One Pocket then and now

[Roy Steffensen]

For you guys who have been around one pocket for a long time, what is the biggest changes in the way the game is played today compared to like 30 years ago.

Do people run out more often? If so, has that led to players hide the cueball better now, or leave less long banks etc?

Did players move better before? Bank better? Or is the level higher now?

 

[lll]

one big difference is RE-RACK IF YOU MAKE A BALL ON THE BREAK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
sorry roy i couldnt resist
i know thats not the answers you are looking for

 

[gulfportdoc]

For you guys who have been around one pocket for a long time, what is the biggest changes in the way the game is played today compared to like 30 years ago.

Do people run out more often? If so, has that led to players hide the cueball better now, or leave less long banks etc?

Did players move better before? Bank better? Or is the level higher now?

To my memory the game was played much more defensively until the emergence of Ronnie Allen's style. He not only ran out more, but he had the ability to move multiple balls away from your hole, and toward his.

Since then there's been a steady progression of run-out emphasis, especially once some of the young turk 9ball players started getting interested in one-pocket. And there are many many more players playing one-pocket now, especially in the past 15 years or so. The game has really evolved.

 

[unoperro]

Secrets aren't so secret anymore

 

[NH Steve]

I agree with the above!

• So much more information available these days compared to "back in the day"
• Many more really good shooters are playing One Pocket, putting that much more emphasis on the need to run balls well to keep up with them.

 

[Texas3cushion]

One pocket has become way more aggressive which I think it's the natural way of progression.

Makes me think maybe one day Joshua Filler will be firing at what chohan would fire at and then run out.

 

[unoperro]

One pocket has become way more aggressive which I think it's the natural way of progression.

Makes me think maybe one day Joshua Filler will be firing at what chohan would fire at and then run out.

That day is now.

 

[Texas3cushion]

That day is now.

Idk I haven't seen filler shoot at what chohan shoots at. But maybe I need to watch more of his 1p

 

[BRLongArm]

1. Simonis cloth makes the balls separate better, allowing for more offense;
2. The internet makes one pocket tactics available for all to learn, so young players are learning in months what took many years in the past.
3. The elite ball shooters have made it an 8 an out game, rendering the movers all but obsolete.
4. It is a global game now because of the DCC so all the world's great players now play one pocket.
5. Because of the internet and smart phones, hustling and road play is largely obsolete, so one pocket is largely seen in tournament play, rather than gambling. There is less stalling now, so you can see a player's true speed.

 

[Texas3cushion]

1. Simonis cloth makes the balls separate better, allowing for more offense;
2. The internet makes one pocket tactics available for all to learn, so young players are learning in months what took many years in the past.
3. The elite ball shooters have made it an 8 an out game, rendering the movers all but obsolete.
4. It is a global game now because of the DCC so all the world's great players now play one pocket.
5. Because of the internet and smart phones, hustling and road play is largely obsolete, so one pocket is largely seen in tournament play, rather than gambling. There is less stalling now, so you can see a player's true speed.

I hate that your right. But hey there are still many moves in 1p that decent players don't know.

 

[baby huey]

Clean balls

 

[JesseBFan]

1. Simonis cloth makes the balls separate better, allowing for more offense;
2. The internet makes one pocket tactics available for all to learn, so young players are learning in months what took many years in the past.
3. The elite ball shooters have made it an 8 an out game, rendering the movers all but obsolete.
4. It is a global game now because of the DCC so all the world's great players now play one pocket.
5. Because of the internet and smart phones, hustling and road play is largely obsolete, so one pocket is largely seen in tournament play, rather than gambling. There is less stalling now, so you can see a player's true speed.

in the early 90s when I first started playing 1pocket I was playing a guy that was pretty close in skill level it was gambling really until the guy went to the bathroom or something and Shannon walked over to me and said "stop ducking those 50/50s he can't run balls good as you, the safest shot is 8 and out" And so I did. Beat the guy pretty soundly over the next couple days.

agree with everything here but would just say that as long as there's a suitable table around(9') I've seen people playing 1 pocket and 9/10 times I've teed it up for cash it's been playing 1pocket.

 

[BrookelandBilly]

Secrets aren't so secret anymore

Probably the most profound statement about the game overall. When I started playing in 1961 in podunk East Texasit was all hit and miss. Experimental. I knew things were happening but had no rhyme or reason for understanding it or even what to call it (squirt?). Systems? Aiming? Forgetaboutit.

 

[lfigueroa]

Back in the ancient times 1pocket was something of a dark art.

Then, in the 90’s with the advent of Accu-Stats VHS tapes, you could watch, rewind, and learn. Ronnie Allen said: shots it took me years to learn — 17 year old kids are shooting nowadays.

Lou Figueroa

 

[NH Steve]

Back in the ancient times 1pocket was something of a dark art.

Then, in the 90’s with the advent of Accu-Stats VHS tapes, you could watch, rewind, and learn. Ronnie Allen said: shots it took me years to learn — 17 year old kids are shooting nowadays.

Lou Figueroa

At the same time Eddie Robin's books came out, pretty much. He was selling them at Grady's tournaments that Accu-Stats were video taping. Come to think of it, Grady also started coming out with One Pocket instructional tapes around that time.

That VHS wave has long since morphed into the YouTube tsunami of information (and a little misinformation lol).

What is next??

 

[NH Steve]

What is next??

Well, to answer my own question, I would say things like the live streaming networks, but on steroids, with some kind of real-time ai generated version of commentary as part of it

 

[lfigueroa]

At the same time Eddie Robin's books came out, pretty much. He was selling them at Grady's tournaments that Accu-Stats were video taping. Come to think of it, Grady also started coming out with One Pocket instructional tapes around that time.

That VHS wave has long since morphed into the YouTube tsunami of information (and a little misinformation lol).

What is next??

Amazon will drone-drop an AI robot named Cortana to your home or PR to coach you.

Lou Figueroa

 

[Jeff sparks]

Clean balls

always helps before that “ BLIND DATE”

 

[Gary Astro]

1. The game has become more imaginative as well as aggressive.
2. Instruction (youtube) is readily available.
3. Gambling * for all intent has disappeared.

* The inspiration behind the invention of One-Pocket (That $10 shot you were 90% assured of making dropped to 65% at $50 - thus causing you to not even shoot it.

 

[El Chapo]

I think what should change is the talent should take care of the “marketing” themselves. Take the two best players in the world as an example. Who doesn’t want to watch them play? So you set up a couple of cameras and pay per view it. And that’s it, the income is all theirs. Pool isnt too corporate anyway so it’s perhaps not the best example, but I think all talent should do this… like tennis players etc. Actually in the news we see tucker Carlson doing what I am proposing now. Regardless of what you think of Tucker, the model he is proving to work is the talent leaves the corporations and sets up their own revenue structure. This can be done in any field. Corporations have only manipulated things so they make money off of talent. It doesn’t have to be that way.