One Pocket - Come to the Dark Side?

AuntyDan · Apr 15, 2005

So last week I was exposed to One Pocket for the first time. A patient friend was teaching me the basics and I managed to win one game out of five. Straight afterwards we moved to 9 Ball, and it felt like I'd been released from prison. Making 3 balls in a row felt like running a whole rack.

I could see in this initial session why some people can dedicated years to learning the intricacies of the moves and tactics the game's structure makes possible. However my gut feeling is that it is not really Pool, it's more like a weird kind of Chess, which has never been my favorite board game. Give me Backgammon any day.

Anyone else had a similar experience? Is my character just naturally unsuited for One Pocket, or will it get more rewarding if I work at it more?

vapoolplayer · Apr 15, 2005

AuntyDan said:
So last week I was exposed to One Pocket for the first time. A patient friend was teaching me the basics and I managed to win one game out of five. Straight afterwards we moved to 9 Ball, and it felt like I'd been released from prison. Making 3 balls in a row felt like running a whole rack.

I could see in this initial session why some people can dedicated years to learning the intricacies of the moves and tactics the game's structure makes possible. However my gut feeling is that it is not really Pool, it's more like a weird kind of Chess, which has never been my favorite board game. Give me Backgammon any day.

Anyone else had a similar experience? Is my character just naturally unsuited for One Pocket, or will it get more rewarding if I work at it more?

i'd say that it is just like anything else...........its not for everyone.

i'm a halfway decent(read that shitty) 1 hole player compared to alot of the top players i've seen...........i just don't put in the time to learn it right now.

even if you find its not the game for you to master, it is a GREAT game to learn touch, patience, and shot selection.

touch because you have to be able to put the object ball AND cue ball EXACTLY where you want them.

patience because this is almost like a poker game, you have to know when to fold. you have to know when to lay up and play a safe instead of trying that low percentage shot that you would normally take in 9 ball. by the end of alot of games all the balls are near the head rail and the game can get really long and boring. this is BY FAR THE BIGGEST PROBLEM I"VE SEEN WITH PEOPLE LEARNING 1 HOLE.

shot selection because as stated above you have to know what to do. alot of times i see people that go for a ball they think is dead in the stack from a weird angle, instead of shooting another shot and waiting for the opportune moment to take that shot(if that moment even arrises)

but again, to answer the original question............yes i think that some people are not suited to play 1 pocket.........just as some people aren't suited to play 9 ball (or pool at all for that matter)

thanks

VAP

kollegedave · Apr 15, 2005

I agree with some of what vapoolplayer said, but I would like to add a bit as one pocket is my strongest game.

Sure, one pocket can be like chess and there is touch and patience and all of that, but the greatest injustice that is worked upon anyone learning one pocket is that they have probably not seen it played at its higher or highest level.

When one pocket is played by top players (cliff joyner, any fillipino, buddy, etc.) there is much more offense involved and you'll see dozens of pool shots that you never even knew existed. Played correctly, one pocket draws upon every skill in pocket billiards (except maybe the 9ball break).

kollegedave

AuntyDan said:
I could see in this initial session why some people can dedicated years to learning the intricacies of the moves and tactics the game's structure makes possible. However my gut feeling is that it is not really Pool, it's more like a weird kind of Chess, which has never been my favorite board game. Give me Backgammon any day.

Jude Rosenstock · Apr 16, 2005

AuntyDan said:
So last week I was exposed to One Pocket for the first time. A patient friend was teaching me the basics and I managed to win one game out of five. Straight afterwards we moved to 9 Ball, and it felt like I'd been released from prison. Making 3 balls in a row felt like running a whole rack.

I could see in this initial session why some people can dedicated years to learning the intricacies of the moves and tactics the game's structure makes possible. However my gut feeling is that it is not really Pool, it's more like a weird kind of Chess, which has never been my favorite board game. Give me Backgammon any day.

Anyone else had a similar experience? Is my character just naturally unsuited for One Pocket, or will it get more rewarding if I work at it more?

Interestingly, that's exactly what I was thinking as I was reading your post. I've never viewed 1-hole as I view most games. It's like a distant cousin of everything else! There are shots in 1-hole that are completely unique to the game and will NEVER come up in anything else. You simply can't say that for any other game. There are no unique shots in the rotation games and there are no unique shots in 14.1 or 8-ball.

In fact, shots in 1-hole can get so bizarre that only a trained-eye can really see how good a player is. Half of what they do looks no more unusual than what you see Saturday Night bangers do in front of their girlfriends. The fundamental difference, of course, is that they actually MEANT to send that ball 2 rails around the table and hang-up at the corner.

I definately wouldn't catagorize 1-hole as a game like chess simply because there remains a physical aspect to it. Personally, I just hate it when people call pool a game. However, I will agree with you, 1-hole has a strategical element that is prevelant. The game offers an incredible amount of exchange and forces a player to consider what his opponent's options will be on each and every turn. No other game does that.

sjm · Apr 16, 2005

Jude Rosenstock said:
There are no unique shots in the rotation games and there are no unique shots in 14.1 or 8-ball.

Well, listing the shots unique to straight pool would take hours. Most, but not all of them, are in the tactical portion of the game.

Here are two shots unique to eight ball, a game I very rarely play. I'm humbled to note that I was the victim. The position was that shown in the first table below. My opponent was at the table and had stripes. Surely, he wasn't running out from the position shown in the first table, and I figured I was a big favorite to win the rack in this position, as I have my balls open and the two ball would always get me started.

First, my opponent pocketed the obvious shot on the fourteen, but in doing so nudged the one against the five, leaving the position in the second table shown below. Next, my opponent caromed the cue ball off the thirteen and knocked the two in, leaving the position shown in the third table shown below. Suddenly, it was my turn and I was dead duck. What happened, I wondered?

The answer, of course, is that I feel victim to a couple of shots unique to eight ball, shots that might not have ever occurred to me because I don't often play eight ball.

Timberly · Apr 16, 2005

Jude Rosenstock said:
In fact, shots in 1-hole can get so bizarre that only a trained-eye can really see how good a player is. Half of what they do looks no more unusual than what you see Saturday Night bangers do in front of their girlfriends. The fundamental difference, of course, is that they actually MEANT to send that ball 2 rails around the table and hang-up at the corner.

I had to laugh a little bit when I read that because I remember when I was first getting into pool and was watching a couple of guys play... I couldn't understand why they wanted to hang the ball up & why in the hell didn't they break the rack up already?!?! Then I started to learn more about pool.... I personally do NOT have the patience or touch to play one pocket, but I love watching people that are good at it. I was at the first Legends of onepocket tourney that Shannon Daulton won and it was amazing. Some people told me that I was going to be bored.... couldn't have been farther from the truth.

drivermaker · Apr 16, 2005

AuntyDan said:
Anyone else had a similar experience? Is my character just naturally unsuited for One Pocket, or will it get more rewarding if I work at it more?

zzzzzzzzzz.......zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.......zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.............zzzzzzzzzz...

zzzzzzzzzzz............zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.........zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

zzzzzzzzzzzz...........zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.............zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.............

rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggggggggggggggg......huh....wha.....don't tell me it's time to get up already.........zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....

Rickw · Apr 16, 2005

I play 9b most of the time. I play in an 8b bar league on Tuesday nights. Friday nights are reserved for 1h. I've been playing the same guy every Friday night for about 3 or 4 years now. I think his knowledge of the game is superior to mine but I've learned quite a bit over the years. I really enjoy my Friday nights and look forward to them. Having said that, I don't think I'd want to play 1h all the time but I really enjoy it when I am playing it. You have to get yourself into a different mindset to play the game, i.e., you have to be patient.

About 3 years ago, I met this guy from Baton Rouge, I think he still lives there. He played an awesome game of 1h and was nice enough to show me some of the finer points of the game. He said that most games are won from a defensive shot and patience. Over the last three years, I would have to say that he gave some sage advice. I think that once you develop some skills for any game, you tend to appreciate it more.

Chicken_Blood · Apr 16, 2005

One Pocket Junkie

As far as I am concerned all other games are just pratice for One Pocket. Once you get started playing and realize that every skill you have gets exercised in this most excellent game you get hooked.

Nine ball players usually can't handle the pace. We have moved from 14.1 (Usually last hours), to 10 ball, to nine ball, to seven ball, to six ball, even three ball. Mostly its because these short games are great for TV.

Granted watching One Pocket is like watching grass grow if you are not a player (I feel the same way about Golf).

Anyway there is room for every type of game and player. I just miss the days when you go to a quiet room (No juke box, just the sound of balls dropping).

PQQLk9 · Apr 16, 2005

I would suggest keeping an open mind and sticking with it for a while. IMO you will find that the learned safety and banking skills will give you a decided advantage when playing other games.

1pocket · Apr 16, 2005

drivermaker said:
......huh....wha.....don't tell me it's time to get up already.........zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....

Not quite sure what your point is, but I do know there is nothing quite so mind numbing as sitting in your chair while your opponent runs a whole bunch at straight pool -- that's the ultimate snooze inducer! From what I've seen, those that are bored with One Pocket generally don't understand the game. Of course, there are some One Pocket games that get boring too -- the uptable variety. Fortunately those are commonplace mainly for predictable players, so just steer clear of those players and you won't see much of that.

HittMan · Apr 16, 2005

One-pocket rewards the better player

One pocket rewards the better player...every shot has an effect on the outcome of the game. The game will generally end under the control of the better player. This is not to say that luck is not a factor but it is less of a factor than in most games. When I say better player, I mean it fairly comprehensively (to include strategy, planning, risk assessment, opponent assessment, shot making and, in some cases tenacity). The game also tends to attract more advanced players. I always find it interesting when players discount the back or uptable game. I generally assume that they have not progressed to that point of understanding. Players learn the back game when they have exhausted their trickbag of inside moves. I am an older player...the first four elements coupled with the pace and absence of rythm allow me to compete with those pesky, determined younger players and gives me common ground with the more experienced players wherever I go. In addition, I would like to point out that I actually enjoy playing with my peer group more for a number of reasons...hence the common title of "the old man's game". I recommend one-pocket to my students as an allround game builder.

Troy · Apr 16, 2005

I agree completely that 1-Pocket will help with other games.
I had this discussion with an excellent 9-Ball player (AA+ road warrior)) who initally disagreed with me but subsequently agrees now that he started playing some occasional 1-P.

Troy

PQQLk9 said:
I would suggest keeping an open mind and sticking with it for a while. IMO you will find that the learned safety and banking skills will give you a decided advantage when playing other games.

Gerald · Apr 16, 2005

Troy said:
I agree completely that 1-Pocket will help with other games.
I had this discussion with an excellent 9-Ball player (AA+ road warrior)) who initally disagreed with me but subsequently agrees now that he started playing some occasional 1-P.

Troy

Just learning but am amazed sometimes when playing an advanced player how easy it is for them to reverse my advantage (supposed) of the break. The game is totally unforgiving and requires that you use a different mind set starting with where the cue ball will end up on every shot before shooting to make a ball. You can play very well for 10-15 shots then get a slight rub and be dead. I am hooked.

Purdman · Apr 17, 2005

AuntyDan said:
So last week I was exposed to One Pocket for the first time. A patient friend was teaching me the basics and I managed to win one game out of five. Straight afterwards we moved to 9 Ball, and it felt like I'd been released from prison. Making 3 balls in a row felt like running a whole rack.

I could see in this initial session why some people can dedicated years to learning the intricacies of the moves and tactics the game's structure makes possible. However my gut feeling is that it is not really Pool, it's more like a weird kind of Chess, which has never been my favorite board game. Give me Backgammon any day.

Anyone else had a similar experience? Is my character just naturally unsuited for One Pocket, or will it get more rewarding if I work at it more?

Aunty Dan, when you can break and run out in 1 pocket, you have accomplished a whole lot more than running a rack of nine ball. I find the game more challenging than any other pool sport that I have tried. When I play 1 pocket, I am in another world. I don't think of anything else. One mistake and you can be dead meat. I play for 7 hours every Saturday and it seems like 30 minutes. Keep playing buddy, you will get it.
Don

senor · Apr 17, 2005

1pocket said:
Of course, there are some One Pocket games that get boring too -- the uptable variety. Fortunately those are commonplace mainly for predictable players, so just steer clear of those players and you won't see much of that.

Everyone has got their own style. There are some times that the game calls for sending all the balls uptown. If the score is 5-0 or 7-3, only someone who doesn't know the game would leave the remaining pellets in action. I think you tend to see the uptown games when the bet gets right. The higher the bet, less chances might be taken. Unless you're playing McCready.

Snapshot9 · Apr 17, 2005

One pocket skills for players ...

1 Pocket is the chess of Billiards, but I have to be in the right mood for it as I do not have the patience for it all the time. Plus I can make more money faster playing 8 or 9 ball.

I haven't played 1 pocket for over 3 1/2 years, and I didn't play a bad game, not great, but a good game. The reason .... I am 5'7" and I get damn tired of using a crutch so much on a big table .... it's annoying and tedious. and I played a lot of 14.1 growing up ... on a big table....

I am fine with the oversized 7 footers, and rarely have to use a crutch.

Want more of a challenge in 8 ball - Play what I call Dakota 8 ball.

Combination of 8 ball and 9 ball. Same as 8 ball except after 1st ball is
made after the break, you have to shoot your balls in ascending order
till you get to the 8 ball. Your opponent does too. Otherwise, normal
league 8 ball rules apply. If you can break and run the table playing
this game, you have done something... Better players will like this game, plus
you are almost guaranteed noone will run the table in 1 turn, so you are
pretty much guaranteed 1 shot at least.

Jude Rosenstock · Apr 17, 2005

sjm said:
Well, listing the shots unique to straight pool would take hours. Most, but not all of them, are in the tactical portion of the game.

Here are two shots unique to eight ball, a game I very rarely play. I'm humbled to note that I was the victim. The position was that shown in the first table below. My opponent was at the table and had stripes. Surely, he wasn't running out from the position shown in the first table, and I figured I was a big favorite to win the rack in this position, as I have my balls open and the two ball would always get me started.

First, my opponent pocketed the obvious shot on the fourteen, but in doing so nudged the one against the five, leaving the position in the second table shown below. Next, my opponent caromed the cue ball off the thirteen and knocked the two in, leaving the position shown in the third table shown below. Suddenly, it was my turn and I was dead duck. What happened, I wondered?

The answer, of course, is that I feel victim to a couple of shots unique to eight ball, shots that might not have ever occurred to me because I don't often play eight ball.

Sorry SJM, you misunderstood me. I was speaking of unique shots, not unique situations. Both of your scenarios may be unique situations to the game but they're not unique shots. Usually people bump balls into position, not into clusters and usually a carom is an offensive play, not a defensive one. But the physical characteristics of both plays comes up in many other games.

1-hole has shots that simply aren't employed anywhere else. There are 2 and 3 rails shots that NEVER come up in any other game. If your opponent has hung up a ball near his hole, it's actually considered a good play to pocket the ball and jump the cue-ball off the table. That sir, is unique!

sjm · Apr 17, 2005

Jude Rosenstock said:
Sorry SJM, you misunderstood me. I was speaking of unique shots, not unique situations. Both of your scenarios may be unique situations to the game but they're not unique shots. Usually people bump balls into position, not into clusters and usually a carom is an offensive play, not a defensive one. But the physical characteristics of both plays comes up in many other games.

1-hole has shots that simply aren't employed anywhere else. There are 2 and 3 rails shots that NEVER come up in any other game. If your opponent has hung up a ball near his hole, it's actually considered a good play to pocket the ball and jump the cue-ball off the table. That sir, is unique!

Clustering the loose balls intentionally while playing offense is definitely unique to eight ball, but I see what you're saying. Bumping balls around to help one's cause is found in many games.

Guess I did misinterpret you. Oops!

LiL_C · Apr 17, 2005

kollegedave said:
I agree with some of what vapoolplayer said, but I would like to add a bit as one pocket is my strongest game.

Sure, one pocket can be like chess and there is touch and patience and all of that, but the greatest injustice that is worked upon anyone learning one pocket is that they have probably not seen it played at its higher or highest level.

When one pocket is played by top players (cliff joyner, any fillipino, buddy, etc.) there is much more offense involved and you'll see dozens of pool shots that you never even knew existed. Played correctly, one pocket draws upon every skill in pocket billiards (except maybe the 9ball break).

kollegedave

AuntyDan said:

I could see in this initial session why some people can dedicated years to learning the intricacies of the moves and tactics the game's structure makes possible. However my gut feeling is that it is not really Pool, it's more like a weird kind of Chess, which has never been my favorite board game. Give me Backgammon any day.

Click to expand...

I agree 100 percent I live in New Orleans and Cliff Joyner is currently here and I have had the pleasure of watching him play a bunch of times and I really dont think he's human with the shots he comes up and the jams he gets out of by far he is the best I have ever seen play the game.

One Pocket - Come to the Dark Side?

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