One Ball One Pocket

[darmoose]

I love all the rationalization

That works until a creative player perfects a shot that takes advantage of the opportunity to play an offensive shot. That would essentially kill the game.

Funny thing is, when Beenie told me about how they started it at Johnston City -- with the OB close to the jaws of the the opponent's pocket -- if I remember correctly he also mentioned they had to change that up because somebody came up with an offensive shot lol.

I would like to keep it simple and just say "The player to shoot first cannot shoot at their own pocket; they must play a safety."

If that doesn't do it, you could give the opponent the option of calling for a rebreak if the OB is left below the foot spot. I say option, because my experience (actually playing this game), is that if the opponent goofs and leaves the OB low, it is often a sell out of a cross corner bank. Why not punish a bad break? But the option of calling for a rebreak if the OB ends up below the spot would definitely limit gamesmanship if it was necessary.

As I have said previously, if you must have a rule to keep players from attempting to disguise an offensive shot why not try this............"breaker must direct OB to the opponents side of the table on his first shot"...........there are NO acceptable offensive shots available when a player must do this.

 

[darmoose]

I love all the rationalization advocating for everyone's version of the necessary rules. There is no requirement to follow the rules of OP. This is not OP...it is a different game (OBOP), it is already different in that the first shooter must play a defensive shot. There is no such rule in OP, so this ain't OP.

In limited time frames where any number of balls can be spotted and for decent money, you may find that this game can take a long time. It is being over thought and complicated unnecessarily.

It appears that experienced players from all over the country have played this game very differently much like the GOLF game where almost every PR has its own rules, therefore there is no right or wrong. And to think this game would confuse newcomers to our game is quite a stretch......

In its simplest form, where any foul is loss of game, it is still an end game exercise all the same. I love the term "sudden death" being used also to try to make a point.............all games are sudden death when a game ending event takes place........

 

[Bob Jewett]

... a simple rule: no offensive shot allowed. ...

If the two players disagree whether it was an offensive shot, how do you resolve the issue? What, exactly, is an offensive shot?

 

[BRLongArm]

If the two players disagree whether it was an offensive shot, how do you resolve the issue? What, exactly, is an offensive shot?

Please give an example

 

[stevelomako]

"The player to shoot first cannot shoot at their own pocket; they must play a safety."

Ok, if that doesn't do it, something like this should:

1. The player to shoot first must open with a legal shot that results in leaving the object ball above the foot spot. If they fail to leave the object ball above the foot spot, the opponent has the option of accepting the balls as they lie and continuing play, or calling for a re-break.​

That takes the whole question of safety vs offensive shot out of it.

Why can’t you win on the first shot?

You both have 7 and both need one.

 

[lfigueroa]

It's one ball one pocket.

In this universe there are no other balls to spot. You have not made any other balls. You have not run any other balls. You have not banked any other balls in. There are no balls in your rack.

It's one ball one pocket -- what is so difficult about that? It's an OB and the CB.

Lou Figueroa

 

[BRLongArm]

It's one ball one pocket.

In this universe there are no other balls to spot. You have not made any other balls. You have not run any other balls. You have not banked any other balls in. There are no balls in your rack.

It's one ball one pocket -- what is so difficult about that? It's an OB and the CB.

Lou Figueroa

Obviously, the game has been played both ways. Either no balls have been made or all the balls have been made and you are playing for one. Either version is ok with me. We play the latter down here, but I have seen it played both ways. In my opinion, it's a better game when you have to spot two because you don't leave a spot shot.

 

[Tobermory]

It's one ball one pocket.

In this universe there are no other balls to spot. You have not made any other balls. You have not run any other balls. You have not banked any other balls in. There are no balls in your rack.

It's one ball one pocket -- what is so difficult about that? It's an OB and the CB.

Lou Figueroa

in this universe, there are 14 other balls that could be spotted.

 

[NH Steve]

It's one ball one pocket.

In this universe there are no other balls to spot. You have not made any other balls. You have not run any other balls. You have not banked any other balls in. There are no balls in your rack.

It's one ball one pocket -- what is so difficult about that? It's an OB and the CB.

Lou Figueroa

You should try it some time

Actually, as I have always known it, it is One Pocket, but mimicking an end game that has come down to the last ball. That to me was the whole point of the game from the first time I played it. Treating it otherwise turns it into a bit of a gimmick in my opinion. With potential unintended consequences of the sort that come up when people mess with what already works, without vetting by trial at the very least.

 

[BRLongArm]

Another lifetime ago, I was in the army. The army teaches you the KISS principle. Keep it simple, stupid. I think the KISS principle would be a good guiding principle when dealing with rules. Keep them simple and few.

 

[NH Steve]

This is the way I see it.

One Ball One Pocket

An abbreviated form of One Pocket, beginning with just one object ball on the table.

1. Rules of play: All regular One Pocket rules apply.
2. The Break: Start with just one ball frozen to the center of the foot cushion. The breaker chooses their pocket and ‘breaks’ from behind the head string. The player to shoot first must open with a legal shot that results in leaving the object ball above the foot spot. If they fail to leave the object ball above the foot spot, the opponent has the option of accepting the balls as they lie and continuing play, or calling for a re-break.
3. Scratch or foul: In the event of each scratch or foul, the offending player spots up an additional ball and play continues with the offending player needing the additional penalty balls for the win.
4. Winning the game: The first player to score their game ball wins, as long as any applicable scratch penalties have been paid.

Optional "Sudden Death" Rule: Instead of Rule #3, any scratch or foul results in immediate loss of game.

 

[Tobermory]

This is the way I see it.

One Ball One Pocket

An abbreviated form of One Pocket, beginning with just one object ball on the table.

1. Rules of play: All regular One Pocket rules apply.
2. The Break: Start with just one ball frozen to the center of the foot cushion. The breaker chooses their pocket and ‘breaks’ from behind the head string. The player to shoot first must open with a legal shot that results in leaving the object ball above the foot spot. If they fail to leave the object ball above the foot spot, the opponent has the option of accepting the balls as they lie and continuing play, or calling for a re-break.
3. Scratch or foul: In the event of each scratch or foul, the offending player spots up an additional ball and play continues with the offending player needing the additional penalty balls for the win.
4. Winning the game: The first player to score their game ball wins, as long as any applicable scratch penalties have been paid.

Optional "Sudden Death" Rule: Instead of Rule #3, any scratch or foul results in immediate loss of game.

I can live with that, except:

1. Rules of play: With the exception of the following rules, all regular One Pocket rules apply.

 

[lfigueroa]

in this universe, there are 14 other balls that could be spotted.

If you are playing 9ball you don’t start spotting up the other six balls.

Lou Figueroa

 

[lfigueroa]

This is the way I see it.

One Ball One Pocket

An abbreviated form of One Pocket, beginning with just one object ball on the table.

1. Rules of play: All regular One Pocket rules apply.
2. The Break: Start with just one ball frozen to the center of the foot cushion. The breaker chooses their pocket and ‘breaks’ from behind the head string. The player to shoot first must open with a legal shot that results in leaving the object ball above the foot spot. If they fail to leave the object ball above the foot spot, the opponent has the option of accepting the balls as they lie and continuing play, or calling for a re-break.
3. Scratch or foul: In the event of each scratch or foul, the offending player spots up an additional ball and play continues with the offending player needing the additional penalty balls for the win.
4. Winning the game: The first player to score their game ball wins, as long as any applicable scratch penalties have been paid.

Optional "Sudden Death" Rule: Instead of Rule #3, any scratch or foul results in immediate loss of game.

Has the rule about the break leaving the ball above the foot spot ever been played anywhere?

Lou Figueroa

 

[Tobermory]

Has the rule about the break leaving the ball above the foot spot ever been played anywhere?

Lou Figueroa

I've never played it with that precise formulation. It has always been played that you can't win on the break and you can do whatever you want.

 

[NH Steve]

If you are playing 9ball you don’t start spotting up the other six balls.

Lou Figueroa

Thank God we're not!

The OB above the foot spot or option of calling for a rebreak -- something like that seems necessary for those either intending to game the usual much more vague "rule" or those afraid of being gamed. I threw it out there for consideration, that's all. If somebody can come up with something simpler I am all for it. I actually think it is unfortunate we need to say more than "The opening shot must be a defensive shot".

 

[NH Steve]

Thank you Tobermory

One Ball One Pocket

An abbreviated form of One Pocket, beginning with just one object ball on the table.

1. Rules of play: With the exception of the following rules, all regular One Pocket rules apply.
2. The Break: Start with just one ball frozen to the center of the foot cushion. The breaker chooses their pocket and ‘breaks’ from behind the head string. The player to shoot first must open with a legal shot that results in leaving the object ball above the foot spot. If they fail to leave the object ball above the foot spot, the opponent has the option of accepting the balls as they lie and continuing play, or calling for a re-break.
3. Scratch or foul: In the event of each scratch or foul, the offending player spots up an additional ball and play continues with the offending player needing the additional penalty balls for the win.
4. Winning the game: The first player to score their game ball wins, as long as any applicable scratch penalties have been paid.

Optional "Sudden Death" Rule: Instead of Rule #3, any scratch or foul results in immediate loss of game.

 

[Bob Jewett]

It appears that it would be possible to have all 15 balls back on the table.

How do you keep track of how many each player needs? Do their bins start with 7 each? Can they spot past 7 from their bin if it comes to that or do they start putting coins up? It may rarely come up but I think it needs to be covered.

I suppose you could start them with two balls each and if they need to spot another they lose. I think the rules need to say how many spottable balls each player starts with if you are going to be spotting balls.

 

[BRLongArm]

Thank you Tobermory

One Ball One Pocket

An abbreviated form of One Pocket, beginning with just one object ball on the table.

1. Rules of play: With the exception of the following rules, all regular One Pocket rules apply.
2. The Break: Start with just one ball frozen to the center of the foot cushion. The breaker chooses their pocket and ‘breaks’ from behind the head string. The player to shoot first must open with a legal shot that results in leaving the object ball above the foot spot. If they fail to leave the object ball above the foot spot, the opponent has the option of accepting the balls as they lie and continuing play, or calling for a re-break.
3. Scratch or foul: In the event of each scratch or foul, the offending player spots up an additional ball and play continues with the offending player needing the additional penalty balls for the win.
4. Winning the game: The first player to score their game ball wins, as long as any applicable scratch penalties have been paid.

Optional "Sudden Death" Rule: Instead of Rule #3, any scratch or foul results in immediate loss of game.

The break: Object ball centered on the foot rail, cue ball in hand in the kitchen. Alternate Break. Breaker may not shoot towards his pocket and must break safe.

Thereafter, standard one pocket rules apply.

 

[Tobermory]

It appears that it would be possible to have all 15 balls back on the table.

How do you keep track of how many each player needs? Do their bins start with 7 each? Can they spot past 7 from their bin if it comes to that or do they start putting coins up? It may rarely come up but I think it needs to be covered.

I suppose you could start them with two balls each and if they need to spot another they lose. I think the rules need to say how many spottable balls each player starts with if you are going to be spotting balls.

The most I've ever seen anyone spot is 3 for a total of 4 balls on the table. One time I can remember both players fouled and each needed 2 at one point. If you were afraid of losing track, you could use coins on the rail. You won't need a rule about spotable balls...just pull them from the tray as needed.