UPDATE: For some reason, the formatting tools aren't working, so this is probably unreadable. Don't know what to do about that.
I don't think of Duel as a 1P specialist; at his peak, I associate him with 9-ball. So it wasn't exactly
1P specialist who can't bring the tough shots vs.
guy who can make anything but doesn't know what he's doing.
I thought some of the observations from 1p.org (
http://www.onepocket.org/forum/showthread.php?t=8092) are pretty on point so I'll just post them here as food for thought:
*From an uncontroversial retired cuemaker (more run-outs puts a bigger premium on super tight play; makes sense when you think about it):
In the one pocket I grew up with a good ball runner had a big advantage. Now not so much. The cloth makes it much easier to run balls so anyone can do it.
One of the shots that is most important now is to get a ball near your pocket and hide the cue ball. This didn't used to be so powerful because it was harder to run balls even on bigger pockets.
The other important shot is to play very safe and not leave any shot toward your opponents pocket. This may seem obvious today but in the past it had way less value.
Today when you have a chance to move a ball near your pocket and freeze up the cue ball behind some balls you must give the shot as much care as any tough shot at your pocket. If you don't, you have passed up a chance to win the game.
Freezing the cue ball to the rail is also extremely important. An inch or two is not good enough.
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From NH Steve:
I think the biggest difference I see is the depth of knowledge everybody has about how to play the game, and it is pervasive -- even to relative new-comers to the game, like the Filipino constituency -- and mix that with the incredible pool and kicking skills that many of these new players have.
Another point that might figure into it a little is that as you know, 9-ball used to be push-out, which invited great shotmaking, but now it being one foul ball in hand, you have a much greater emphasis on safety play -- and the ensuing kicks, jumps and masse's necessary to get out of that safety play, while leaving a safety of your own. Those skills do translate to a high degree from 9-ball to One Pocket, and that has really had an impact in the last 25 years or so since Texas Express became the standard.
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The 9-ball point is an interesting one, that drew some agreement:
Because of Texas Express 9ball, 9ball players nowadays, before even playing one single game of One Pocket, are already experienced and used to shooting probably 3/4ths of the safety's, snookers, and kicks used in One Pocket...that combined that with all of the accustats One Pocket videos available to watch and learn from, made the One Pocket learning curve shrink dramatically.
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For the record, though I'm willing to bet and pay my dues to learn, I've been able to learn a ton of moves from the old interwebs. I don't think moves matter less than in the past (in some ways more, see the first quote), they're just easier to learn now and when everybody has them, the relative impact of moves is reduced.
Also, execution is key. If I know 90% of the moves and you know 70% but you're more able to execute the core moves like freezing me on the stack, not just getting behind balls but behind and on the balls, etc., then it's going to look like you know the "moves" better than me.
Anyway, if you really want to see a lot of good discussion of 1P principles and escapes, go on onepocket.org and find the
what would you do? threads where Billy I. and Tom-Tom Wirth post. Other posters are helpful, but those two give particularly clear explanations of the thinking that goes into their shot choices and why they view other shots as inferior.
Cory
