Shooting one handed.

JAM said:
The best -- bar none -- one-handed player I have ever seen was Michael Gerace a/k/a Geese. He could draw the ball a table length jacked up.

In fact, one of his favorite games was to get a handicap playing his opponent one-handed, the cue never touching a rail.

Buffalo Frank from Buffalo, NY was also a great one-handed player, though he was better known for playing every shot with the rake a la Corey Deuel. :p

And I kid you not! :smile:
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I forgot about the Geese. He was GOOD! Close to Little Sergio's speed in 9-Ball and Eight Ball, but couldn't beat RA playing One Hole. Ask your room mate, he'll tell you the same thing. :smile:
 
jay helfert said:
I forgot about the Geese. He was GOOD! Close to Little Sergio's speed in 9-Ball and Eight Ball, but couldn't beat RA playing One Hole. Ask your room mate, he'll tell you the same thing. :smile:
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My room mate and Larry Lisciotti both told me that Geese was a "B player," which really used to piss me off! :D

I never saw RA play one-handed, but his legendary status as a one-handed player is well known. That's for sure! :smile:
 
JAM said:
My room mate and Larry Lisciotti both told me that Geese was a "B player," which really used to piss me off! :D

I never saw RA play one-handed, but his legendary status as a one-handed player is well known. That's for sure! :smile:
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I knew Geese too. Compared to Lisciotti and Keith, almost everyone was a 'B' player. They were both Double 'A' players! But Geese was a serious player who gambled good and was tough to beat. Some day i'll tell you about how I met him. He looked like a sucker and I hustled him to play Eight Ball in a bar. We played for $20 a game, a good bet back then. I thought I had a live one. And so did he. We became friends after that.:)
 
jay helfert said:
Wow, you took the words right out of my mouth, just as I was thinking of the best answer for him. Good job okinawa. Are you Okinawa Slim, the trick shot shooter who used to live in San Diego?
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No, I'm not Okinawa Slim.
The last time I played one handed was against an unknown player that beats up on international champs.
We knew it would be futile for me to play him normally because he can break and run all day long....unlike me.
So, we played one handed 8 ball, and one handed 8 ball-all bank shots.
I won almost all the games.
After the games, he showed me how important the back swing is. It helped my stroke.

-Mathew Pugh
 
okinawa77 said:
...After the games, he showed me how important the back swing is. It helped my stroke.
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I agree. I never understood how Allen Hopkins and Grady Mathews could execute shots with such accuracy and precision, with so little of a back swing, but they both can do and did so for a long time, phenomenally well.
 
Scott Lee said:
okinawa77...Yes, but this contradicts your comment about a backswing. That guy had NO backswing, and every shot was a poke or jab...imo, almost a necessary way to hit the CB when you're jacked up. One handed, with the cue on the rail is a different story. Then you can use your normal shooting technique. He played okay, for shooting any ball. He'd likely have a much more difficult time running the table, playing 8-ball or 9-ball that way.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
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Hi Scott,

I said it was a good example of one handed technique, not a great example. I agree he didn't have much if any back swing, and seemed to punch at the balls.....but he was just shooting basic shots. I agree he played okay for shooting in random balls....and on a tiny bar table.
I actually do have a small back swing when I play one handed. It helps on the power shots with draw/follow.
For 1-handed--jacked up or masse shots, I tend to use a little side-arm stroke.

For one handed-on the rail shots, I tend to grip behind the balance point, like a normal shot, and put a little downward pressure on the cue to keep the shaft/tip from lifting up during the stroke. I also apply a little downward pressure on open bridge shots for the same reason.

-Mathew
 
okinawa77 said:
Hi Scott,

I said it was a good example of one handed technique, not a great example. I agree he didn't have much if any back swing, and seemed to punch at the balls.....but he was just shooting basic shots. I agree he played okay for shooting in random balls....and on a tiny bar table.
I actually do have a small back swing when I play one handed. It helps on the power shots with draw/follow.
For 1-handed--jacked up or masse shots, I tend to use a little side-arm stroke.

For one handed-on the rail shots, I tend to grip behind the balance point, like a normal shot, and put a little downward pressure on the cue to keep the shaft/tip from lifting up during the stroke. I also apply a little downward pressure on open bridge shots for the same reason.

-Mathew
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Those techniques are what I've been now practicing to a tee. I agree shooting jacked up a punch stroke works to just pocket the balls but I found I was lacking a ton of power by not adding a backswing. The softer hit the punch stroke gives also put a lot of extra spin on the cue ball for me. I also find myself using extreme concentration when aiming. This has pointed to a glaring error for me in my two handed game, which was playing to complacent. I feel this is a good technique to pick up. When I start to master this I can probably get a lot more gamble out the nits at the bar.
 
recanizegame said:
Those techniques are what I've been now practicing to a tee. I agree shooting jacked up a punch stroke works to just pocket the balls but I found I was lacking a ton of power by not adding a backswing. The softer hit the punch stroke gives also put a lot of extra spin on the cue ball for me. I also find myself using extreme concentration when aiming. This has pointed to a glaring error for me in my two handed game, which was playing to complacent. I feel this is a good technique to pick up. When I start to master this I can probably get a lot more gamble out the nits at the bar.
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You might also notice when playing one handed, instead of trying steep cut shots, look for the bank or kick shot. It offers higher ball pocketing percentage and different CB paths.

Most shots are center CB aim and little to no english, but there are situations in actual games/matches that you have to use english to get shape on the next shot.

When you start using a back swing, you will notice more focus on your swing mechanics.
Take a lot of practice swings and try to get it to consistently hit the spot you are aiming for on the CB.
 
Last edited:
Ronnies one-handed game is gone

I got to pal around with Ronnie Allen and Larry price at the derby last yr. Ronnie tried to play 1 handed in a match, The opponent didn't like ronnies attempts. he smoked RA And he ran out from everywhere. But I sure did hear the story's, and how to handicap the horses. will be looking for both Ronnie A and Larry Price-larry might be looking to 3-peat. mark
 
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