. e . ▁all ▁balls ▁are ▁down ▁but ▁the ▁c ue ▁ball ), ▁then ▁only ▁a ▁player ▁who ▁was ▁still ▁in ▁the ▁game ▁( typ ically ▁the ▁shoot er ▁and ▁the ▁final ▁oppon ent ) ▁before ▁that ▁last ▁shot ▁may ▁spot ▁a ▁ball ; ▁elimin ated ▁players ▁do ▁not ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁game . ▁The ▁same ▁shoot er ▁continues . ▁ ▁Another ▁variation ▁( reg ard less ▁of ▁the ▁above ▁spot ting ▁rule ) ▁that ▁is ▁common ▁in ▁North ▁America ▁is ▁that ▁the ▁incoming ▁player ▁after ▁a ▁scratch ▁receives ▁c ue ▁ball ▁in - hand ▁behind ▁the ▁ ▁() ▁only , ▁not ▁in - hand ▁anywhere ▁on ▁the ▁table . ▁ ▁More ▁players ▁Team ▁play ▁can ▁be ▁pairs ▁( or ▁more ) ▁of ▁players ▁being ▁assigned ▁to ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁three ▁sets ▁of ▁balls ▁and ▁taking ▁altern ating ▁turns ▁or ▁( in ▁ ▁format ) ▁altern ating ▁sh ots ▁during ▁their ▁turn . ▁ ▁The ▁game ▁generally ▁is ▁also ▁play able ▁by ▁five ▁players ▁( or ▁teams ), ▁with ▁each ▁ow ning ▁three ▁balls ▁rather ▁than ▁five . ▁ ▁Vari ant ▁ball ▁sets ▁( with ▁smaller ▁and ▁more ▁numerous ▁balls , ▁and ▁a ▁custom ▁ra ck ▁for ▁them ) ▁have ▁also ▁been ▁manufact ured ▁for ▁a ▁larger ▁number ▁of ▁players . ▁ ▁The ▁game ▁is ▁possible ▁with ▁any ▁number ▁of ▁players ▁from ▁two ▁to ▁ 1 5 . ▁Because ▁some ▁combinations ▁would ▁result ▁in ▁not ▁all ▁of ▁the ▁players ▁having ▁the ▁same ▁number ▁of ▁balls , ▁sometimes ▁one ▁or ▁more ▁must ▁be ▁taken