When you have three players in your game room, standard 8-ball and 9-ball don’t work without someone sitting on the sidelines. Enter Cutthroat Pool—the ultimate three-player elimination game. In Cutthroat, your objective is completely inverted from traditional pool: rather than pocketing your own group of balls, your mission is to sink all of your opponents’ balls while keeping at least one of your own balls alive on the table. In this definitive 2026 rule guide, we detail official BCA group ball assignments, the famous “Resurrection Rule,” illegal shot penalties, and cutthroat defensive tactics.
The 3 Ball Groups
Player 1 (Lows): Balls 1 through 5
Player 2 (Mids): Balls 6 through 10
Player 3 (Highs): Balls 11 through 15
Last player with balls remaining on the table wins!
Table of Contents
Racking & Determining Ball Groups
Cutthroat uses a standard 15-ball triangle rack. The 1-ball must be placed in the apex, while the 6-ball and 11-ball are placed in the bottom two corners to ensure an equal distribution of groups across the rack. The remaining balls are placed randomly.
How Groups Are Claimed
There are two common methods to claim groups:
- Standard Tournament Method (Claim Upon Pocketing): Groups are open until a player legally pockets balls from two different groups. For example, if you pocket a 3 (Low) and an 8 (Mid), you may claim the Highs (11–15) as your group, leaving Lows and Mids to your opponents.
- Casual Draw Method: Players agree before the break who has Lows (1–5), Mids (6–10), and Highs (11–15) before the first shot is struck.
Legal Contact & The Scratch Resurrection Rule
Cutthroat has unique foul dynamics designed to keep eliminated players in the game:
- Legal Shot Requirement: The cue ball must contact an opponent’s ball first and drive at least one ball to a cushion or into a pocket. You may not intentionally strike your own ball first.
- The Resurrection Rule: If a player fouls or scratches (cue ball enters a pocket or leaves the table), each opponent gets one previously pocketed ball spotted back onto the table! If an eliminated player had all 5 balls pocketed, a scratch immediately resurrects their lowest-numbered ball, bringing them back into the game!
Tactical Strategy: How to Win at Cutthroat
- Never Eliminate the Second Player Too Early: If Player A eliminates Player B, Player C gets a 1-on-1 advantage against Player A. Keep both opponents with 1 ball remaining so they continue fighting each other!
- Protect Your Last Ball: Tie up your remaining balls in clusters or freeze them along the rail so opponents cannot make easy combination shots.
- Avoid Scratches at All Costs: Scratching gives a free life back to your enemies. Play conservative speed control (learn How to Avoid Scratching in Pool).
(Looking for more game options? Explore our roundup of 7 Best Pool Table Games and test table spacing with our Pool Table Room Size Calculator).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What happens if you pocket your own ball in Cutthroat?
If you pocket your own ball, it stays in the pocket (damaging your own survival count), and your turn immediately ends as a foul. Opponents do not get a ball back unless you also committed a scratch.
Can 5 people play Cutthroat pool?
Yes! In 5-player Cutthroat, each player is assigned a group of 3 balls (1-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12, 13-15). The same elimination and resurrection rules apply.
