For Two Players. Invented, in 1889, by Lewis Carroll.
The Table is circular, whith a cushion all round it, and has neither pockets nor spots.
Rules
1.
One Player takes the 3 balls (red, white, and spot-white) in his hand, turns his back on the Table, and rolls them on. The other Player begins.
2.
A ‘miss’ counts 1 to the adversary.
3.
If the ball in play strike one ball, and nothing else, it counts nothing.
4.
A cannon counts 2, and gives the right of playing again.
5.
Striking the cushion counts 1 for every ball struck afterwards. Thus, a ‘plain’ cushion (struck before striking one ball) counts 1, and two such count 2: a ‘sandwich’ cushion (struck during a canon) counts 1, and two such count 2: a ‘previous’ cushion (struck previous to a connon) counts 2, and two such count 4. Three or or more consecutive cushions are reckoned as two only.
6.
Game is 50 or 100.
Remarks
The circular Table will be found to yield an interesting variety of Billiard-playing, as the rebounds from the cushion are totally different from those of the ordinary game.
To illustrate the great variety of play, in this game, the 12 possible modes of scoring are here appended. (N.B. ‘B’ stands for ‘Ball’, ‘c’ for ‘cushion,’ ‘s’ for ‘sandwich-cushion’, and ‘p’ for ‘previous cushion’.)
All scores below the line give the right of playing again.
| c B | scores | 1 | |
| cc B | „ | 2 | |
| B | B | „ | 2 |
| B | s B | „ | 3 |
| B | ss B | „ | 4 |
| p B | B | „ | 4 |
| p B | s B | „ | 5 |
| p B | ss B | „ | 6 |
| pp B | B | „ | 6 |
| pp B | s B | „ | 7 |
| pp B | ss B | „ | 8 |