Plurality of methods for playing pool

Abstract

A method and apparatus for playing pool on a pool table is disclosed. A plurality of target raised pockets is located on the pool table and pool balls are hit into an indentation on the raised pocket. For example, a plurality of pool balls is arranged in a starting position on the playing surface of the pool table. Players alternate turns wherein each player attempts to hit balls from a set of pool balls assigned to that player onto the target raised pockets on the pool table using a pool cue. The game ends when the player has hit all of his assigned balls onto an indentation on a top level of the target raised pocket.

1 . A method for playing a game on a pool table, comprising the steps of:
 placing a plurality of pool balls in a starting position on the playing surface of the pool table, wherein the plurality of pool balls is comprised of an object ball and a plurality of different sets of pool balls;   shooting an initial shot to break the pool balls from their starting position using a cue ball and a cue stick;   removing the cue ball from the playing surface of the pool table;   alternating turns between a plurality of players, wherein each player attempts to hit balls from a set of pool balls assigned to that player into an indentation on a top level of a raised pocket located on the playing surface of the pool table; and   hitting the object ball into an indentation on a top level of the raised pocket located on the playing surface of the pool table once a player has hit all of their assigned balls onto the raised pocket, wherein the game ends when the object ball comes to rest in the indentation on the raised pocket.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein each player is assigned a set of balls prior to starting the game. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein each player is assigned a set of balls during the game. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein players are assigned a particular set of balls when that player hits one of the balls of the set onto the raised pockets. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a player receives another turn when that player hits one of their assigned pool balls into one of the raised pocket. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the raised pocket has sloped sides that lead to the top level and the top level has at least one indentation. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the raised pocket can have any number of sides and shapes. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein there are two players and two sets of balls. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein there are 7 balls in each of the two sets of balls and the two sets of balls and the object ball are racked in a triangular shaped pack at the starting position. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein there are 4 balls in each of the two sets of balls and the two sets of balls and the object ball are racked in a diamond shaped pack at the starting position. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein there are 3 balls in each of the two sets of balls and the two sets of balls and the object ball are racked in a circular shaped pack at the starting position. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the raised pocket is placed approximately in the center of the pool table. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the raised pocket is approximately 4.5 inches in diameter and the indentation is approximately 3 inches in diameter. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of raised pockets are located on the playing surface of the pool table. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the indentation takes up substantially all of the top level of the raised pocket. 
     
     
         16 . A method for playing a game on a pool table, comprising the steps of:
 placing a plurality of pool balls in starting positions on the playing surface of the pool table, wherein the plurality of pool balls is divided into two equal groups;   placing a first target raised pocket and a first blocking raised pocket at first predetermined locations on the playing surface of the pool table;   placing a second target raised pocket and a second blocking raised pocket at second predetermined locations on the playing surface of the pool table;   assigning each player a different target raised pocket and a set of pool balls;   each player hitting a ball from their assigned set of pool balls toward their assigned target raised pocket, wherein the player who leaves their ball closest to their assigned target raised pocket gets the next turn; and   alternating turns between the plurality of players wherein each player attempts to hit all of their assigned pool balls onto their assigned target raised packet, wherein the game ends when one of the players hits all of their assigned pool balls onto their assigned target raised pocket.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein each set of pool balls comprises 5 pool balls. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the first target raised pocket is placed on the head spot of the pool table, and the second target raised pocket is placed on the foot spot of the pool table. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the first blocking raised pocket is placed near the first target raised pocket towards the center of the pool table, and the second blocking raised pocket is placed near the second target raised pocket towards the center of the pool table. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the first blocking raised pocket is placed towards the center of the table approximately 4.5 inches from the first target raised pocket, and the second blocking raised pocket is placed towards the center of the table approximately 4.5 inches from the second target raised pocket. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein each player's set of pool balls is set up at one end of the pool table and their assigned target raised pocket is located at the other end of the pool table. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein at least four of the pool balls are arranged in a line with the head or foot spot. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein one ball is located behind the other players target raised pocket. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the players use the pool ball located behind the other players target raised pocket during the first shot. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein each player approximately simultaneously strike the first shot. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein each player's pool ball must hit at least two bumpers on the first shot. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the players can only hit the first ball hit during subsequent shots until that first ball is successfully hit onto their target raised pocket. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the cue ball is originally placed in the approximate middle of the table to begin play. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein any player may attempt to hit the cue ball onto their target raised pocket after the player has successfully shot their first pool ball onto their target raised pocket. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein any player may remove any of their assigned pool balls from the table if the player successfully hits the cue ball onto their target raised pocket, wherein the cue ball is placed back in the approximate middle of the table and the player receives an additional turn. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein any player attempting to hit the cue ball from its original position in the approximate middle of the table, must hit at least one bumper before hitting their target raised pocket. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein any player receives an additional turn after successfully hitting one of their assigned balls onto their target raised pocket. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein a player must cause at least one pool ball to hit a bumper or one of the raised pockets during each turn. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein a player must hit a pool ball into a bumper before the hit pool ball strikes one of the other player's pool balls. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein any pool balls hit onto a blocking raised pocket are placed back on their starting position. 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 28 , wherein during any turn after a player has successfully hit their first ball onto their target raised pocket a player can instantly win the game by hitting the cue ball off at least one bumper and onto their target raised pocket. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the raised pocket has sloped sides that lead to the top level and the top level has at least one indentation. 
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein the raised pocket can have any number of sides and shapes. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein the raised pocket is approximately 4.5 inches in diameter and the indentation is approximately 3 inches in diameter. 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein the indentation is bottomless. 
     
     
         41 . The method according to  claim 40 , wherein the raised pocket is shaped like a ring with sloping sides which slope towards the middle of the raised pocket. 
     
     
         42 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein the raised pocket has a diameter between 3-5 inches and the indentation has a diameter between 1.5-4 inches. 
     
     
         43 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the raised pocket is comprised of at least one of metal, metal composite, plastic, wood, glass, resin, rubber or stone. 
     
     
         44 . The method according to  claim 43 , wherein the raised pocket has a durometer value greater than 10. 
     
     
         45 . The method according to  claim 43 , wherein the raised pocket has a durometer value greater than 37. 
     
     
         46 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein the sloping sides have a slope between 5°-70°. 
     
     
         47 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein the sloping sides have a slope between 25°-30°. 
     
     
         48 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein the indentation takes up substantially all of the top level of the raised pocket. 
     
     
         49 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein the indentation has a depth of at least 0.125 inches. 
     
     
         50 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein the raised pocket has a height of at least 0.125 inches. 
     
     
         51 . A method for playing a game on a pool table, comprising the steps of:
 placing a plurality of pool balls in a starting position on the playing surface of the pool table;   alternating turns between a plurality of players, wherein each player attempts to hit one or more of the pool balls, using a pool cue, into an indentation on a top level of at least one raised pocket located on the playing surface of the pool table.   
     
     
         52 . The method according to  claim 51 , wherein said plurality of balls is comprised of an object ball and a plurality of different sets of balls, wherein each player is assigned a set of balls and the players alternate turns during which each player attempts to hit a ball from their assigned set of balls into the indentation one the at least one raised pocket. 
     
     
         53 . The method according to  claim 52 , wherein after a player has hit all of their assigned balls into the indentation on the raised pocket, the player attempts to win the game by hitting the object ball into the indentation on the raised pocket. 
     
     
         54 . The method according to  claim 51 , wherein a raised pocket is located near or covering each pocket of the pool table. 
     
     
         55 . The method according to  claim 54 , wherein another raised pocket is placed approximately in the center of the pool table. 
     
     
         56 . The method according to  claim 55 , wherein a player must hit the object ball onto the indentation on the raised pocket near the middle of the table to win the game. 
     
     
         57 . The method according to  claim 51 , wherein the raised pocket has sloped sides that lead to a top level and the top level has at least one indentation. 
     
     
         58 . The method according to  claim 57 , wherein the raised pocket can have any number of sides and shapes. 
     
     
         59 . The method according to  claim 57 , wherein the at least one indentation is a substantially circular hole with substantially vertical sides. 
     
     
         60 . The method according to  claim 59 , wherein the raised pocket is approximately 4.5 inches in diameter and the indentation is approximately 3 inches in diameter. 
     
     
         61 . The method according to  claim 51 , wherein the raised pocket is comprised of at least one of metal, metal composite, plastic, wood, glass, resin, rubber or stone. 
     
     
         62 . The method according to  claim 43 , wherein the raised pocket has a durometer value greater than 25. 
     
     
         63 . The method according to  claim 51 , wherein the raised pocket has multiple levels with multiple ramps and at least one indentation on the top level of the raised pocket. 
     
     
         64 . The method according to  claim 63 , wherein the raised pocket has at least one indentation on multiple levels. 
     
     
         65 . The method according to  claim 51 , wherein the indentation takes up a portion of the top level of the raised pocket. 
     
     
         66 . The method according to  claim 51 , wherein the indentation takes up substantially all of the top level of the raised pocket. 
     
     
         67 . The method according to  claim 57 , wherein said at least one raised pocket has a plurality of different sized indentations on the top surface, wherein a player receives different point values for hitting a pool ball into one of the different sized indentations on the raised pocket. 
     
     
         68 . The method according to  claim 67 , wherein the player receives more points for hitting the ball into smaller sized indentations on the raised pocket. 
     
     
         69 . The method according to  claim 57 , wherein a plurality of different sized raised pockets are located on the pool table, and a player receives more points for hitting a ball into the indentations on the smaller sized raised pockets. 
     
     
         70 . A computer readable medium storing code for simulating a pool game, said code comprising:
 code for placing a plurality of pool balls in a starting position on the playing surface of the pool table, wherein the plurality of pool balls is comprised of an object ball and a plurality of different sets of pool balls;   code for shooting an initial shot to break the pool balls from their starting position using a cue ball and a cue stick;   code for removing the cue ball from the playing surface of the pool table;   code for alternating turns between a plurality of players, wherein each player attempts to hit balls from a set of pool balls assigned to that player into an indentation on a top level of a raised pocket located on the playing surface of the pool table; and   code for hitting the object ball into an indentation on a top level of the raised pocket located on the playing surface of the pool table once a player has hit all of their assigned balls onto the raised pocket, wherein the game ends when the object ball comes to rest in the indentation on the raised pocket.   
     
     
         71 . A computer readable medium storing code for simulating a pool game, said code comprising:
 code for placing a plurality of pool balls in starting positions on the playing surface of the pool table, wherein the plurality of pool balls is divided into two equal groups;   code for placing a first target raised pocket and a first blocking raised pocket at first predetermined locations on the playing surface of the pool table;   code for placing a second target raised pocket and a second blocking raised pocket at second predetermined locations on the playing surface of the pool table;   code for assigning each player a different target raised pocket and a set of pool balls;   code for each player hitting a ball from their assigned set of pool balls toward their assigned target raised pocket, wherein the player who leaves their ball closest to their assigned target raised pocket gets the next turn; and   code for alternating turns between the plurality of players wherein each player attempts to hit all of their assigned pool balls onto their assigned target raised packet, wherein the game ends when one of the players hits all of their assigned pool balls onto their assigned target raised pocket.   
     
     
         72 . A computer readable medium storing code for simulating a pool game, said code comprising:
 code for placing a plurality of pool balls in a starting position on the playing surface of the pool table;   code for alternating turns between a plurality of players, wherein each player attempts to hit one or more of the pool balls, using a pool cue, into an indentation on a top level of at least one raised pocket located on the playing surface of the pool table.