Talking bout the breaks..............

[lfigueroa]

the best pocket for you is always the one that is more favorable to you than having your opponent have it.

for me the side of the table doesnt matter. but i want the hole that is easiest to pocket balls in, and the one that he wants and takes away his comfort level.

IMO the best pocket for you is the one you feel the most comfortable with and gives you the best results.

Breaking well often translates to breaking more consistently, which is a huge plus if you're always laying down a good break and putting the other guy in the pickle jar. Beyond that, if you're playing any kind of an accomplished 1pocket player, they're going to be able to handle the other pocket. If you're clubbing baby seals, then that's different.

Lou Figueroa

 

[Dennis "Whitey" Young]

For what it is worth I just watched the 2020 DCC match of Filler vs. Scott, both lefty's, and they both broke to the left corner pocket, the correct side by most player's thinking.
I like Steve's #37 post, where he rationalizes the prevalence of banks and safeties vs. actual scoring as being easier to reach when breaking towards the 'wrong pocket'. Adding just another example of why some players could rationalize breaking to the wrong side.
Whitey
Further edit, I have been practicing a little 5 rack ghost, and in playing that game I find I need to break to the correct pocket, for otherwise in breaking to the wrong pocket I find there are to many shots that I can not reach comfortably. This affect does not seem nearly as prominent in OP.
I'll have to contemplate this some more, but at this point I have to agree with Steve.
Whitey

 

[mr3cushion]

What's amazing to me is, some here are more concerned about not being able to play, defensively or banking a ball on the traditionally 'correct' side as opposed to not being able to run balls easier on the traditionally, 'incorrect' side! And this thinking in the age of, 'shooters!'

 

[Dennis "Whitey" Young]

It seems that of our members that are recognized as lifers, played the game for real, are in favor of breaking towards the correct pocket, unless there is some advantages reason to do otherwise.
I wonder if any RH Pros, or what RH Pros, actually break to the wrong pocket. I never paid attention, maybe Darmoose has!
Whitey

 

[Dennis "Whitey" Young]

To follow up on my previous post.

The top American OP players starting off their matches shooting to the wrong hole!
Whitey

 

[darmoose]

It seems that of our members that are recognized as lifers, played the game for real, are in favor of breaking towards the correct pocket, unless there is some advantages reason to do otherwise.
I wonder if any RH Pros, or what RH Pros, actually break to the wrong pocket. I never paid attention, maybe Darmoose has!
Whitey

Just watched Efren and Shane in the 2015 DCC OP tournament. They BOTH broke from the "wrong" side the hole match. Go figure. Course. Efren plays very well left handed, so it don't matter a lot.

 

[mr3cushion]

Just watched Efren and Shane in the 2015 DCC OP tournament. They BOTH broke from the "wrong" side the hole match. Go figure. Course. Efren plays very well left handed, so it don't matter a lot.

Efren started out with a bank with the, 'incorrect' hole. He lost the game because the bank on the 11 rolled out, (worst pocket).

 

[mr3cushion]

Efren started out with a bank with the, 'incorrect' hole. He lost the game because the bank on the 11 rolled out, (worst pocket).

Second game, Shane misses a bank the same way, ball rolls out to long rail!

 

[jtompilot]

You make a valid point. That opening sell out corner ball is huge. Something more to thing about LOL! Thanks!
We just witnessed Luna playing to what is considered the wrong pocket for a lefty and he sold out the corner ball and left easy cueing for Corey.
This maybe is why Hawaiian Jimmy (RH) always broke to the wrong pocket against Mika (RH). Who knows! Or, maybe he likes easy cueing along his scoring pocket's long rail. That is why I did it, and I did not put anymore thought process into it either than that, young and inexperience.

I want to thank Darmoose for the thread, and to those that offered up some tidbits about Fats. Whitey

Just watched Efren and Shane in the 2015 DCC OP tournament. They BOTH broke from the "wrong" side the hole match. Go figure. Course. Efren plays very well left handed, so it don't matter a lot.

In Scotts Power One Pocket, he breaks to the wrong hole. Tony breaks to the wrong hole. Almost all the top players break to the wrong hole. Its no longer the wrong hole by todays standards.

 

[beatle]

when that happens and they are both breaking at the opposite side they usually do, you can bet that that hole is much better.

average players dont pay any attention to the best hole unless its obvious to them. they break to the side they are more comfortable with.

 

[lll]

AtLarge on azbillia has many threads of stats of matches
on the one pocket tourneys and matches my brief perusal
of several threads showed a slight preference for breaking from the breakers right side to the left pocket
there were extremes tho
Stats -- Efren Reyes vs. Billy Thorpe One-Pocket, June 2019 | AzBilliards Forums
71 of 72 breaks from the breakers right side
Stats -- Filler vs. Chohan One-Pocket Race to 21, May 2020 | AzBilliards Forums
all breaks from left side

 

[Dennis "Whitey" Young]

In Scotts Power One Pocket, he breaks to the wrong hole. Tony breaks to the wrong hole. Almost all the top players break to the wrong hole. Its no longer the wrong hole by todays standards.

Pilot, this goes back to what I recall in the late '60's early 70's that players played to the wrong hole, which was not the wrong hole at that time, imo.
But I'll defer this because I did not get to watch or play that much OP in so. cal. But, what I have found out is that I am a time capsule when it comes to play, whereas players that continued to play tend to forget their earlier days of play. For instance no one could remember spotting balls frozen to the cb as the standard back then.

thanks for your post, more revelations are being brought forth.
I do agree when both players are playing to one hole, or both players are playing to the same and it is considered the wrong hole then the table probably favors that hole.
Whitey

 

[NH Steve]

What's amazing to me is, some here are more concerned about not being able to play, defensively or banking a ball on the traditionally 'correct' side as opposed to not being able to run balls easier on the traditionally, 'incorrect' side! And this thinking in the age of, 'shooters!'

Me, I believe.

Yes, because I see many more banks and safeties facing the other pocket, than I see cut shots that I cannot reach.

And you are generalizing -- "the age of shooters". I would not put myself in that "shooters" class. I rely on banks and moving, and short runs if I am lucky Did any actual "shooters" advocate breaking to the wrong pocket because they are more concerned about being able to play defensively or banking? No lol.

 

[mr3cushion]

Steve; you're being too modest! Don't short change yourself, you're in a class all your own!

 

[FreeMoney]

.....after many years of playing this game and watching many players at all levels, there is something that I just have never understood, and never have I gotten a good explanation when I have asked........

Can anyone explain why some players will routinely break from the "wrong" side (assuming there is no significant good or bad pocket), that is a lefty breaking to the right side hole or a righty breaking to the left side hole?

Most people consider which hole to break to because having balls on one side may provide breaker with a better reach. I am 6' 4" & break from "wrong" side because I get a better bridge. Reach is not an issue & I'm handy with a bridge !

 

[darmoose]

Most people consider which hole to break to because having balls on one side may provide breaker with a better reach. I am 6' 4" & break from "wrong" side because I get a better bridge. Reach is not an issue & I'm handy with a bridge !

Well, at 6'-4" you certainly have an advantage over shorter players...........but, could you explain how breaking from the "wrong" side can give you a better bridge.....and are you saying you would rather play certain shots to your hole with a bridge when you could avoid that by breaking from the "right" side?

 

[darmoose]

I also predominantly break to the "wrong pocket" lol. Being more of an occasional player than an everyday player, it's just easier to hit reasonably consistently from that one side.

Now all of you with the conventional wisdom about "you can reach more shots" when a righty has the left pocket -- that is true of course -- if you have made a ball and got position to run some more balls. BUT -- it completely overlooks the fact that we probably approach the table WAY MORE times every game facing the other side of the table -- and many cross corner bank opportunities too, of course -- and all of those safeties and banks are much easier for me to reach since I broke to the "wrong pocket". But hell yeah, if I was playing the One Pocket ghost, I would take the right hand pocket What say ye One Pocket wizards now?

Seems you are arguing that the "wrong" pocket is actually the "right" pocket. Leaving aside the fact that you are misstating the premise "you can reach more shots when a righty has the left pocket", actually the opposite is true. Talking about banks and safeties, it seems to me that there are far fewer banks and safeties that I cannot reach when playing to the correct hole, than straight in shots that I cannot reach when playing to the wrong hole.

Shots going directly to my hole being the majority of the balls that I pocket, making up the majority of the balls that I must pocket to win, seems to argue that these shots are the most important shots I will face in a game. If, as you were trying to say, that it is true that more shots are available when playing to the correct hole, then can there really be a logical reason of sufficient magnitude by comparison, that could overcome this truth and make it more advantageous to play to the "wrong" hole? I'm afraid I don't buy that..... ....I would liken that rationalization to referring to what is going on today in our country as "reasonable", metaphorically speaking....

 

[Dennis "Whitey" Young]

Westefre, you came up with yet another reason to break to the 'wrong side'.
Pilot, I will not dispute your statement; "that almost all top pros break to the wrong pocket". But in Scott Frost Power One Pocket instructional video he is selling this to mainly right hand players, so naturally he would break to that pocket. In viewing some OP videos of him he does break to either pocket.

But, being Left handed as Scott is, you have to play positioning different than right handed players because of reaching the shots! You have to be very aware of this when instructing. So therefore it makes sense that he breaks to the wrong pocket in his instructional video.

I just viewed some OP videos and only Dalton and Tony continually break to the wrong pocket, and possibly DeLuna, and now I noticed that Filler has switched and now breaks to the wrong pocket. The Rocket, Hatch, Shaw break to what is consider the correct pocket.

Possibly Lefty's are so right minded that they have a hard time switching hands for those shots that are along the wrong long rail.

I have not really noticed right hand players playing to the wrong pocket that much.

In ending this, when stretching for a shot there is a higher chance of missing it and losing position.
I just was watching a match that Scott Frost was commentating and he was asked what was the most important thing in playing OP, and he said; " in todays game it is running the balls, anyone can learn to move, yesteryear it was moving".
So I am sure not here to argue which pocket is best to break towards, I only stated why I broke to the pocket I did.

One thing that I do notice when playing to the correct pocket in 5 rack ghost is that when I get straight in on a shot by the long rail then in using the bridge it is sometimes precarious to draw stroke the draw shot. But, on the other hand if I play this game to the wrong side I do notice a lot of shots I have a hard time reaching, so I play this game to the correct side anyway.

But OP as of now I play to the wrong side.
Whitey

 

[Bmoretallpaul]

...well....I am pleased to see that at least most of those that do..do this, acknowledge that there is a correct and an incorrect side....

breaking from one side or the other has no correct or incorrect side. If it works for you than it’s correct

 

[vapros]

Darmoose kicked off this fascinating thread with a question - 'Can anyone explain . . .?' Well, he must be happy today, after so many people have explained it for him. Surely it has been established by now that there is a right side from which to break a rack of one-pocket, and also another side - the left side? Or is it the wrong side? I feel certain that when Joe Blow is breaking he doesn't believe he has chosen the wrong side, but there are many variables that have helped him with his decision, and a lot of them have been noted by the responders here.

A table can have unique influences - the pocket, the roll, the banking rails, light and shadow. His opponent might have a bias or a weakness that can be exploited. Is the breaker adept at stretching and shooting over an over-long bridge, and is he comfortable with the mechanical bridge? Can he switch hands like Bata or go behind his back like Django? And above all, does he just like breaking from this side? Does he do it better? Common sense has been cited and conventional wisdom, pro players have been called by name, their breaking preferences examined and critiqued.

Has anything been decided? No, thank goodness, but it has been a fine forum that may continue for a while longer, and the initial question has discovered a lot of people who could explain. You did good, Darmoose.