Rotten Dead Pool

The Rotten Dead Pool is a classic death pool implemented as a software toy.

The rules are simple: Choose 10 people whom you think will die in the next year. For more information, seek help.

Registered users can select from our list of celebrities to generate a profile. As celebrities die, players with matching picks earn a point. Ties of score shall be settled by closed meeting of the Star Chamber, awarding points based on style. Thus, a Kurt Cobain receives far more credit than a Bob Hope. Here, age and unexpectedness of death play a hand.

At the end of the year when all the deaths are counted, the winner is the player with the highest score.

At the start of each month, a new game is born. After 12 months, a game is over. Changes to your user profile are allowed for the first 30 days of a game. For the remaining 11 months of the game, you are locked into your choices and no player can join your game. You will score if your pick dies within the first 30 days. However, you cannot add somebody who is already dead to your list and expect to score.

To pick a celebrity, this person must be on our list and alive. Throughout the website, any living celebrity shown can be added to your profile.

If your choice is not listed here, try our Search Engine before submitting a name to staff.

You must provide a valid e-mail address to play.

The Rotten Dead Pool is run by Rotten Staff and other riffraff otherwise known as the Rotten Dead Pool Star Chamber.

This group is a regulatory body that acts as game referee. The Star Chamber can impose restrictions on users who cheat through multiple accounts, software bugs or otherwise cause heartburn for the staff.

The Star Chamber gets the last word on edge conditions, listed names and any petitions a player might have.

I. THOU SHALT NOT KILL

Murdering a member of your list (otherwise known as market manipulation) is not allowed. Players may not cause or otherwise participate in the death of any celebrities. If you cause death to a celebrity on your list, you will be suspended for one (1) year of play. If you cause death to a celebrity on another person's list with the intent to manipulate scores, you will also be suspended for one year. If you attempt to use weapons of mass destruction to kill large numbers of people, some of whom are likely to be celebrities, you will be suspended for one year.

II. CONDEMNED CRIMINALS NEED NOT APPLY

No credit shall be given for prisoners already incarcerated with a potential death sentence pending or already sentenced to death, if they are lawfully executed. However, full credit shall be given if that prisoner commits suicide, is murdered, or dies of natural causes. If a prisoner is executed lawfully for a crime that was committed after entry into the dead pool, then full credit shall be given. No credit shall be given for persons kidnapped or held hostage at the time they are chosen, unless death unrelated to that person's captivity occurs after release.

III. LIFE AND DEATH SITUATIONS

Players are responsible for making sure your picks are alive when you choose them, even if our data is incorrect. Picks who are already dead do not count towards your score. A person's date of death must be greater than the pick time. You will not be able to remove dead people from your list even in the first 30 days of a game when this condition occurs.

IV. CHEATERS NEVER PROSPER

For falsifying information with the intent to prove a person living or dead in defiance of reality, the penalty shall be lifetime expulsion from all games.

V. THOU SHALT NOT KILL OTHER PLAYERS

Murdering another player shall result in lifetime expulsion from all games.

VI. PROVIDE A VALID E-MAIL ADDRESS

You must provide this website with a valid e-mail address.

VII. SHELF LIFE OF AN ACCOUNT

Accounts are retired after one (1) year of play.

VIII. ONE AT A TIME

Users may not have more than one active account. One person, 10 choices, 12 months.

IX. DEAD IS DEAD

It doesn't count if the celeb "dies" on the operating table, only to be revived. Death is defined as the permanent, irreversible condition of croakitude. Transient deathlike states need not apply. [Cryogenic suspension notwithstanding.]

X. GAME TIMES

Games run from the first of each month from 00:00:00 to 23:59:59 one year later, California time.

XI. INSIDER TRADING

Making choices based on insider knowledge is LEGAL in this game. If you know something, use it to your advantage. Celebrities with known terminal illnesses, fatwas hanging over their heads, Mafia contracts, etc. are allowed.

XII. CHANGES

If you have any better ideas, Contact Us.

Rotten Staff
December 2003