When did you fall in love with one pocket?

Trebor

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Action, USA
Some of us have to think back a lot farther than others, lol. Who can remember the year, where you were and/or a particular player or certain match that gave you a warm & fuzzy about the game that is the cadillac of all pocket billiard games.
 

lfigueroa

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Some of us have to think back a lot farther than others, lol. Who can remember the year, where you were and/or a particular player or certain match that gave you a warm & fuzzy about the game that is the cadillac of all pocket billiard games.

I fell in love with 1pocket the same way you fall in love with swimming when thrown into the deep end of a pool.

Moving to STL in the 90's I came to discover it was the only game anyone and everyone in town played.

Lou Figueroa
 

youngstown

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Pretty simple for me. Shortly after I read Tom’s book, I no longer felt as overwhelmed and started enjoying it much more. I could see what the options were, where before I just wasn’t seeing them. Also, I was playing cheap with our house pro and learned some patience, so it became just a matter of judging what I could execute. I still need to do better at playing the score though.
 

Tom Wirth

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Pretty simple for me. Shortly after I read Tom’s book, I no longer felt as overwhelmed and started enjoying it much more. I could see what the options were, where before I just wasn’t seeing them. Also, I was playing cheap with our house pro and learned some patience, so it became just a matter of judging what I could execute. I still need to do better at playing the score though.

How nice of you to say, Mark. I"m so glad my book was able to help you to learn a few things about the game and enjoy it more.
This makes my day! Thanks.

Tom
 

jrhendy

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Placerville, CA
Played it first on a 5 x 10 snooker table around 1956. Did not care for it much since I got beat every time. I did not have a clue and went for everything.

In 1960/61, I sweated two long sessions between Detroit Whitey and Johnny ‘Cannonball’ Chapman, and was growing more interested. I also was playing more on the pool tables instead of snooker and was matching up more at it because they were playing it at the action rooms around LA.

I played a bit of one handed snooker and golf. RA uses to give me three points at Hollywood Billiards for $5 a game and would get bored and quit because he could not win fast enough. I soon learned one pocket was a great game one handed, but would not fool with him.

I was lucky enough to sweat tons of one pocket watching great players from the sixties to the eighties. At my best, I was getting 8/6 from Grady and 9/7 from Hawaiian Brian and getting beat.
 
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Hardmix

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Feb 28, 2015
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Cumming Ga
When I returned to pool in 2015, after a 16 year hiatus, I found everyone was focused on 1P so I had no choice but to learn the game. In the beginning it was very frustrating to play, not knowing what to do and shooting at everything. Lol, it still can be frustrating at times. That said, the wwyd's on this site along with Toms book and watching 100's of matches on youtube sent me on my way. Now 1P is my preferred game by a long shot.
 

rich htx

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When did you fall in love with one pocket?​



when i found out you dont have to be a real straight shooter to play it
 

mr3cushion

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Sep 17, 2008
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Cocoa Beach, FL
Played it first on a 5 x 10 snooker table around 1956. Did not care for it much since I got beat every time. I did not have a clue and went for everything.

In 1960/61, I sweated two long sessions between Detroit Whitey and Johnny ‘Cannonball’ Chapman, and was growing more interested. I also was playing more on the pool tables instead of snooker and was matching up more at it because they were playing it at the action rooms around LA.

I played a bit of one handed snooker and golf. RA uses to give me three points at Hollywood Billiards for $5 a game and would get bored and quit because he could not win fast enough. I soon learned one pocket was a great game one handed, but would not fool with him.

I was lucky enough to sweat tons of one pocket watching great players from the sixties to the eighties. At my best, I was getting 8/6 from Grady and 9/7 from Hawaiian Brian and getting beat.

Hey John, hope you're coming along! Just curious, who won that match between, 'Whitey' & 'Cannonball?" I'd have to say, DW, if he wasn't dumping.
 

IE WILLIE

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I was 24 and made a 3 rail bank for the cash vs. Wayne Pullen in '96 @ Sherman Oaks House of Billiards. Gave up 9 ball after that..
 

mr3cushion

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Cannonball busted him the first time. DW pumped back up by hustling drinkers out of the Gay Nineties bar and won it all back plus.

I'm sure Steve L. could chime in here, about DW. IMHO, he played pretty close to, 'Cornbread's' speed in Detroit at 1P. He was just hard to trust.
 

gary

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Dec 2, 2018
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when I retired in 2000 I spent my afternoons at glass city billiards in toledo watching a daily group playing one pocket. At first it looked liked watching paint dry. After a bout a year it started looking more like a chess game. Then Toledo Joe Thomas began started showing what the game was really about. I have been hooked ever since.
 

baby huey

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If you hung around a "pool room" you were going to have to play one pocket at some point. It just rubs off on you. It's like going out on a date and falling in love at first sight. Especially if you score.
 

mr3cushion

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The only other cue game for hustling, if you know how is, 3 cushion! If you're a top player, there's dozens of ways to make games, stall, keep a customer for days/months. There was a guy that came into Chicago every Summer to sit in the bleachers and bet the Cubs. He also loved to play pool and 3C. After playing every game I could come with him for 7 or 8 seasons, the last offer was, we play 3 point games, he gets to make any kind of 3 cushion or more shots. I have to make all my points, 5 cushions or more! He wouldn't play, lag for the break, just alternate. At the end of play one day, I offered the game for the following day, He didn't come around in the evenings. He always liked to play on Table 7, in front of the Bar so everyone could sweat it. That night, I locked myself in Bensingers till 5am, practicing a 5 rail break shot on table 7 till I had it down pat. We always started for $100 a game, (this in the early 70's) 3 points was a pretty good bet! We'd get to, 2 or 3 hundred at the end of the day. BTW, back then, making the break shot on an old cloth and the old Brunswick's was no small task, and make it look lucky!

Artie used to play this same guy 1P, one & stop and 2 block 5's on a 5'x10' table.
 

12squared

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Fort Collins, CO
The only other cue game for hustling, if you know how is, 3 cushion! If you're a top player, there's dozens of ways to make games, stall, keep a customer for days/months. There was a guy that came into Chicago every Summer to sit in the bleachers and bet the Cubs. He also loved to play pool and 3C. After playing every game I could come with him for 7 or 8 seasons, the last offer was, we play 3 point games, he gets to make any kind of 3 cushion or more shots. I have to make all my points, 5 cushions or more! He wouldn't play, lag for the break, just alternate. At the end of play one day, I offered the game for the following day, He didn't come around in the evenings. He always liked to play on Table 7, in front of the Bar so everyone could sweat it. That night, I locked myself in Bensingers till 5am, practicing a 5 rail break shot on table 7 till I had it down pat. We always started for $100 a game, (this in the early 70's) 3 points was a pretty good bet! We'd get to, 2 or 3 hundred at the end of the day. BTW, back then, making the break shot on an old cloth and the old Brunswick's was no small task, and make it look lucky!

Artie used to play this same guy 1P, one & stop and 2 block 5's on a 5'x10' table.
How did you play the 5 rail break, short and pick up the 2 extra rails backing up?
 

12squared

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Fort Collins, CO
I'm still waiting to fall on love with one pocket 🤣😂

But it is the only pool game I really enjoy playing, it has a similar rhythm as 3 cushion which is what drew me to it to begin with. The "eyes" have it...

 

lll

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Mar 19, 2007
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vero beach fl
The only other cue game for hustling, if you know how is, 3 cushion! If you're a top player, there's dozens of ways to make games, stall, keep a customer for days/months. There was a guy that came into Chicago every Summer to sit in the bleachers and bet the Cubs. He also loved to play pool and 3C. After playing every game I could come with him for 7 or 8 seasons, the last offer was, we play 3 point games, he gets to make any kind of 3 cushion or more shots. I have to make all my points, 5 cushions or more! He wouldn't play, lag for the break, just alternate. At the end of play one day, I offered the game for the following day, He didn't come around in the evenings. He always liked to play on Table 7, in front of the Bar so everyone could sweat it. That night, I locked myself in Bensingers till 5am, practicing a 5 rail break shot on table 7 till I had it down pat. We always started for $100 a game, (this in the early 70's) 3 points was a pretty good bet! We'd get to, 2 or 3 hundred at the end of the day. BTW, back then, making the break shot on an old cloth and the old Brunswick's was no small task, and make it look lucky!

Artie used to play this same guy 1P, one & stop and 2 block 5's on a 5'x10' table.
What is
2 block 5’s?
 

sorackem

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Dec 4, 2019
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When I got into the habit of counting balls and determining pockets as soon as I walked up to a game.
Hard for me to say I 'love' OP as I am a weak ball mover and am not great with patience.
But decided it was OK to not be perfect but still play the game when I saw Hendy shoot at the wrong pocket one time.
I like rotation and 8-ball. I enjoyed playing quite a bit of Cribbage with Arturo - but One Pocket is compelling beyond any other game and I know that it will always be so no matter how much I learn.
 
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