Onepocket, how can you watch it?

instroke75 said:
I can play the game, and actually have won a good bit of money doing it, but I still can't stand to play it, and even more so hate to watch the game! Just my personal feelings, and I'm not some banger who can't make a ball, I am a decent player who just doesn't like the game!


Jeremy
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Yes, you are correct, you are about to take a little heat for your comments ;) at least from me.

I don't care that you don't care to play or watch one pocket. My point of contention with your comments is you saying you "can play the game" and have won some money doing so, and then turn around and say that you don't like the game and hate to watch it. From those comments I (as well as others who have occasionally played the game at a fairly high level) can easily gather that, while you may be able to draw your rock and run some balls, you do not know how to play one pocket. In fact someone like you saying that you can play the game is almost an insult to someone like me who played anyone and anybody for all types of money on my own dime. I'm guessing you play pool well and are better than most of your peers, but I'm also assuming that your one pocket conquests have been against others who do not know how to play the game well, and you can beat them based on your talent running balls and your "sit and wait for them to sell out" approach. In that regards, you are correct, watching people who can't play one pocket does get a little boring.

I don't want to separate one hole from other mainstream pool games and make it more than it is not, because when you get down to it, none of the pool games we play can be perfected. But one cannot deny there are more things to learn to play one pocket at a high level than there are to learn to play nine ball at a high level. If you truly cared about playing one pocket correctly, you would have to watch games played by others and stick your feet to the fire every once in a while and play somone better than yourself.
 
senor said:
Yes, you are correct, you are about to take a little heat for your comments ;) at least from me.

I don't care that you don't care to play or watch one pocket. My point of contention with your comments is you saying you "can play the game" and have won some money doing so, and then turn around and say that you don't like the game and hate to watch it. From those comments I (as well as others who have occasionally played the game at a fairly high level) can easily gather that, while you may be able to draw your rock and run some balls, you do not know how to play one pocket. In fact someone like you saying that you can play the game is almost an insult to someone like me who played anyone and anybody for all types of money on my own dime. I'm guessing you play pool well and are better than most of your peers, but I'm also assuming that your one pocket conquests have been against others who do not know how to play the game well, and you can beat them based on your talent running balls and your "sit and wait for them to sell out" approach. In that regards, you are correct, watching people who can't play one pocket does get a little boring.

I don't want to separate one hole from other mainstream pool games and make it more than it is not, because when you get down to it, none of the pool games we play can be perfected. But one cannot deny there are more things to learn to play one pocket at a high level than there are to learn to play nine ball at a high level. If you truly cared about playing one pocket correctly, you would have to watch games played by others and stick your feet to the fire every once in a while and play someone better than yourself.
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I'm fine with your opinion, it's yours, you allowed to have one! But you have judged one thing wrong, the only people I have ever played the game against are people better than me, and most of the time significantly better than me to the point where I had a good bit of weight even to make it competitive!
And I play on my own dime, and will play most games! I love straight pool, and snooker, and i will play most any other game(including onehole) for the cash if I have half a chance!
So don't judge me cause i don't like your stupid game, but am still able to be competitive at it!

Jeremy
 
A friend just loaned me 10 One Hole DVD. To me I have days, and day of EXCITING POOL to enjoy. Some go back to 98 WHEN "SJD" was 10 year younger. But the time I watch these DVD 10, or 12 time each I will have more AMMO in my personal Pool Arsenal.
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As a small child I would watch my father and uncles drink beer after beer and shots of 100 proof whiskey and from time to time they would give me a hit. I thought to myself if the devil ever took a piss it must have been in these bottles and cans of beer and whiskey. My mouth was on fire and it took forever to get the taste out of my mouth. I could not for the life of me see why they would rather drink that and not a grape Nehi POP or Cansfield beside a quart bottle only cost 35 cents back then. I once mentioned that to them and that was really a bad idea. Now that I am all grown up there is nothing like a cold beer or the taste of good sipping whiskey preferably moonshine it doesn't get any better than that.

One pocket is something that will grow on you once you get tired of banging racks of 9 balls around. You will indeed see the elegance of a well played game of one pocket. Keep playing pool and you will one day say to yourself I'd like a change today, I don't feel like banging today i'd rather think.
 
One pocket is interesting to watch, usually, but those racks in which one player protects a big lead by sending every ball uptable, ensuring that any comeback bid will take forever and a day, are unbearable to watch. Anytime I make this observation in the presence of a one pocket affcionado, I am reminded that this is best strategy. Perhaps so, but I had no regrets in 1996 when I walked out on such a rack played at Chelsea Billiards between Grady Matthews and Nick Varner.

It may also be best strategy for a baseball pitcher to throw over to first base many times in a row when a potential base stealer is on base, but the crowd will generally boo loudly by the third attempt, and rightfully so, because it is so darn boring to watch.

Whenever best strategy and interminable lethargy converge in any sport, the big loser is the onlooker hoping to be entertained.

Hence, at least in my view, one pocket is often interesting to watch, but in certain situations, it is far less interesting than watching two second graders playing hopscotch.
 
sjm said:
One pocket is interesting to watch, usually, but those racks in which one player protects a big lead by sending every ball uptable, ensuring that any comeback bid will take forever and a day, are unbearable to watch. Anytime I make this observation in the presence of a one pocket affcionado, I am reminded that this is best strategy. Perhaps so, but I had no regrets in 1996 when I walked out on such a rack played at Chelsea Billiards between Grady Matthews and Nick Varner.

It may also be best strategy for a baseball pitcher to throw over to first base many times in a row when a potential base stealer is on base, but the crowd will generally boo loudly by the third attempt, and rightfully so, because it is so darn boring to watch.

Whenever best strategy and interminable lethargy converge in any sport, the big loser is the onlooker hoping to be entertained.


Hence, at least in my view, one pocket is often interesting to watch, but in certain situations, it is far less interesting than watching two second graders playing hopscotch.
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Great analogy!

Jeremy
 
instroke75 said:
I know I'm gonna take heat for this, but how can people watch one pocket, it is sooooo boring! I tried to watch Gabe and Parica playing, and I literally about fell asleep in my chair!
It is like slow death,and i just don't understand the attraction!



Jeremy
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I love one pocket and I fall asleep watching it. It took me a year to get through the Hopkins/Varner 100 minute rack video.

It's definitely not an edge of the seat type game for tv. But it's really interesting to watch the tapes and catch the nuance of what's happening.

The attraction for me is watching the players jostle for position and try to force the opponent to give up a shot. Then when they do can the incoming player capitalize on it. You see so many more creative shots than you see in other games. Tickies, off angle banks, caroms, reverse english off the second rail, 3 rail banks into a carom, you see shots that you couldn't predict, you see all kinds of cue and object ball movement that you don't see in other games.

Shots like when a player looks like he is in jail with balls in front of the opponents hole and he plays a carom combination and draws the rock into the stack while at same time moving all the balls away from the opponents pocket and in front of his own. Who sees crap like like and can execute it on demand???

That's the beauty of One Pocket for me. Still puts me to sleep watching it - but when I wake up it's usually to another great shot.
 
Drew said:
You learn more by playing.
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Only if you have someone good enough to play. I pretty much guarantee you that if you allow two bangers to play each other one pocket for ten hours and a third banger to watch ten hours of high level one pocket that at the end of it the third banger will spot and beat the first two easily.
 
Different strokes for different Folks.You like catfish and I like Rib eye steak from Iowa.It does not mean that u do not know how to enjoy food.Some like one pocket and some like 8 ball.If some body did not like one pocket it does not mean that their skill and knowledge of cue sports is questionable.
I like to watch one pocket as long as the players do not act like retarded /morans taking too long studying the table and not shooting.I believe that one pocket is made less interesting to watch because of enormous amount of time taken to shoot by some players.I do not think the game will be that boring if the game is played by the fast players.

Tony chohan and Scott Frost make the one pocket more interesting because they can play the game very fast.

saying One pocket players can`t make the long shots is a Myth

saying One pocket is a old man`s game is another myth

Contrary to the popular belief I witnessed prevalence of more luck in one pocket than in 9 ball

One pocket teaches good cueball control which can be utilized in playing ther games like 9 or 8 ball.
 
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Personally I love watching one pocket because you see ideas of what they are doing which translates into all billiard games. I learned a love for 14.1 when I was 18 because of this. An excellent 1P player will teach you an appreciation of the game that you will not see anywhere else.

To me the object of 1P is imagination. Imagination is something every player should learn to create shots in your head.
 
ceebee said:
I like playing One-Pocket & watching it too. I like to watch the shots, as I try to learn more about the subtle nuances of a particular shot. Even a bunt, in One-Pocket, can be rewarding or become a disaster. When the players gets into a runout mode, it's just becomes straight pool in a dedicated pocket.

If the game ever progressed to pocketing balls in a numeric order & a required racking configuration, It would become most difficult for most.

The skill to play one-pocket is amassed by playing all the other games, for several years.... IMHO.
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What would the required racking configuration be if the balls were pocketed in numeric order?
 
JB Cases said:
Only if you have someone good enough to play. I pretty much guarantee you that if you allow two bangers to play each other one pocket for ten hours and a third banger to watch ten hours of high level one pocket that at the end of it the third banger will spot and beat the first two easily.
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I disagree...bangers work hard enough pocketing balls let alone playing position and safeties. 10 hours of serious play will improve the bangers' pocketing and position skills enough to completely destroy the third banger in any game including one-pocket. I am assuming, of course, that all three bangers can properly stroke a cue.

Substitute C players for bangers and the same phenomenon occurs. C players have enough ability to figure out some of the finer points of safety play and run-out play. 10 hours of serious one-pocket play will improve your C players enough to completely destroy another C player who has done nothing but watch one-pocket.

I think this might change when you get up to the shortstop/pro level. At this skill level, all players in question have the ability to run out, play great safes, and control the CB. Watching high level one-pocket will teach a shortstop/pro the necessary shots that are required at that level.

Eh...but what do I know? We should experiment with this.
 
One question. Why do you play/watch games that you don't like?? In any given pool room, there are way many more people who play 8 ball or 9 ball as opposed to One Pocket and /or Straight Pool. Even among serious players these days.
After I began to play serious pool in commercial pool rooms, I gave up 8 ball entirely. Nobody and I mean nobody but kids and beginners played 8 ball. Straight Pool was what everyone played most at that time, with some 9 ball and One Pocket. When the local opened here in SC, I played some 8 ball because the owner played it and he was the one I played the most. I have since gone back to my original decision to not play 8 ball at all. I don't like it and really, never have. If you've read my posts in the Push Out rules thread, you'll know that I don't much care for the current 9 ball game, either.
If the tables were available, I'd play Snooker and Three Cushion. The closest Snooker table is at Grady's, about an hour away. There are Billiard tables in Greenville, on White Horse Road, but with the price of gas, I can't afford to drive there on a regular basis.
I can play at home and play mostly Straight Pool.
Why play a game you don't like?
 
Vagabond is completely right in the fact that it is much easier to watch one pocket when people actually play! If they sit and ponder every shot it makes it excruciating to watch.
Also, I do agree with JB that you see shots that you would never see in any other game on a regular basis.
Oh well I'm gonna go play in a boring old $2000 added 9ball tournament now.

Jeremy
 
gunzby said:
Personally I love watching one pocket because you see ideas of what they are doing which translates into all billiard games. I learned a love for 14.1 when I was 18 because of this. An excellent 1P player will teach you an appreciation of the game that you will not see anywhere else.

To me the object of 1P is imagination. Imagination is something every player should learn to create shots in your head.
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absolutely, imagination is one of the most important aspects of a great one pocket player. the tournament games are very different in as much as they're racing to two or three, most play painfully safe. i've been to only about 3 or 4 tournaments and watched 3 tapes, after 15 minutes i'm bored watching and want to play. i love the game and have watched with better players, who asked what would you do here ? then explained what they would do and why. I.E. Jersey Red, Danny Jones, Marcel Camp. very interesting then. rep to you Gunzby.
 
Yeas ago in the early 50's they had Straight Pool, (14/1) on TV I have some of the old matches on DVD. They wore Suits to play, and it went off TV because the audence was BORED. Now they have 9 Ball on TV, and it is fast, and people watch it. I still love watching good player battle in out in a game of One Pocket.
 
instroke75 said:
...how can people watch one pocket, it is sooooo boring! I tried to watch Gabe and Parica playing, and I literally about fell asleep in my chair!
It is like slow death,and i just don't understand the attraction! Jeremy
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IMO...It ain't a spectator sport!
 
wake up and smell the roses- or go back to bed

Well you could take the game up a notch- play one- pocket on a 5-10 snooker. And then report back, you will be crying not bored -because you just might find out the games a little tougher on the snooker . play banks and 14.1. Get out the sleeping bag because it's gonna be a few months before you get bored---------- and then try running a few century's- POOL IS ANYTHING BUT BORING_ Is gambling on one -pocket boring? HERE"S a chance to see another match in olathe -Gabe and Tony- NOV30-Dec2 I watched gabe and Hosa P in 07 Cory Duel was there with gabe. It was anything but boring Jack------------ mark
 
HollyWood said:
Well you could take the game up a notch- play one- pocket on a 5-10 snooker. And then report back, you will be crying not bored -because you just might find out the games a little tougher on the snooker . play banks and 14.1. Get out the sleeping bag because it's gonna be a few months before you get bored---------- and then try running a few century's- POOL IS ANYTHING BUT BORING_ Is gambling on one -pocket boring? HERE"S a chance to see another match in olathe -Gabe and Tony- NOV30-Dec2 I watched gabe and Hosa P in 07 Cory Duel was there with gabe. It was anything but boring Jack------------ mark
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SheeaT! THat ain't tuff. Try getting liquored up and playin no handed. From a different zipcode. In Italian. On the moon. Over the www. With a dog. and a lizard.
 
instroke75 said:
I'm fine with your opinion, it's yours, you allowed to have one! But you have judged one thing wrong, the only people I have ever played the game against are people better than me, and most of the time significantly better than me to the point where I had a good bit of weight even to make it competitive!
And I play on my own dime, and will play most games! I love straight pool, and snooker, and i will play most any other game(including onehole) for the cash if I have half a chance!
So don't judge me cause i don't like your stupid game, but am still able to be competitive at it!

Jeremy
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I appreciate your candor, J, but it just all sounds a little weird to me. It sounds like you can get good action playing one pocket, yet you have an obvious dislike for the game. When I was getting good action playing one pocket, I made it a point to play as much as I could. I was fairly profitable for an extended period of time. Seems to me you could broaden your earning potential just by making a small effort to like the game a bit;) .
 
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