small tight pockets in one pocket good or bad?

M

maha

from way back when
Silver Member
well i say bad. as thats about all i play and have been playing it for more decades than most around. that aside:

tight pockets seemed to be getting favored for one pocket. but i think by those fairly new to the game meaning like 20 or less years playing. or those that cant run balls and just bunt around.

what happens with tight pockets, it does make it harder to run out and certainly better to keep top pros from making it a shooting game. i understand that.

but for us mortals it also makes it near impossible to shoot many of the normal one pocket shots and play position off them. as in one pocket you don't have open tables like 9 ball with big areas of the table that position works from.

no longer can you hit long rail banks with speed and play position off them with sell out possibilities if you miss. as too many now hang up or go flying away.

even playing regular position on many shots you cant risk missing as they are not as easy and you leave shots for your opponent. so you have to cinch shots.

shooting long shots when needed being down to catch up, doesn't make as much sense with tight pockets as you sell out shooting them if not pro speed.

up table games take much longer as well, as it becomes one ball at a time game. and if you are behind, most times a much bigger dog to win the game
as balls go up table. so it favors the lead person even more to send balls up table.
 
maha said:
well i say bad. as thats about all i play and have been playing it for more decades than most around. that aside:

tight pockets seemed to be getting favored for one pocket. but i think by those fairly new to the game meaning like 20 or less years playing. or those that cant run balls and just bunt around.

what happens with tight pockets, it does make it harder to run out and certainly better to keep top pros from making it a shooting game. i understand that.

but for us mortals it also makes it near impossible to shoot many of the normal one pocket shots and play position off them. as in one pocket you don't have open tables like 9 ball with big areas of the table that position works from.

no longer can you hit long rail banks with speed and play position off them with sell out possibilities if you miss. as too many now hang up or go flying away.

even playing regular position on many shots you cant risk missing as they are not as easy and you leave shots for your opponent. so you have to cinch shots.

shooting long shots when needed being down to catch up, doesn't make as much sense with tight pockets as you sell out shooting them if not pro speed.

up table games take much longer as well, as it becomes one ball at a time game. and if you are behind, most times a much bigger dog to win the game
as balls go up table. so it favors the lead person even more to send balls up table.
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Really tight pockets also make it easier to take balls out. On a really tight table a player may have a ball somewhat open and you can defend by just putting him up table.
I remember seeing an older Marcel Camp playing a young guy and the player being coached to just leave him long. It was sad to watch. Marcel could not make himself not shoot.
 
few times does a one pocket player scratch unless its intentional. as he rarely sends his cue ball out of control.

it would help speed up that game though.
 
Was watching some of the one pocket in one of the recent tournaments. At a critical point in the match a player had his game ball in the pocket. And it was almost impossible for the other player to follow it in. He had to jack up and fortunately knocked both balls off the table. When a pocket is so small you can't even follow a ball in, that's too small.
 
maha said:
well i say bad. as thats about all i play and have been playing it for more decades than most around.
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Agreed...and I've been playing One Pocket here in Chicago for a few decades myself > 58 yrs. now to be exact...some of those early years I played on 5x10 tables < nowadays, I sure wouldn't want to be shooting those 10 foot long shots.
 
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I play a lot of one pocket too.
I play mostly on a Diamond with 4 1/8 pockets and the table plays great.
You can still ram a bank in if hit correctly on this table.
It's also easier to clear a hanger away in a tight pocket if you know what you are doing.
On a tight table pocket speed, when called for, and stroke to move whitey correctly is import also.
Remember, your opponent is playing the same tight pockets.
I personally think all one pocket should be played on tables with tight pockets.
 
tight pockets available for me is 4.25" ish, and yes i think it's better than the other (and closer) option i have which is GCs with 5" pockets. those 5" buckets take away banking options close to opponents pockets, make takeouts difficult, both of which i feel should be part of the game. but the buckets are great for straight pool
 
ghost,, good to see you back on here and out and about in the pool world talking.

nice to have super knowledgeable one pocket players that have gambled and been around the block.
 
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maha said:
ghost,, good to see you back on here and out and about in the pool world talking.

nice to have super knowledgeable one pocket players that have gambled and been around the block.
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Actually, I've been on here all along, but just lurking, hardly ever posting...and I'm still playing/gambling 2-3 times a week - torturing/frustrating those 20-30 yr.old youngsters, putting them in traps every other inning, lol.
 
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Hey Ghost, how you doing?

One thing players rarely mention is that the tight pockets give you a longer rail to bank balls in that would be impossible with a 4.5” or larger pocket. I personally believe 4 1/4 corners is the perfect balance between banking, takeouts, and runouts.
 
The owner where I play is a 1 pocket player and also a Diamond Dealer so he ordered several tables with extended sub rails taking pockets to 4 1/8” for 1 pocket.

It took a small adjustment but I actually like how they play and I play rotation on these tables as well. While the pocket is tighter, I came to the realization that when they extended the sub rails to take it to 4 1/8”, that this shortened the shelf a bit as compared to the other standard 4 1/2” Diamonds he has there. So I actually think that while the opening is smaller, the shelf being shortened actually lends to them playing a little better.
 
jtompilot said:
Hey Ghost, how you doing?

One thing players rarely mention is that the tight pockets give you a longer rail to bank balls in that would be impossible with a 4.5” or larger pocket. I personally believe 4 1/4 corners is the perfect balance between banking, takeouts, and runouts.
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What about bangers like me. Can’t bank worth a crap and a high run lately is 2
 
1 Pocket Ghost said:
Actually, I've been on here all along, but just lurking, hardly ever posting...and I'm still playing/gambling 2-3 times a week - torturing/frustrating those 20-30 yr.old youngsters, putting them in traps every other inning, lol.
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you are my inspiration ghost....:love:
 
My guess tighter pockets worked their way into this game because it removed the luck factor gambling and earning an income.
 
Tight or Loose is the same handicap, or advantage for all people playing on same table. Like one dead rail, cry or improvise, adapt & overcome.
 
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