One pockets hurts other games , so I'm told

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one stroke

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I keep hearing playing one pocket will ruin my 9 -8 ball game , yet I'm finding not only is it not hurting my game it's helping my game instead
Infact to the tune of a 2 nd 3rd 4th and 2 5/6 finishes out of my last 7 events now there not big events short races , but I've beat some decent players 655 and 630 Fargo and lost 5/4 to a 735 , just for the record , best streak in many many moons

Where I think it paid its dividends is 2 way shots , kicking safe , safety play and more focused even on easy shots not letting the cue ball fly ,, some of my opponents shake thier head thinking I'm lucky , and sometimes that may be true but when they safe you and you kick at a ball not just to hit it but leave safe and keep doing it it's not all luck

So you one pockets guys does it hurt or help your game

1
 
one stroke said:
I keep hearing playing one pocket will ruin my 9 -8 ball game , yet I'm finding not only is it not hurting my game it's helping my game instead
Infact to the tune of a 2 nd 3rd 4th and 2 5/6 finishes out of my last 7 events now there not big events short races , but I've beat some decent players 655 and 630 Fargo and lost 5/4 to a 735 , just for the record , best streak in many many moons

Where I think it paid its dividends is 2 way shots , kicking safe , safety play and more focused even on easy shots not letting the cue ball fly ,, some of my opponents shake thier head thinking I'm lucky , and sometimes that may be true but when they safe you and you kick at a ball not just to hit it but leave safe and keep doing it it's not all luck

So you one pockets guys does it hurt or help your game

1
Click to expand...
the skills and knowledge required for one pocket have to make you a better 9 ball player who doesnt have those skills
of course if you never miss and can run out from anywhere 1p skills wont help you
but if you have to play safe or kick out of safe from your opponent
1p skills will help you
also if you have trouble deciding when to shoot and when to play safe
onepocket will help your decision makeing
lastly you will learn some shots that just might come up in a 9 ball game
that you will think are hangers that the 9 ball player would have no clue
jmho
icbw
 
I think the fallacy arises from the difference in the type of stroke used in 1 pocket vs 9 ball. I think that's just what it is, a fallacy.

I think it makes anyone a better player to play 1 pocket.
 
if you play 1P and nothing else = possibly hurt your other games.

if you play 1P along with other games = you will benefit from it
 
For me it's hurt all the other games in as much as I only want to play One Pocket.
I imagine many others could say the same. :smile:
 
One pocket

If you start playing one pocket there won't be anything else...

It hurts their games because they stop playing them almost all together if anyone with matchup for some one hole.
 
Yeah, when I tried the one pocket, I found myself leaving my cue ball in the jaws of a corner pocket when playing 9 ball. It was awesome.
 
Aside from safety play, One Pocket pushes you to make tough shots and control the outcome. It teaches to cover more bases pre-shot, causing one to be more confident with tough shots in tough rotation situations.
 
Its not your game that suffers, its..,

One Pocket is the greatest game of all cue sports by far. Its not your game that suffers when you play lots of One Pocket, its your shooting. If you are a tremendous shot maker, you wont notice, but if you are a position player who has to really work to come with the Big shot, it can hurt some if that's all you play.
 
Hurting other games is 100% manure. Actually I'm playing better 9ball safeties since I started playing 1p. First time I heard that I could not believe my ears. And the guy that said it to me never played 1P. 1P definitely helps other games.
 
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Hmmm
Call me crazy, but with the exception of Efren, generally the best one pocket players struggle with other games. Yes I'm talking about the elite, but, this popular belief that one pocket makes the world go round is silly. Every game has its own nuances (not sure if I spelled that right, lol) and the more you play them, you will develope certain skills and routine responses to situations. One pocket along with straight pool bring up the most different situations more often which allow a player to see different things and thus open their imagination. But here is the thing, you still have to go and practice those shots and situations a million times! So I say, study one pocket and all the other games, invest in good practice if you wish to get better.
 
I think if you are playing all the games you will be just fine. Mix it up playing 8, 9, 10 ball and some straight pool. I think if your a great shot maker and a solid mover in one pocket its a lethal combo. The players who play nothing but one pocket and then try to play some nine ball here and there will struggle. I am not a fan of 9 ball but past year or so I have played it more often and it has helped me in one pocket by pocketing more balls. Keep that stroke and don't have one! :thumbup:
 
Dimeball said:
Hmmm
Call me crazy, but with the exception of Efren, generally the best one pocket players struggle with other games. Yes I'm talking about the elite, but, this popular belief that one pocket makes the world go round is silly. Every game has its own nuances (not sure if I spelled that right, lol) and the more you play them, you will develope certain skills and routine responses to situations. One pocket along with straight pool bring up the most different situations more often which allow a player to see different things and thus open their imagination. But here is the thing, you still have to go and practice those shots and situations a million times! So I say, study one pocket and all the other games, invest in good practice if you wish to get better.
Click to expand...

A few other one pocket greats who didn't struggle with other games = Shannon the Cannon, Buddy Hall, Alex Pagulyan, Jose Parica.

Some others who would be considered too 20 in one pocket currently = Shane, Corey, Bustamante, Orcollo.
 
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wayne said:
A few other one pocket greats who didn't struggle with other games = Shannon the Cannon, Buddy Hall, Alex Pagulyan, Jose Parica.

Some others who would be considered too 20 in one pocket currently = Shane, Corey, Bustamante, Orcollo.
Click to expand...
Not gonna start the merry go round here...
I said the best, not top 20. Frost hardly ever wins anything else. All the guys you mentioned, with the exception of a couple, are all around greats, so, of course, yeah, those guys.
Shannon not so much, and let's all face it, Corey should take up full time commentating... Just sayin.
 
one stroke said:
I keep hearing playing one pocket will ruin my 9 -8 ball game , yet I'm finding not only is it not hurting my game it's helping my game instead
Infact to the tune of a 2 nd 3rd 4th and 2 5/6 finishes out of my last 7 events now there not big events short races , but I've beat some decent players 655 and 630 Fargo and lost 5/4 to a 735 , just for the record , best streak in many many moons

Where I think it paid its dividends is 2 way shots , kicking safe , safety play and more focused even on easy shots not letting the cue ball fly ,, some of my opponents shake thier head thinking I'm lucky , and sometimes that may be true but when they safe you and you kick at a ball not just to hit it but leave safe and keep doing it it's not all luck

So you one pockets guys does it hurt or help your game

1
Click to expand...


There was a time -- back when I was learning to play 1pocket -- that I believed this to be true but have come to learn that it is not so.

The thing with 1pocket is that you have to learn a slew of shots you don't usually employ at other games. There are safety caroms, the critical 1rail banks that you need to be able to shoot with all kinds of spins to get position and/or safe, multi-rail banks, and most importantly (because you're playing position to one pocket), positional plays that you'd never dream of playing at other games. So you're often shooting shots you know with speeds and spins you don't.

The other thing that happens when you start playing 1pocket: you stop playing other games. It tends to consume you :-) So you lose the feel for some shots that are essential at other games, because they just don't come up as much at 1pocket.

Clearly, the thing to do is cross-train. Play 1pocket of course but don't forget to remain conversant at 9ball and 14.1.

Lou Figueroa
 
So...

So how good would Efren have been in other games if he had not been a great One Pocket player?

I think his One Pocket skills helped his defensive game in other games as well as his creative position and shot making skills. Or maybe........
 
Ak Guy said:
So how good would Efren have been in other games if he had not been a great One Pocket player?

I think his One Pocket skills helped his defensive game in other games as well as his creative position and shot making skills. Or maybe........
Click to expand...

I think that Efren's prowess at carom games helped hone his defensive skills and he applied them to all games.

As great as Efren is/was he's never been able to play Bankpool very well.

RBL
 
Ak Guy said:
So how good would Efren have been in other games if he had not been a great One Pocket player?

I think his One Pocket skills helped his defensive game in other games as well as his creative position and shot making skills. Or maybe........
Click to expand...


er, I believe Efren's game of choice back in the PI was/is 15 ball rotation.

Mark Wilson used to tell a story about the time he asked Efren what was the most number of racks of rotation he'd run in a row.

Efren, "I run three racks."

Mark, "So what happened the fourth rack?"

Efren, "I lost the flip."

Lou Figueroa
 
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