How to teach One Pocket
- Thread starter RWOJO
- Start date
Boy, that's a loaded question.
1.) The importance of patience. Sometimes you can go inning after inning just kicking your opponent's ball away from his pocket. It has to be done, and sometimes you may want to just go ahead and try something just to break the monotony, but you will almost always pay dearly for it.
2.) Shot-making: Once you get your chance, you have got to pocket the ball, especially if you're positioning the cue ball to where your opponent can pocket balls if you miss.
3.) Know how to miss. If the shot making percentage is low, make sure you cover yourself if you miss.
Which leads to....
4.) Speed control: Not just for the cue ball but the object ball as well. Practicing 14.1 helps.
5.) Banking and kicking: Big --- no, HUGE. Especially kick safeties. And not just 1-rail banks --- 2 and 3-rail banks.
6.) The break shot ---- One of the most important shots of the game.
I've taken up One Pocket this year and improved a lot, but I have what seems like I have barely scratched the surface. The average or slightly above average players want to play me and ask me questions the whole time to understand what shots to take. When I'm done playing them I tell them to practice 1) Breaking 2) Banking/Kicking at speed 3) control the cue ball 4) risk vs reward
I'm addicted to the game and will play it the rest of my life. I was curious how instructors that may not be huge into one pocket, work with their students at the game.
I'm not sure I understand what you're asking. Are you asking instructors who don't play much one pocket how they would teach one pocket? Why would you ask that?
The easiest way to learn One Pocket is to play partners and have your partner be a good One Pocket player. Make sure the partners are allowed to coach each other. You will learn the game under fire.
I have done this with some other players. It can be eye opening to hear what others would do in different situations.
A good way to learn is to watch what others do. IMO a great deal of performance is knowing the best shot to execute. You can choose difficult shots and execute perfectly, but eventually the percentages will catch up with you and you will sell out the game. Sometimes the most powerful shot in the game looks like nothing.
Watching accustats videos is a great way to learn because you see what the player does and you hear commentary on other possible shots.
One of the best videos I've seen is the US Open one pocket finals between Reyes and Gentile (a TAR production that is free on YouTube). Cardone, Scott Frost, and Corey Deuel all commentate the match. It is enlightening to listen to because many times they all three have very different opinions of what they would do. If you can't learn something from this one, you should take up another game.
Watching accustats videos is a great way to learn because you see what the player does and you hear commentary on other possible shots.
One of the best videos I've seen is the US Open one pocket finals between Reyes and Gentile (a TAR production that is free on YouTube). Cardone, Scott Frost, and Corey Deuel all commentate the match. It is enlightening to listen to because many times they all three have very different opinions of what they would do. If you can't learn something from this one, you should take up another game.
