One Pocket Rocket

fast&loose designs

fast&loose designs

Chris Santana
Silver Member
This is quite possibly one of the most impossible bank shots I've ever seen. It's pretty difficult to describe how Bugs Rucker did it against Shannon Daulton, so I've diagrammed it as descriptive as possible. From the 1992 Legends of One Pocket Championship.
 

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There is a whole thread on this exact shot over at onepocket.org.

You need some brass balls to shoot that one, although if it goes you turn the game around.

Bad, bad things can happen if you bang into some balls trying that shot.
 
SkyscraperChris said:
This is quite possibly one of the most impossible bank shots I've ever seen. It's pretty difficult to describe how Bugs Rucker did it against Shannon Daulton, so I've diagrammed it as descriptive as possible. From the 1992 Legends of One Pocket Championship.
Click to expand...
It's actually a pretty common one pocket shot, especially if the cloth and balls aren't brand new. In fact, with pretty sticky cloth and balls the shot goes without the inside english (contact-induced transferred spin is enough).

pj
chgo
 
Patrick Johnson said:
It's actually a pretty common one pocket shot, especially if the cloth and balls aren't brand new. In fact, with pretty sticky cloth and balls the shot goes without the inside english (contact-induced transferred spin is enough).

pj
chgo
Click to expand...


Does common denote easy? Does being jacked up on the rail add much difficulty? Does the proximity of the 2? on the far rail that severely limits the bank path make the shot more or less common?

Agreed-these shots are possible, more so with level-cue, stun-crossing contact induced english applied to the ob.

The layout suggests less than ideal conditions to shoot this common shot.

In this case-IMHO-this was Bugs being Bugs. That was what made the uncommon..common.

OP-thanks for posting. This reminds us of a bar set high-that few can hurdle.

Take care

Edit: but...maybe in Chicago-this is a hanger?
 
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3RAILKICK said:
Does common denote easy?
Click to expand...
A lot easier than "one of the most impossible".

Does being jacked up on the rail add much difficulty?
Click to expand...
Is jacking up necessary?

Does the proximity of the 2? on the far rail that severely limits the bank path make the shot more or less common?
Click to expand...
How does the 2 limit the bank path? Do you think it banks from farther out?

[EDIT: I agree it makes the shot more dangerous.]

..maybe in Chicago-this is a hanger?
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Maybe wherever you're from "pretty common" means "hanger"?

pj
chgo
 
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Black-Balled said:
I actually just saw that shot the other day. Shot it like it was a hanger, he did.

I wouldn't bet I could do it in 20.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYT-Jc_fkzs
(THe whole 'Fast & Loose Shot' collection is good, btw.)
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Yeah, that series of "Fast & Loose" shots is from my YouTube Channel (I'm JackrabbitSlim). I'm glad you enjoyed it!

And I think everyone has a valid point; this shot is somewhat common, but I think given the circumstances, the fact that Bugs is playing Shannon (one of the best ever to shoot one-hole), and the physical limitations on the shot (the distance, the proximity to the rail, and the position of the 2) make this quite impossible, to say the least. Those that say it isn't as hard as I've described should upload a video of themselves shooting this shot 20 times in a row, unedited. I can almost guarantee you can make it MAYBE once.
 
SkyscraperChris said:
Yeah, that series of "Fast & Loose" shots is from my YouTube Channel (I'm JackrabbitSlim). I'm glad you enjoyed it!

And I think everyone has a valid point; this shot is somewhat common, but I think given the circumstances, the fact that Bugs is playing Shannon (one of the best ever to shoot one-hole), and the physical limitations on the shot (the distance, the proximity to the rail, and the position of the 2) make this quite impossible, to say the least. Those that say it isn't as hard as I've described should upload a video of themselves shooting this shot 20 times in a row, unedited. I can almost guarantee you can make it MAYBE once.
Click to expand...

While it is shocking that anyone normal person would play this shot, Bugs is regarded as one of the top bankers of all time so I don't think its to much of a surprise that he shot it. I'm sure people like Freddy B. probably would say that was a hanger for Bugs and probably could relay many more surprising banks that he'd regularly shoot in a game of one pocket.
 
SkyscraperChris said:
... I think everyone has a valid point; this shot is somewhat common, but I think given the circumstances, the fact that Bugs is playing Shannon (one of the best ever to shoot one-hole), and the physical limitations on the shot (the distance, the proximity to the rail, and the position of the 2) make this quite impossible, to say the least.
Click to expand...
Sorry, but I have to disagree. It's a difficult shot, but not "quite impossible, to say the least".

Those that say it isn't as hard as I've described should upload a video of themselves shooting this shot 20 times in a row, unedited. I can almost guarantee you can make it MAYBE once.
Click to expand...
You'd be wrong. I've made that shot many times, and I'm no great shooter. If my percentage was only 1 in 20 I wouldn't keep trying it.

pj
chgo
 
FWIW, I think this twists back better off the end rail with center ball, not right hand english
 
Patrick Johnson said:
Sorry, but I have to disagree. It's a difficult shot, but not "quite impossible, to say the least".


You'd be wrong. I've made that shot many times, and I'm no great shooter. If my percentage was only 1 in 20 I wouldn't keep trying it.

pj
chgo
Click to expand...

Ok, I think I speak for us all when I say we are waiting for your video!
 
The Saw said:
FWIW, I think this twists back better off the end rail with center ball, not right hand english
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I think it's easier to use center with dirty balls, but in this case they were likely playing on better, cleaner equipment. You can tell by where the cue ball went that he used inside English.
 
While that's a hard shot to drop for sure, I would never shoot it in a match because it's a sell out if you miss it (likely). Way too many "better" shots available in that layout, unless you just like ESPN shots.

Just an opinion.
 
It's a tough bank, but, that said...this video should give a little perspective on the rarity/difficulty of Bug's bank shot...it's one of Fast Lenny's videos from his poolroom's monthly One Pocket tournament, and one of the local players, Tony Confalone, makes just about the same bank shot that Bugs did, at 17:07 in the tape - Tony hits it real good (Tony's shot is a little easier because his cue ball is a few inches further off of the rail than Bug's was) also, interestingly, Tony's cue ball after making the bank, goes in just about the exact same tangent line that Bug's cue ball went when he made the bank...here's the link >>>

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/10536627

- Ghost
 
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SkyscraperChris said:
This is quite possibly one of the most impossible bank shots I've ever seen. It's pretty difficult to describe how Bugs Rucker did it against Shannon Daulton, so I've diagrammed it as descriptive as possible. From the 1992 Legends of One Pocket Championship.
Click to expand...


This is a very standard 1pocket bank. A prettier version of it is when the CB and OB are up table near the rail and you hold the CB inside the returning OB.

I've previously diagrammed what you could do twisting the balls up at the US 1Pocket Open when it was held in Kalamazoo -- they had Rashig balls on Gandy tables and you easily shoot this same shot with the object ball practically on the bottom end rail, back towards your pocket.

IOW, it's a nice shot but not a monster.

Lou Figueroa
 
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