly placed. A ball struck into a side cushion first can arrive at the object ball on a valid diagonal even from a seemingly straight lie.
• Keep low-value balls (1 to 7) on the table as long as possible if your opponent is ahead: re-spotted balls give you future scoring opportunities and deny your opponent an easy target.
• Control the cue ball rather than hunting maximum points on every shot. A modest legal pot that leaves you perfectly placed beats a greedy attempt that ends your turn.

Variations

Strict Grid Checkers Pool

The table is divided into an explicit 8x8 grid using chalk lines or a physical overlay. The cue ball must start and end each shot in squares that are diagonally adjacent on the grid, mirroring exactly the single-step movement of a draughts piece. This removes any ambiguity about diagonal angles and makes the game considerably harder.

King Rule

Any player who pots three consecutive legal balls in a single turn earns a 'King' token. A King token allows that player, once per game, to take any one shot without the diagonal requirement and still score. This rewards sustained breaks and adds a useful escape mechanism in tight matches.

Team Checkers Pool

Two teams of two players alternate shots within each team's turn rather than alternating individual turns. Partners share a combined score and can legally nominate which of them pots the next ball, provided the diagonal rule is still met. Communication between partners is allowed but ball-in-hand assistance is not.

Sudden Death

Once both players have passed 50 points (in a 61-point game), the next legally potted ball wins the frame outright regardless of its value. This sharpens the endgame and prevents a player coasting to victory on easy low-value balls when the scores are close.

Checkers Pool: frequently asked questions