What is cowboy pool?  Is it a game that only cowboy’s can play?  Well no it’s not, at times the game is called simply cowboy.  It’s simply put a hybrid version of pool that combines English billiards, and the more standard game of regular 8 ball.  In the game of cowboy pool you will only need the use of four balls.  These balls will be of course the cue ball, and the 1, 3, and 5 numbered balls.  To win a game of cowboy pool you will need to score 101 points.  These points are awarded by completely different types of shots.
Before the game of cowboy pool people played English billiards, which was a combination of three games, winning game, losing game and carambole(this is a version of straight rail).  English billiards started around 1800.  Numerous games have come off of the game English billiards, like scratch pool, and thirty-eight.  Cowboy pool can be compared to thirty-eight.

Thirty-eight and cowboy are very much alike, the biggest difference is the number of balls that are used and the points that both games are played too.  It is known that among pool players cowboy is thought of as only an amateur game.

There are only four balls used in the game of cowboy as stated above.  The cue and the 1,3, and 5.  The one ball needs to be put on the head spot, the three will be at the foot spot, and five will be placed on the center spot.  If one of the balls is shot in you need to take them out and replace them at their starting spot.  From the starting point the first player will need to hit the three ball first.  If they miss the second player can make them redo the shot, or can do it themselves.

The way to score is to carom the cue into two of the other balls, this is worth 1 point, and if you hit all three numbered balls you will score 2 points.  If you shot a ball in you’re getting the points of the number on the ball.  This scoring is only done for the first 90 points though, after that it’s different scoring for the game of cowboy.  If you fouls you will lose all points you have thus far received. 

In cowboy you must reach 90 exactly if you go over 90 you will lose a turn.  After that points that are counted are only when the cue caroms off a numbered ball.  To win you will need to carom the cue off a numbered ball and scratch.

It seems like a difficult game to play and keep track of but it’s probably worth trying a few times.