First Annual OnePocket.org Members Tournament

Hosted by Lacy's Cue

Live Stream by onsitepool.com

live.onepocket.org

We have a full field of 32 players from around the US. Good luck to all the competitors!

I would like to thank all of the members of OnePocket.org who made this happen -- thank you!!! Also I would like to thank our hosts, Lacy's Cue and the Marina Motel, which has extended us reduced rates for this tournament.

Lacy's Cue

Marina Motel

Steve Booth, Administrator

One Pocket: A Game of Controlled Aggression

A new One Pocket book by Tom Wirth

Many of you may not be familiar with the name Tom Wirth, because he is one of those players that was not necessarily looking for the limelight even though he was a very good player, good enough to win one of the few major One Pocket tournaments he entered, Strawberry's World Tournament back in 1993.

Those of you that know Tom already know he is good at putting our complex game into understandable words, and that is exactly what this book is all about. Tom starts with overviews of the general principles of One Pocket, in particular the integration of offense and defense, and then goes on to illustrate and illuminate these principles.

One Pocket: A Game of Controlled Aggression is organized into basically three parts -- the early game, middle game and end game. It is very well illustrated with color photographs of game situations that each contain a key One Pocket move or concept. Many are shown in the "what would you do" format so you can engage your own thinking before you read what Tom has to offer. With each situation Tom walks you through his own inside scoop on the pros and cons of various shots and moves that many of us would easily overlook. Every new pages leave us with a better understanding of the game.

This book is great exercise for your One Pocket mind and is an excellent companion to the WWYD threads here in the OnePocket.org forum.

Whether you play One Pocket mainly just for the challenge or you like to play it for cash, this book will prove to be a solid investment in your One Pocket game. At $59.95 it is available from Tom directly by emailing trwirth369@gmail.com.

Mention promo code "Offense" and you will get a special deal of $50 and free shipping!

April 2016

2016 US Open One Pocket

April 18-21, 2016

Mark Griffin of Cue Sports International has announced the return of the US Open One Pocket for 2016. The host location this year will be Pool Table Magic (75 Ella Grasso Turnpike) Windsor Locks, CT. It will be limited to 48 players, with invites to former champions going out first. Based on a full field, first place will be $5,000 with $5,000 added. Entry $350 (including all registration and green fees). The format is double elimination (4 on winners; 3 on losers) with a single final race to 5.

For more information contact the host room: Mark Kulungian (markptm@aol.com or call 860-627-8494). Immediately following the US Open One Pocket CSI and Pool Table Magic are hosting US Open Straight Pool Championship

http://www.playcsipool.com/2016-us-open-one-pocket.html

The host room's web page:

Pool Table Magic

April 2016

1st Annual Senior One Pocket

April 15-17, 2016

Bogies Billiards in Houston TX has announced the 1st Annual Senior One Pocket Classic, which is for players 65 and older only. This is a companion tournament to the Super Senior One Pocket Classic which was held last October featuring only players 70 and older. The 2nd Annual Super Senior One Pocket Classic will return again in October 2016, exact dates still TBD. Both fields are limited to 24 players and will include a player auction. The schedule for both of these senior events is paced over three days to avoid marathon tournament days. However, the host room is open 24/7 to accommodate all the action players want.

This tournament is being live-streamed by Ray Hansen:

http://www.poolactiontv.com/

The host room's webpage:

http://www.bogiesbilliards.com/

January, 2016

2016 Derby City Classic

Brumback & Pagulayan unstoppable in Banks & One Pocket

John Brumback methodically worked his way through a crowded field to get back to a very familiar place for him at this year's 18th annual Derby City Classic -- the finals of the Bank Pool division. He was not to be denied this year, as he defeated young gun Jason Shaw in the finals for his third DCC Banks title.

Champion John Brumback takes aim for his third DCC Banks title

Understated Ohioan Alex Olinger finished third in his highest DCC finish, followed by Dennis Orcullo and Earl Strickland to round out the top five. This 18th year for the DCC marked a record setting field of 475 players in Banks and featured some fresh new faces coming into the final day, like Shaw, Olinger and Billy Thorpe, who finished a strong 6th.

October, 2015

Super Senior One Pocket Classic

October 23-25, 2015

June 29, 2015

'The Magician' Wins Again

Accu-Stats Make it Happen One Pocket

Arguably one of the best of all time, and not ready to cede to the next generation quite yet, Efren Reyes prevailed against a tough field of six younger stars of One Pocket in Accu-Stat's most recent Make it Happen tournament. The format was a round-robin among the six invited players (races to three), followed by a final race to three championship match between the two players with the best overall records after the round-robin play. The six players were:

Efren Reyes

Danny Smith

Shane Van Boening

Scott Frost

Justin Hall

Alex Pagulayan

Noted pool author Phil Capelle covered the complete event from start to finish, and generously shared his very thorough recaps with OnePocket.org.

Click here for Phil Capelle's complete match recaps

May 1, 2015

Donny 'Cincinnati Kid' Anderson Dies

June 9, 1929- May 1, 2015

Bank Pool legend Donny Anderson died of natural causes on May 1 at the ripe old age of 85. Donny grew up in Cincinnati, and was very close to the same age as two other great players who also grew up in the same area -- Eugene 'Clem' Metz and Joey Spaeth. The three of them competed with each other and traveled together as youngsters, sharpening all of their games as they matured. Donny especially took to Bank Pool, and he made that game his championship domain for the rest of his playing career. He was elected into the Bank Pool Hall of Fame in the class of 2007 for his outstanding contribution to the legacy of the game of Bank Pool. Among his other achievements, he won the very first "World Bank Tournament" in 1972 in Springfield, Ohio. He remained very competitive in Banks up into the first years of the Derby City Classic.

Donny Anderson's Hall of Fame page

January, 2015

2015 Derby City Classic

Daulton Banks out & Pagulayan runs away with the One Pocket

Shannon Daulton defeated his good friend and fellow Banks HOF player John Brumback to win his second DCC Banks title -- his first coming in 2000. Ironically, Shannon had tuned up for Derby City by visiting John and getting in some good practice on John's Diamond table prior to the tournament.

Banks champion Shannon Daulton & Marge

Efren Reyes finished 3rd in Banks. Efren has of course won everything at DCC over the years -- except the Banks. He had Daulton on the ropes in their semi-final match only to watch Shannon snatch away the win. Coincidentally, Daulton has won everything at DCC except the One Pocket.

With strong finishes in both the One Pocket and Banks divisions, Justin Hall was still in the running for the all around until he forfeited a morning match in the 9-Ball, but he made up for it but snapping off the Banks Ring Game Friday night.

The “Encyclopedia” of Pool Hustlers

Freddy 'The Beard' Bentivegna

'The Beard' has outdone himself. This is a great compilation of the kind of insider pool hustler tales that most people never hear second hand, let alone get close enough to observe in person, as Freddy has. In all my interviews with players, I have been impressed at the detail they can remember, but some have really stood out, and none more than Freddy. To me "The Encyclopedia" is not just his book, it really is the man -- Freddy 'The Beard' himself is a walking encyclopedia of pool action history. Other players have great stories to tell of course, but what sets Freddy apart is his ability to communicate so readily in all different media -- in person, in writing, in commentary and in video. To that degree, with that first hand knowledge, he is one of a kind.

Since The Encyclopedia was published, Freddy has been getting some well-deserved media attention, from Chicago to NYC, as the press is discovering the man behind the book, such as this great article that includes a video piece:

The Twilight of Freddy the Beard

In recent years Freddy has grown into a spokesperson and unusually big-hearted angel for many of the aging pool players of his generation, as great players like 'Bugs' Rucker, Jet Johnson and others got sick and passed on. Unusual for pool players, maybe, but for those who know Freddy well, they always knew he had a heart just as strong as his old hustler's killer instinct for winning. Now ironically, Freddy finds himself in the hospital battling the kind serious health issues that often seem to catch up to older pool hustlers. We all wish him the best in this different sort of battle, and look forward to a strong comeback from our pal, 'The Beard'.

The "Encyclopedia" of Pool Hustlers

is available directly from Freddy's website:

bankingwiththebeard.com

October, 2011

Johnston City

50th Anniversary of Jansco Brothers First Tournament 1961-2011

October 25th, 1961 the world of pool in America woke up to a remarkable new kind of tournament that shook the pool establishment out of a deep slumber. It was an unusual event on several fronts; one being the unlikely location for a major national pool tournament, deep in rural southern Illinois. Second, it was a game, One Pocket, not recognized by the established sanctioning body of pool in America at that time, the Billiard Congress of America. Third, the tournament boldly featured a number of known hustler pool players who had not participated in the few sanctioned events of the mid-century -- whether by their own choice, or because they were not invited due to their reputations. And finally, the promoter was a total newcomer to pool tournament promotions, a fellow who had his roots more in the gambling side of pool than the establishment side of pool, the remarkable George Jansco. So who were the Jansco Brothers, and what made them think a small town in southern Illinois could become the “Billiard Capitol of the World”?

Click here for more of the story about the Jansco's legendary Johnston City tournaments

Banking with the Beard

by Freddy Bentivegna

Freddy 'the Beard' Bentivegna has just published a unique new book on banking, entitled Banking with the Beard, Secrets of a Master Banker.  Chicago has for years been host to a culture of big action Bank Pool, home to legends such as 'Bugs' Rucker, Glenn 'Piggy Banks' Rogers, and of course, 'The Beard'.

Click here for our complete review