User:Jonnty/Finball

Finball is a cue sport with similarities to eight-ball, nine-ball and snooker. It is a rotation game (like nine-ball) and, unusually, uses a scoring system to decide the winner of a game. The game was created in September 2009, by two students from The University of St Andrews, Scotland, UK.

Setup
Like eight-ball, fourteen balls are used, numbered 1 to 14, with the Finball (often the 15-ball) as the last ball. The balls are placed in a fully ordered rack with the Finball where the eight-ball would be in an eight-ball game rack and the 1-ball at the apex of the triangle. The rack order has been fixed since the creation of the game, however this ordering is under review by the Finball Committee to guarantee the best playing experience.

General Play
To make a legal shot, the player must hit the cue ball such that it both hits the lowest-numbered ball still on the table first. If they legally pot any balls, they may take another shot. Should any ball leave the table (and not land back on it) it is considered to be potted and is not a foul in itself. Similarly, if the ball leaves the table but lands back on the table, the shot continues to be legal if it was before.

When potted, the 15-ball should always be placed in the dead centre of the table (or as close to the dead centre as possible without touching any other balls) if other balls are still on the table. Otherwise, the game ends and the player with the highest score is the winner. (If the Finball cannot be placed successfully within one ball width of the centre spot, then it must be placed where it started at the beginning of a break, or as close as possible. However, this is a relatively unknown rule, and is not always observed.)

Scoring
Just as with snooker Finball completely relies on a scoring system. A single point is awarded for each ball legally potted, except for the Finball, which is worth three points when potted. Committing a foul results in the deduction of one point. However, if any ball (other than the cue ball) is potted, points are instead deducted at a rate of two points for each non-cue ball potted. So, one illegally potted ball loses 2 points, two illegally potted balls 4 points, three illegally potted balls 6 points, etc.

The one exception to this is the break, where a maximum of one point can be gained or lost, regardless of how many balls are pocketed.

Fouls & Instant Loss
A shot is no longer legal when foul is committed. This happens when:
 * The cue ball is potted
 * The cue ball makes no contact with any other ball
 * The cue ball's first contact is not with the lowest-numbered ball

If the cue ball has been pocketed, the next player may place it wherever they like (without disturbing other balls still on the table) to play their shot; they have ball-in-hand. Otherwise, the cue ball must not be moved. However, if the player snookered in this position - if the cue ball does not have full sight of the lowest-numbered ball - the player can call the “Foul-Snooker” rule. This means the player may hit any ball first legally. It is still a foul if they do not hit any or pocket the cue ball.

If the 15-ball is pocketed through an illegal shot, the player making the shot instantly loses the game. The final game score is recorded as the score immediately before the shot was made.

Breaking
Before breaking, a game of Rock/Paper/Scissors is played to decide the order of play - all players must have one hand on the table while this happens to signify their intent to play.The winner will break. He may hit the white ball from anywhere behind the dot. The shot must be legal - the 1-ball must be hit first and the white must not be pocketed.

A player instantly wins if they pot the Finball on breaking.

Draws
There is no specific action to be taken in the event of a tie - players may agree some form of tie-break to decide who is ultimately the winner, or may simply decide to call the game a draw. Often, however, players choose to simply have a rematch.

Variants
Despite its relative youth, Finball has spawned a number of variants, the popularity of these sometimes rivalling or even surpassing that of regular Finball itself.

Finball Lite
Finball Lite is a quick version of Finball. It is largely the same as Finball, however only uses the balls from 1 to 8, with the Finball as the 9th ball. The rack is set up in a diamond just as nine-ball is, with the 1-ball at the front, the Finball where the nine-ball normally goes, and all other balls randomly placed. All other rules are the same as in Finball.

Multiplayer Finball
Multiplayer Finball can be played by any number of players from 3 upwards, however 6 is generally the maximum during a Finball tournament. However, during friendly games, any number of players can join. All players must player Rock/Paper/Scissors with one hand on the table to decide the order of play. This order is a loop, and will continue until the end of the game. Once all the balls have been pocketed, the player with the lowest score is eliminated. (In the event of a tie, all players with the lowest score are eliminated). The players who stayed in go through to the next round and continue the process until one player wins outright, either by potting the Finball off a break or by eliminating all others players when their scores are equally lower.

If a tie means no player can be eliminated, the round must be played again. If a player illegally pots the Finball, the game ends, only they are eliminated and the next round is played.

Death Ball
Death Ball follows all the Finball Lite rules, with one addition. The 'Death Ball' (can be any other ball unless a death ball is present) is placed in the centre of the table. If at any point in a players shot, the white ball hits the Death Ball, that player is eliminated from the game, however all other players continue with the game until all the balls apart from the Death Ball have been pocketed, and the player/s on the lowest score/s are eliminated, unless no other players remain. The Death Ball is an all black ball with a skull and bones on it.

If a player legally pocketed the Death Ball, i.e. the same way as the Finball is pocketed in mid-game, that player receives 3-points and can place the Death Ball anywhere on the table, not touching another ball. If the player chooses to do so, they can then end their turn, for the next player to continue, else they can continue. If a player is foul-snookered, with the Death Ball in the way, the player is given a ball-in-hand.

On the event of the Finball and Death Ball being pocketed legally in one shot, the player will receive a bonus score of 9 points, with both balls being put back on the table if other balls still remain, else it is the end of the game.

Finball
High Score: joint between Samuel Koch and Matthew Raeside (19 points)

Lowest Score: Kim Milligan (-9 points)

Biggest Point Difference: Samuel Koch (19) vs. Finland Bernard (-5) (gross difference of 24 points)

Finball Lite
High Score: Samuel Koch (11 points)

Lowest Score: Finlay Bernard (-7)

Biggest Point Difference: Samuel Koch (11) vs. Finlay Bernard (-7), (gross difference of 18 points)

Death Ball
Highest Score: Matthew Raeside (11) vs. Samuel Koch

Lowest Score: N/A

Biggest Point Difference: Matthew Raeside (11) vs. Samuel Koch (-1) (gross difference of 12 points)

Death Ball Lite
Highest Score: N'A

Lowest Score: N/A

Biggest Point Difference: N/A