One Pocket Tips

seymore15074

seymore15074

So what are you saying?
Silver Member
I am trying to become proficient at One Pocket. I have been playing a few games lately and would like some advice/tips to improve.

Here are a few principles that I am using currently:

I usually break very defensively, driving the corner ball to the rail and leaving the cue on the rack.

I break from the left whenever possible, because I am right-handed (that way if I get to capitalize on an opponents mistake/sellout I hopefully will not need the bridge).

I use balls for cue-ball position on the end-rail, driving the ball away. This is an attempt to force my opponent to use follow or jack-up baiting a costly mistake. I play almost 100% defense early in the game.

Whenever possible I send a ball over towards my pocket and protect it by leaving my opponent behind the rack.

Once the balls are getting up towards the head of the table, I begin pocketing them to bring them back down to the spot. The games seem to go through a few "stages" repeatedly.

Later in the game when there are fewer balls left, I play more offensively by trying to keep at least a ball near my pocket preventing my opponent from having free attemps at banks.

This past week, I have tried playing a lot more aggessively early and have had success breaking out a few balls from the rack and running a couple more balls than before.

All comments are welcome!
 
I sounds like you are on the right track in many areas. It is hard to give much advice on this game without any idea of your abilities, strengths and weaknesses.

Leaving the cue in the rack on the break can be dangerous, and I would work on a more conventional break that is often safer, and more effective.

One of the things about 1-pocket that many people struggle with when starting out is speed control, and some good speed control drills will most likely help your game a great deal.

Sending a ball near your hole and hiding behind the stack is a great thing to look for, and even better are opportunities to send a ball near your hole and put the cue right against the stack.

If the balls are all uptable, and you have a decent lead, don't make them and spot them unless it's neccesary, the more balls down table the easier it is for your opponent to get back in the game if you make a mistake. If you are down however, make them and spot them up to give yourself a better chance to get back in the game.

Leaving the cue on the end rail is a great thing to do against many players, but often it will not work against better shooters, and I only use it as a strategy against some players..

As far as when to play safe, and when to shoot, you need to develop skills in asessing risk vs. reward. One of the best ways I know of to learn this game is by playing grandpa with better players. This way you have a knowledgeable person showing you which shot to shoot, and why, two out of every three games. Just make sure that they give you some weight, or that the bet is cheap.
 
Also thought I'd add that the books "Winning One Pocket", and "One Pocket; Shots Moves and Strategies" are great books to help anyones one pocket game. They are both by Eddie Robin, and although no longer in print, they can be found on e-bay, amazon, and in the for sale forum here fairly regularly. There have been rumors for the last year of another printing, but I don't know if it will ever happen.
 
desert1pocket said:
Leaving the cue in the rack on the break can be dangerous, and I would work on a more conventional break that is often safer, and more effective.
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Ok, I can play 3 different breaks successfully. I will try switching it up this week and see how they compare.

desert1pocket said:
One of the things about 1-pocket that many people struggle with when starting out is speed control, and some good speed control drills will most likely help your game a great deal.
Click to expand...

I am very comfortable with my speed control at this point. I play well, I just don't play One Pocket. I am looking for strategy help, mostly.

desert1pocket said:
Sending a ball near your hole and hiding behind the stack is a great thing to look for, and even better are opportunities to send a ball near your hole and put the cue right against the stack.
Click to expand...

Ok. I also leave them on their side of the table or their side of the stack so they can only push the balls towards my side rather than towards their own.

desert1pocket said:
If the balls are all uptable, and you have a decent lead, don't make them and spot them unless it's neccesary, the more balls down table the easier it is for your opponent to get back in the game if you make a mistake. If you are down however, make them and spot them up to give yourself a better chance to get back in the game.
Click to expand...

Even if you can spot two balls or spot a ball and get the cue-ball underneath it on the short-rail? I do this every game, I could be really hurting myself.

desert1pocket said:
As far as when to play safe, and when to shoot, you need to develop skills in asessing risk vs. reward. One of the best ways I know of to learn this game is by playing grandpa with better players. This way you have a knowledgeable person showing you which shot to shoot, and why, two out of every three games. Just make sure that they give you some weight, or that the bet is cheap.
Click to expand...

Perhaps the best advice. I was also thinking of hanging out in a hall where they gamble at 1 Pocket more often. There is almost always a game going on, they would eat me alive, too.
 
desert1pocket said:
Also thought I'd add that the books "Winning One Pocket", and "One Pocket; Shots Moves and Strategies" are great books to help anyones one pocket game. They are both by Eddie Robin, and although no longer in print, they can be found on e-bay, amazon, and in the for sale forum here fairly regularly. There have been rumors for the last year of another printing, but I don't know if it will ever happen.
Click to expand...

Ok, thanks!
 
join onepocket.org forum. Lots of help there and a lot of great 1p players. also they post the official 1p rules and books, etc. great site run by a great guy, Steve, who will be hosting the 1p hall of fame dinner at the dcc.
 
seymore15074 said:
Even if you can spot two balls or spot a ball and get the cue-ball underneath it on the short-rail? I do this every game, I could be really hurting myself.
QUOTE]

This is not a hard fast rule, but yes. If all of the balls are uptable, and you are only spotting one to get it into play, that's fine, but I don't reccomend putting more than one ball down into play when you have a strong lead. There are always exceptions, such as when you have a safe high percentage shot at your hole, or when there is a great trap shot available, but in general, anyone with a huge lead wants to limit the number of balls in play (and yes 2-3 balls all spotted up would be considered "in play"). Also, spotting only 1 and leaving the cue ball below it, often sells out a 1, 2, or 3 rail bank, and there is usually a better option.

This is just my personal opinion, and more agressive players than myself will disagree, so take it for what it's worth.

Most importantly, take your time to look at the possible consequences of every shot before shooting. Just because you have an easy shot at your hole, doesn't mean that it's the right shot. A classic bait shot is to leave an easy shot at your opponents hole, where the natural angle of the cue ball will send it into the stack, pushing balls your way, and leaving your opponent trapped. The other reason to analyze every shot, is that if you don't know why you are shooting a shot, you won't learn anything from it.

nfty9er's suggestion about onepocket.org is great advice as well. There isn't much activity over there, but there is a wealth of 1-hole knowledge to be had.
Click to expand...
 
seymore15074 said:
I am trying to become proficient at One Pocket. I have been playing a few games lately and would like some advice/tips to improve.

Here are a few principles that I am using currently:

I break from the left whenever possible, because I am right-handed (that way if I get to capitalize on an opponents mistake/sellout I hopefully will not need the bridge).
Click to expand...

Hopefully someone will clarify this for me, because I don't play one pocket. If you break from the left side, are you not designating the right corner pocket as yours? Why would you want that pocket if you're right handed? The other pocket offers an easier stretch for a right-handed player.
 
VIProfessor said:
Hopefully someone will clarify this for me, because I don't play one pocket. If you break from the left side, are you not designating the right corner pocket as yours? Why would you want that pocket if you're right handed? The other pocket offers an easier stretch for a right-handed player.
Click to expand...

Actually the right pocket offers many more shots without stretching for a right handed player. This is why most right handed 1-pocket players choose the pocket on the right side.
 
Willie Jopling also has an excellent series of 1-pocket dvd's, that show video, and contain information on hundreds of 1-pocket shots. He'll be at the DCC, beginning tomorrow night, with sets of dvd's, for anyone interested.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
 
desert1pocket said:
Actually the right pocket offers many more shots without stretching for a right handed player. This is why most right handed 1-pocket players choose the pocket on the right side.
Click to expand...
Thats very true,i have had some old timers question me on it and they are suprised how logical this is.
The only real advice i can give you is to make sure you know the risk and the reward and always know the count.;)
 
Ok, thanks everyone. I didn't get to play any One Pocket yesterday, 5 of us threw $5 in the pot and did a little double elimination 9-ball tournament...race to 3, except for me, they make me go to 6. I barely won. Phew!
 
I agree that when you have the lead, send the balls up table. This way, your oppenent can usually only make 1 ball at a time. And, if your behind, then the opposite applies....pocket balls and get them down table and into play so that you can runs balls if you get a shot. Another very important factor in one pocket, ALWAYS be aware of the count. You should know exactly how many balls you need and how many your opponent needs. This can play a part in your strategy as well.

Southpaw
 
The following advice was given to me from a touring pro.

1. When you're just learning the game, make it a habit to identify 5-7 different shots each and every time you come to the table. Try to recognize why one is better than the others and eliminate them until you're down to just one shot. When you've found the best shot, look for a better one.

2. Master shooting pocket speed.

3. You must learn to be a consistent banker. 9 times out of 10, your runs are going to start from a bank. Learning how to extend off the table will dramatically help your banking aim. There are tracks for 1, 2, 3, and 4 rail banks. Several 1P books offer these. Buy a copy of Banking with the Beard.

4. Master shooting pocket speed.

5. Spend some quality time training yourself in the art and science of carom pool.

6. Master shooting pocket speed.

7. Always know the score.

8. Leave him on the rail or in the stack whenever possible.

9. Don't be afraid to take a foul.

10. Take your time.

Anyone got anymore?:)
 
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