A checklist for players (new and old)

SJDinPHX

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u12armresl said:
Yes, the protect aspect seems underrated.

So how should this list be, a piece of paper, a flow chart, what?

I think it should be on a laminated plastic graph chart, along with CTE, or whatever aiming system the player is using, and hung around his/her neck...:rolleyes:

Sorry, a little bit of sarcasm there. But seriously, as a student of the game, the basic principles of one pocket should be the first thing you learn...They should be ingrained in your brain. If you have played the game long enough, you have already made the same mistakes often enough (Lord knows I have) to be very able to tell a good shot selection, from a poor one...You must also possess a certain amount of imagination, and creativity, and you won't find that on ANY chart...Every shot is a little different.

Only practice and dedication to learning will help...If it helps you to write everything down, by all means do it. But the sight of someone consulting a pilots "check list", before every shot...well, I just think the railbirds and your opponent, might have a field day with that...:p
 

lll

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vero beach fl
SJDinPHX said:
. If you have played the game long enough, you have already made the same mistakes often enough (Lord knows I have) to be very able to tell a good shot selection, from a poor one...
what we are trying to learn is how to tell the distinction between good shot selection and bad shot selection is BEFORE we shoot it:eek: :eek: :eek: :D
 

SJDinPHX

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lll said:
what we are trying to learn is how to tell the distinction between good shot selection and bad shot selection is BEFORE we shoot it :eek: :D

Larry,

I was just trying to point out, that almost everyone on this forum knows basic one pocket, ie; try and put balls by your hole, try and remove them from his.
Uptable when way ahead, downtable when behind. Risk/reward, etc....It ain't rocket surgery !

You are going to protect your balls as best you can, and so is he..Beginning, middle, and end game (assuming players are of even skill level) you are both going to do your best to keep from selling out a straight in, or a free bank.

You can read all the books, and watch all the DVD's, and still be confronted with several shots a game, you may never have seen before...Thats the beauty of the game. When that happens, whatever your skill level, you have to think to yourself, what would be the best thing to do in this spot.

You may be in a stone trap, with NO way out...It happens all the time, if it didn't, a game between 2 top players, would never end.

One pocket, can be the hardest game to teach, and it can be equally hard to absorb. But, I still maintain that you will learn more, by playing more, and watching live tough action, than you ever will by reading and taking notes.

I know you and RBL like to like to put up those "what to do" WEI table shots, and thats OK, they can be entertaining [sic] and you may pick up a thing or two...(especially when to take an intentional scratch)...But in case you haven't noticed, the better player's on this forum, seldom agree on the correct shot. (possibly an ego thing) Wheras, if they were playing live partners, a decision would be reached "pronto"....The point I'm trying to make is, you have to learn to trust your own instincts, based on your own ability.
If I could have had Scott Frost shoot for me, after I beat somebody to the shot, I too could have won a lot more games !..:p

Trust me, I'm a Nurse's Aide.

El Duck
 
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lll

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vero beach fl
SJDinPHX said:
Larry,

I was just trying to point out, that almost everyone on this forum knows basic one pocket, ie; try and put balls by your hole, try and remove them from his.
Uptable when way ahead, downtable when behind. Risk/reward, etc....It ain't rocket surgery !

You are going to protect your balls as best you can, and so is he..Beginning, middle, and end game (assuming players are of even skill level) you are both going to do your best to keep from selling out a straight in, or a free bank.

You can read all the books, and watch all the DVD's, and still be confronted with several shots a game, you may never have seen before...Thats the beauty of the game. When that happens, whatever your skill level, you have to think to yourself, what would be the best thing to do in this spot.

You may be in a stone trap, with NO way out...It happens all the time, if it didn't, a game between 2 top players, would never end.

One pocket, can be the hardest game to teach, and it can be equally hard to absorb. But, I still maintain that you will learn more, by playing more, and watching live tough action, than you ever will by reading and taking notes.

I know you and RBL like to like to put up those "what to do" WEI table shots, and thats OK, they can be entertaining [sic] and you may pick up a thing or two...(especially when to take an intentional scratch)...But in case you haven't noticed, the better player's on this forum, seldom agree on the correct shot. (possibly an ego thing) Wheras, if they were playing live partners, a decision would be reached "pronto"....The point I'm trying to make is, you have to learn to trust your own instincts, based on your own ability.
If I could have had Scott Frost shoot for me, after I beat somebody to the shot, I too could have won a lot more games !..:p

Trust me, I'm a Nurse's Aide.

El Duck
great advice and perspective dick:)
as you say there is no substitute for on the job training.
for me the what to do threads have taught me alot about how to look at situations and options
ive incorporated many shots i never would have thought about into the "data bank" when i come to the table
the disagreements for those that are not disagreeing:D are informative when they stick to the shot and dont get personal
because of the credibility of the person suggestiong the shot


eddie robins books are full of legends disagreeing on each others shots:)

trust me
im a sick patient who needs help:D
 

Skin

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Good post, El Duck-o. You are right on with my experience.

Once I got the basics of 1p down, I realized it was all a matter from there of learning the shots and angles, and deciding what I SHOULD do based on what I CAN do at my skill level.

There is no grand, overarching philosophy of the game to learn. It's just you and the balls on the table like in every other game - you learn by playing and paying attention. That simplified it enough for me to eliminate lots of mistakes due to taking too much risk for the reward or trying to manufacture something that is not there to begin with.

I win more and enjoy it more as a result. Some guys who used to be able to give me a couple of balls now aren't liking it even because I am not handing the game over to them on stupid shots. How sweet it is! :D

Skin
 
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androd

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New Braunfels tx.
Skin said:
I win more and enjoy it more as a result. Some guys who used to be able to give me a couple of balls now aren't liking it even because I am not handing the game over to them on stupid shots. How sweet it is! :D

Skin

Good job youngster ! :p :D
Rod.
 

u12armresl

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Something like

Can you make a ball in your hole (insert percentage say 90% sure)
if yes then shoot the ball

if no then
Is there a dead ball to their hole, a hanging ball in their hole, or a combo in the stack which needs to be immediately disrupted

if yes break up the combo, make the hanging ball (consider cue ball placement

if no can you move a ball to your hole or make a lower % shot AND get safe?
If yes shoot shot

if no


Something like this can anyone add (seriously) to it please. The jokes about carrying cards to the table etc. don't offer anything to the discussion.
 

androd

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u12armresl said:
Something like

Can you make a ball in your hole (insert percentage say 90% sure)
if yes then shoot the ball

if no then
Is there a dead ball to their hole, a hanging ball in their hole, or a combo in the stack which needs to be immediately disrupted

if yes break up the combo, make the hanging ball (consider cue ball placement

if no can you move a ball to your hole or make a lower % shot AND get safe?
If yes shoot shot

if no


Something like this can anyone add (seriously) to it please. The jokes about carrying cards to the table etc. don't offer anything to the discussion.

The underlined is a very important point and easily overlooked. Very good advice, u12armresl
Rod.
PS, Can you roll a little further and freeze your opponent to something. Also a good strategy.
 

u12armresl

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I'd like this to be something ongoing, so where would you put can you roll a little further and freeze your opponent to something.

if you are shooting at a ball, can you in the process move additional (bonus) balls away from the opponents hole (don't have to make a ball in your hole)

if you are shooting a hanger in your opponents pocket, if you simply make the ball and leave it there does it present an opportunity for a kick at the pack, or a cross corner bank.

IF yes, then make ball with english to put cue ball in a different position
IF no then leaving the cue ball in the jaws of the pocket is acceptable.

androd said:
The underlined is a very important point and easily overlooked. Very good advice, u12armresl
Rod.
PS, Can you roll a little further and freeze your opponent to something. Also a good strategy.
 

NH Steve

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New Hampshire
u12armresl said:
Something like

Can you make a ball in your hole (insert percentage say 90% sure)
if yes then shoot the ball

if no then
Is there a dead ball to their hole, a hanging ball in their hole, or a combo in the stack which needs to be immediately disrupted

if yes break up the combo, make the hanging ball (consider cue ball placement

if no can you move a ball to your hole or make a lower % shot AND get safe?
If yes shoot shot

if no


Something like this can anyone add (seriously) to it please. The jokes about carrying cards to the table etc. don't offer anything to the discussion.
Yes, I lost a game yesterday when my opponent kicked at just such a combination.
 

WhatWouldWojoDo

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I'm still new to one pocket. But I've put in a lot of practice and even more hours of watching matches and dvd's on one pocket. I tend to shoot 7-10 good to great shots, and then I still have that 1 shot that I get careless (double kiss and sell out, or let the cue ball go or something like that).

So I go through the typical thought process of:
Do I have threats out there? if so protect them
Does the opponent have threats? if so try to neutralize them
Can I move balls and protect them?
If I don't have a good position to do anything aggressive, where can I place the cue ball to leave him tough?

And I try to fine 2 or 3 options on each shot then choose the one that I can control the cue ball the best.

Lately my goal is to not get careless and sell out anything.
 

8andout

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Come up with an acronym

Come up with an acronym

I came up with the acronym PACS to remember before i break in one pocket. It keeps me consistant. (P- Placement of cueball on table, A- Aim point on the rack, C- Cuetip position on the cueball, S- Speed to hit the cueball). Make up one. Just 2 or 3 letters of important things to remember.
 

Henry

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Dec 15, 2005
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Here is what Ronnie Allen told me his proccess is on every shot

1. Walk around the table and check the stack
2. Decide if you are going to play offence or defence. and commit

The question is what is offence and what is defence in one pocket...
 

Dudley

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San Jose, CA
Experience is the best teacher.. It's hard to make general rigid rules because the situations are endless.

If you don't know with confidence what the outcome will be after you shoot than you are rolling the dice which is fine but the more you gamble on your shot selections the more you sell out.

Sometimes extremely aggressive shots are really the best option even though they are low percentage. But these choices are weighed based on the situation and probabilities that can only be understood over time.

Knowing your own ability to execute is paramount when choosing a shot.

Forcing shots that aren't there is probably the hardest thing to eliminate from ones game. It's easy to get tunnel vision and stop looking for other shots.

Rarely is there only one shot in a given situation.
 

Bill

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Washington DC
Shannon Daulton says that every time you step to the table It's a new game
and new shot.I think your saying the same thing,sounds like.John B.


very good ... I've always looked at each shot as a puzzle, now solve it ...

same as Shannon and yourself suggest
 

Bill

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Washington DC
The list is very simple.

1. Can I make a ball in my pocket and get position?

2. If not, how can I move the most balls toward my pocket and leave the cue ball in a tough position?

3. If I can not do 1 or 2, how can I play the best safety and leave the cue ball in the best place possible.

These rules have served me very well for the last 50 years.

Bill Stroud



list is short and sweet

excellent summary of how to maintain composure
 

Billy Jackets

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I just watched a match between 2 excellent players
One is a shotmaker, 1 a mover.
The shotmaker was on and everything he shot at went in.
Even the double kiss ones and the get 1 or sell out shots.
The shooter was waaay ahead in games when he shot a straight in ball with a ton of junk to get shape on the next ball.
The bad thing was, he didn't know the ball count and actually would have been out if he just shot the straight in.
He lost that game after being up 7 to 0
Lost the next game on opponents good break.
Next game didn't check the stack and left a dead ball and lost.
Shell shock sets in, and a whole day of playing awesome 1 pocket goes out the window because of a couple of lax moments.
I've watched this happen so many times with shortstop and above players you wonder what the underlieing meaning of it is.
I don't have the luxury of being able to run out every other game so I do the things I can do as perfectly as possible.
Always know which pocket is mine
Always know the ball count
Always get my balls out of the return when my inning is over.
Always know if I owe a scratch.
Always look for dead balls (to both pockets)
Always think whether it is better to be short or long on the shot.

These are things players of any level can and should do every shot.
In all my years of playing, in my opinion ,winning a match was not determined by superman shots but by performing to your level and not giving anything away.
It always seemed like no matter how many hours I played someone, if the game was near fair, the outcome was determined by 10 or less shots or moves,and usually they were not "monster" shots, just the meat and potato shots you should make a high percentage of the time, but for some reason, you could not make them on that day. Or you did not do one of the list above and lost games because of it.
To me, you gave your money away, and that feels worse than anything.
If you make a nice score maybe you could send something to Saint Judes Childrens Hospital.
Or don't ,whatever you think is right.
 

Island Drive

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I always ck the stack and look for and open shot. Next I look where my cueball needs to be and if there is more than one choice. From that viewpoint I'm able to realize my percentages of controlling the shot and its outcomes, and then come up with a decision.
 
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