As I've mentioned before, I believe that creativity is an essential part of a well-lived life. Whenever I play a game, I usually look for ways to change the rules, either to make improvements or just to try something different. Here's one of my favorite pool variations that you might enjoy trying. (The rules are so simple that I doubt I'm the first one to think of it.) The game is for two players, and is played with all 15 numbered balls. Before starting, one player calls high and the other calls low. Each player's turn continues as long as they keep sinking balls without scratching. (Better players should be required to call their shots.) All that matters for scoring is the last numbered ball on the table. The score for each game is equal to the difference between the final ball's number and 8. For example, if the last ball is a 5, the person who called low would get 3 points. It's important to note that unlike in standard 8-ball, each player can sink any ball, even one that's on "their" side of 8, for instance if they've already hit most of the other balls in or if it helps them set up for their next shot. Decide before the first game what total to play to (21 might take about two hours). If you try this game, please post here to let me know what you think of it. I have played it with several groups of friends, including both beginners and advanced players, and everyone liked it once they got the hang of the basic strategy.