does one pocket hurt your 9,10 ball game?

sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
At Derby City this past January, Shane demonstated that one can play both games at the highest level on the same day. Indeed, the nine ball event and the one pocket event overlap by a day every year. As we know, he won both of these events, meaning he played over a dozen one pocket matches and over a dozen nine ball matches over a five or six day period.

I'm agreeing with those that suggest that all that one pocket refines your safeties and your speed control in a way that helps you play even better in rotation games.
 
cjr3559

cjr3559

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think it takes some time to adjust between 1P and rotation games. Some agressive long stroke 9-Ball players may not care, but 1P makes you master touch, finesse, defense and pocket speed; qualities that I presume would make your rotation games even better.

I love the intense focus of 1P, but "blowing out the carbon" with some 9-Ball shooting probably doesn't hurt.
 
The Renfro

The Renfro

Outsville.com
Silver Member
growing up the only guys who played one hole were past their prime in rotation games already... You start playing 1 hole when you start missing...

Even Danny DiLiberto summed it up as such... Someone asked him if he was a one pocket player and he quickly said "No, I'm a straight pool player but I miss now so I play 1 pocket".......
 
The Renfro

The Renfro

Outsville.com
Silver Member
lfigueroa said:
All things being equal, this is probably not so bad an analysis.

Lou Figueroa
Click to expand...

All things are not equal and different skills sets are involved so this is a horrible analysis... Even you have admitted you won't play much rotation anymore... I'm thinking it's mainly because your skillset today is way bettered suited to 1 hole.....
 
3

3RAILKICK

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
While playing long sessions of 1P bunting, hiding, 2way soft banking, slow spinning make me less confident when its time to shoot 9 feet at your hole, selling out if you miss, out if you make.

I do think its easier going from a steady diet of rotation games to 1P, than the other way around.

I think that we adjust to either transition, just at different rates -at least for me.

Any damage to my 9b game after playing 1P is hard to measure, with all the dents already there.

Maybe the 9 foot shot example isn't a good one. I miss it in both games.

A lot of guys play both seamlessly, but they play a lot.
 
Prey

Prey

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Growing up in south philly in the late 70s and 80s. I was always told that one pocket would ruin your stroke and that is why all the old timers play it.
 
Fast Lenny

Fast Lenny

Faster Than You...
Silver Member
I think the key is to play all games, I still play 9 ball even though I am not a fan but appreciate the challenge of it. We see lots of straight shooters these days playing one pocket and its fantastic to see the run outs, banks and moving with the fine cue ball control they possess too. I think one pocket has evolved and there are many guys playing it now, 5 years ago if I said Shane would win the Derby 1 pocket people would have laughed but he did it twice! One pocket is and always will be a gambling game but now an old guy cannot always take a young straight shooter and just out move him or wait for him to shoot his foot off because if the young guy learns some of the moves he has the advantage of his ball running ability.

The game has changed because the knowledge is available everywhere, people see it is one of the most skillful all around games and appreciate strategy of it. I know one pocket has improved my game, I bank very well, I play smart safeties in almost any game because of it and I learned how to grind a little. I need to continue working on my ball pocketing which will come in time and more rotation and 14.1 play. So my short answer is no it will not unless one pocket is all you play, try to play all games and be a good solid all around player instead of being one dimensional is my advice, you will get more games too.
 
B

backplaying

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think it will. I started playing one pocket a couple of years ago and can say it will kill your rotation stroke. Playing one pocket is a slow paced game with a completely different mindset than 9 and 10 ball. Most balls in one pocket are played at pocket speed, unlike rotation pool.
 
Sealegs50

Sealegs50

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
My experience is that becoming proficient at different games improves your overall capabilities, particularly for 9 & 10 ball. The different shot making skills for games like 1P and 3C make for better confidence in shot making from difficult situations. In a game of 9 ball, I can tell when I am playing a 1P player by some of their shot selections. As others have mentioned, 1P improves the quality of safety play for 9,10 ball. Even though i am terrible at it, one of the things that fascinates me about 3C is that it makes me much more comfortable playing 2 and 3 cushion shots in 9,10 ball. Years ago, before a 9 ball tournament, a number of us would play golf on a snooker table. An hour of shooting those bank shots with those little balls on that big table was a great warm-up for the skills we needed for 9 ball.
 
Tramp Steamer

Tramp Steamer

One Pocket enthusiast.
Silver Member
The Renfro said:
All things are not equal and different skills sets are involved so this is a horrible analysis... Even you have admitted you won't play much rotation anymore... I'm thinking it's mainly because your skillset today is way bettered suited to 1 hole.....
Click to expand...

You couldn't be more wrong.
Skill is skill, no matter what the game. A good pool player can transition from one game to the next with ease. A banger, on the other hand, will have trouble crossing the street.
 
John Brumback

John Brumback

New member
Silver Member
To me..if it's on a pool table it's just another pool shot.Doesn't matter what name (the game) people want to call it,it's still just somemore pool shots. I've been hearing that my whole pool life and I always thought it was a bunch of BS for lack of better words.I tell people that will listen to play every single kind of game that they can,and play on every kind of table they can.3c billiards table,snooker table and so on. It can only help all your pool knowledge and your games on anything that resembles a pool table.It doesn't seem to hurt people like oh say like Efren and er um Alex.
These two have played every game there is and on every kind of table there is and probably on floors and roofs and the ground so on.

I think alot of folks just use that ole story as an excuse for playin bad or getting beat Or they have been hearing it for years and years and have gotten brainwashed.This is just my oppinion though.:) John B.
 
billy

billy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
John Brumback said:
To me..if it's on a pool table it's just another pool shot.Doesn't matter what name (the game) people want to call it,it's still just somemore pool shots. I've been hearing that my whole pool life and I always thought it was a bunch of BS for lack of better words.I tell people that will listen to play every single kind of game that they can,and play on every kind of table they can.3c billiards table,snooker table and so on. It can only help all your pool knowledge and your games on anything that resembles a pool table.It doesn't seem to hurt people like oh say like Efren and er um Alex.
These two have played every game there is and on every kind of table there is and probably on floors and roofs and the ground so on.

I think alot of folks just use that ole story as an excuse for playin bad or getting beat Or they have been hearing it for years and years and have gotten brainwashed.This is just my oppinion though.:) John B.
Click to expand...

What John says here is without a doubt, right on. Thank You
 
eddie0776

eddie0776

Bishop Cues
Silver Member
Tramp Steamer said:
If you find that One Pocket is hurting your game, them you probably didn't have much of a game to begin with. Blame it on something else.
Click to expand...

Im sorry, let me clarify what I mean.....I think it has helped my game a lot over the years of playing it, but for the first couple of games after switching from one pocket to 9 or 10 ball I find myself bunting or lagging the balls. I snap out of it and am fine but it takes me a couple of games to do so. Thats what I was asking when I started this thread. I just didnt word it right.
 
eddie0776

eddie0776

Bishop Cues
Silver Member
We have all been gambling with someone playing one pocket and they say lets play 9 or 10 ball and you switch to the rotation game is the scenario Im refering to.
 
cjr3559

cjr3559

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Now that I think about it, pocket speed isn't necessarily a good thing in rotation games especially when missing the money ball, so I guess it's better drill them in the pockets after all.

Still, 1P teaches patience, someting that seems to drives a lot of "rotation only" players bananas. So in that respect, a 1P player would have the upper hand in a 9-Ball matchup (in my opinion). Passive usually beats agressive. As a 1P player you'd better make shots in 9-Ball when you can though. You can't hide forever, or for very long.
 
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lfigueroa

lfigueroa

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The Renfro said:
All things are not equal and different skills sets are involved so this is a horrible analysis... Even you have admitted you won't play much rotation anymore... I'm thinking it's mainly because your skillset today is way bettered suited to 1 hole.....
Click to expand...


You can think what you want but the only reason I don't play 9ball anymore is because no one in St. Louis plays it, so why bother. Everyone here (that is still playing) plays 1pocket. When I moved here 20 years ago I was a 9ball, 14.1, and bar 8ball player. But when everyone wanted to play 1pocket I had to learn that game from scratch. It's the only game in town. So I dan't gotta admit nothin'.

Lou Figueroa
 
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lfigueroa

lfigueroa

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
John Brumback said:
To me..if it's on a pool table it's just another pool shot.Doesn't matter what name (the game) people want to call it,it's still just somemore pool shots. I've been hearing that my whole pool life and I always thought it was a bunch of BS for lack of better words.I tell people that will listen to play every single kind of game that they can,and play on every kind of table they can.3c billiards table,snooker table and so on. It can only help all your pool knowledge and your games on anything that resembles a pool table.It doesn't seem to hurt people like oh say like Efren and er um Alex.
These two have played every game there is and on every kind of table there is and probably on floors and roofs and the ground so on.

I think alot of folks just use that ole story as an excuse for playin bad or getting beat Or they have been hearing it for years and years and have gotten brainwashed.This is just my oppinion though.:) John B.
Click to expand...


Of course you're right, John -- it's just a BS excuse. Some guys don't want to hear that though :)

And to those that say playing safe after safe is boring then I would say in response that you just have not yet reached the point in your game where you are capable of appreciating a good safe that brings your opponent to their knees. Nothing boring about that.

Lou Figueroa
 
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336Robin

336Robin

Multiverse Operative
Silver Member
Shots are Shots

John Brumback said:
To me..if it's on a pool table it's just another pool shot.Doesn't matter what name (the game) people want to call it,it's still just somemore pool shots. I've been hearing that my whole pool life and I always thought it was a bunch of BS for lack of better words.I tell people that will listen to play every single kind of game that they can,and play on every kind of table they can.3c billiards table,snooker table and so on. It can only help all your pool knowledge and your games on anything that resembles a pool table.It doesn't seem to hurt people like oh say like Efren and er um Alex.
These two have played every game there is and on every kind of table there is and probably on floors and roofs and the ground so on.

I think alot of folks just use that ole story as an excuse for playin bad or getting beat Or they have been hearing it for years and years and have gotten brainwashed.This is just my oppinion though.:) John B.
Click to expand...

I have to agree with you. I dont get to play as much One Pocket as I used to because my One Pocket Buddy is working a lot these days. He taught me cause he knows I love to bank. It takes a lot of time for someone to leave any kind of shot so you get a chance to make a shot...you take your time and tune it in....and most of the time you make it or real close...so what does that tell you?....Yeah....a lot of times if Im playing 9 ball and I get a really hard shot but it will put me out...thats exactly what I say to myself.....I shoot like I was playing One Pocket and I usually nail it...then I get out......shots are shots...I agree......thats my area and sometimes you just have to wait on your depth perception to take hold on the hard ones....

Just another lovely day in paradise.......

336Robin :thumbup:

aimisthegameinpool.com
aimisthegameinpool@yahoo.com
 
N

naji

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
John Brumback said:
To me..if it's on a pool table it's just another pool shot.Doesn't matter what name (the game) people want to call it,it's still just somemore pool shots. I've been hearing that my whole pool life and I always thought it was a bunch of BS for lack of better words.I tell people that will listen to play every single kind of game that they can,and play on every kind of table they can.3c billiards table,snooker table and so on. It can only help all your pool knowledge and your games on anything that resembles a pool table.It doesn't seem to hurt people like oh say like Efren and er um Alex.
These two have played every game there is and on every kind of table there is and probably on floors and roofs and the ground so on.

I think alot of folks just use that ole story as an excuse for playin bad or getting beat Or they have been hearing it for years and years and have gotten brainwashed.This is just my oppinion though.:) John B.
Click to expand...

You have to master pocketing balls in any way shape or form, long distances, near rail shots, hard, soft, english no english, stun, role...you name it before you graduate to next level one pocket game.

I would love to play one pocket players or bank pool players 9 ball and watch them hit long distance shots hard. But one pocket players will have to be awake and very careful playing good 9 ball player one pocket

One pocket is an escape to those that cannot pocket balls constantly, and will never improve on pocketing balls for sake of 9 ball game, sure they gain one pocket strategy experience, which have very limited use for 9 ball.

30 years experience advise.
 
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