Overview
Bumper pool is a type of billiards game that is played on either a rectangular or octagonal table. What makes this game different from ordinary pool is that there are bumpers in the center of the table and around the scoring pockets that can prevent players from scoring. Also, there is only one pocket that each player shoots at, instead of six like in ordinary pool. Bumper pool is a fun game to play, but a very difficult game to master.
Start Playing
Each player selects a color, and lines up their five bumper pool balls on circular marks next to the goal. To see who will go first, each player hits their cue ball off of the right bank board and towards their goal. The player whose ball gets closer to the goal gets to go first. If a player gets the ball in on this shot, they get to continue shooting until they miss. Normal gameplay continues from there.
How to Score
Players take turns shooting their balls towards their colored goal. A player will score one of their balls if they can shoot it directly into the goal, or shoot their cue ball into one of their other balls on the table, causing it to go into the pocket.
Knocking The Ball Off of The Table
If a player knocks one of their balls off of the table, that ball is placed into the center of the bumpers in the middle of the table. However, if a player knocks the any of the opposing player's balls off of the table, that ball is just replaced back in its original spot.
Illegal Scoring
All players must first score their spotted cue ball before any of the other balls can go into the pocket. If one of the balls that is not the spotted cue ball is scored first, the balls are reset to their original position before the shot was made.
Winning The Game
The game is over once one player has shot all five of their balls into their goal. A player loses the game automatically if their last ball is scored in the opposing player's goal.
