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As mentioned previously, Slosh is generally a combination of snooker (potting coloured balls) and billiards (cannons and in-offs). Players take turns to sink, cannon and in-off (keeping a running tally of his/her score) until either they fail to score or commit a foul. After adding the score of previous turns to the total and/or giving points to the opposition (foul) the next player then starts their turn.

Cannon - When the white ball strikes a coloured ball and then strikes a second coloured ball (without causing a foul stroke) then this is a cannon and is worth 2 points. N.B. only one cannon is marked per shot. The player then continues their turn after adding 2 to their running score (and any points for pots or in-offs).

Pot - This is relatively simple. Each coloured ball has a designated value and pockets within which it may be sunk. If a ball is sunk, it is respotted in the relevant position prior to the player taking their next shot.

Yellow - 2 Points - only in the 2 top pockets
Green - 3 Points - only in the 2 top pockets
Blue - 5 Points - only in the 2 middle pockets
Pink - 6 Points - any pocket
Black - 7 Points - only the 2 bottom pockets.

If a ball is sunk in the correct pocket, the score is added to the player’s tally and the ball is respotted in the correct position (see figure) prior to the player taking his/her next shot.

If a ball is sunk in the incorrect pocket, the player commits a foul and all points gained in the shot are ignored. Additionally, the player loses their turn (adding the tally of their previous turns to their total) and gives points to the opposition.

Yellow and Green - 4 Points to the Opposition
Blue (5), Pink (6), Black (7) points to the opposition.

In-off - In Slosh, a player can gain points by going in-off a ball into the correct pocket. The allowed pockets for in-offs are the same as the designated pockets of the coloured ball the cue-ball strikes first. The in-off only counts for the first ball the white ball strikes. For example, if the ball strikes blue (and then, say, green), the white ball must go in-off into one of the middle pockets. If the white ball goes in off, the ball is respotted ‘in hand’, that is, the player may place it anywhere in the ‘D’ to shoot. The white ball may not be shot backwards from the D.

FOULS - all fouls involve losing turn, not scoring the shot, and giving points to the opposition.

The red ball is termed the ‘poison ball’ and is not your friend. If you touch the red ball with the white ball you lose your turn and give 4 points to the opposition. If the red ball is sunk in any pocket the same applies (4 away).

Other fouls:

If the white ball fails to touch any coloured ball it is a foul (4 points, loss of turn). If the person breaking (taking the first shot of the match) does not strike the black ball first it is a foul on black (7 points away, loss of turn). If a coloured ball is sunk in the wrong pocket or the white ball goes in-off in the wrong pocket it is a foul on that colour -

Foul on Green, Yellow or Red - 4 Away
Foul on Blue - 5 Away
Foul on Pink - 6 Away
Foul on Black - 7 Away

Lastly - Free shots - A player may choose to nominate the first shot of their turn as a free shot. For example, a player might do this if a coloured ball is near the entrance of the wrong pocket (and may go in during the course of the shot). The player nominates the ball to be struck and then proceeds to pot the ball in the nominated pocket. No points are awarded for the shot (a foul may still be committed). If the player sinks the ball, he or she may continue their turn. If not…tough titties. N.B. It is important to note that a player may nominate the red ball on a free shot. Naturally, no foul is committed if the white ball hits or sinks the red ball in this Situation.

A final note - my father and I used to, and still do, love to play. We had quite the heated competition for a while with daily games to 200. One night I produced the luckiest shot of my life: sinking blue, sinking pink, sinking black and then going in-off - 5 +2+6+7+5 = 25 points. A score that I dare say will not be matched again…by us punters anyways.