ERIC MOREMAN
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- Joined
- Sep 2, 2009
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History
One-pocket is one of the most stringent tests of excellence in all of pool, as it requires great shot-making skills, bank shot excellence, planning, and patience.[citation needed]
American pool player and entertainer, Rudolph "Minnesota Fats" Wanderone, allegedly said the game of one-pocket was like chess (later admitting that he had actually never played a game of chess).[this quote needs a citation] On the other hand, Wanderone's public rival, Willie Mosconi, called one-pocket a gimmick game for gamblers.[this quote needs a citation]
The game is said[by whom?] to be similar to chess, with a beginning, middle, and end game. A player must be careful not to leave the opponent with a good shot, or the opponent may be able to capitalize on a successful shot for successive shots and never let the original player shoot again. A player may even intentionally pocket the opponent's ball,[clarification needed] conceding a point in the process, in order to prevent the opponent from being able to pocket that ball and use it to get shape (ideal cue ball position) on a subsequent next shot.
The first one-pocket tournament was held in 1961, promoted by the Jansco brothers. The winner of the event was Johnny Vives. Hayden Lingo, author of the first published rules on One-Pocket, wrote the rules adopted as the basis for the tournament rules.
The game is very popular with gamblers, and frequently attracts high stakes.[citation needed] However, it is a skill game involving little luck when played correctly. One-pocket plays a major role in the yearly Derby City Classic which is played in Louisville, Kentucky each January.
One of the most famous players of the game is Grady "the Professor" Mathews, who has written articles and published a number of instructional videos on the game. The two main reference works on one-pocket are Winning One-Pocket and One-Pocket Shots, Moves and Strategies, both written by player and gambler, Eddie Robins. The books, now out of print, often sell on the used market for over US$200 each. Another well-known one-pocket player is Efren Reyes. His victories in the game include the US Open One-pocket Championship (2000) and the Derby City One-pocket event (1999, 2004-2007 and 2014).
One-pocket was the main game featured in the 2007 film, Turn the River, the story of a female pool hustler who plays high-stakes pool. The film ends with a nine-ball match, with the main character saying that nine-ball "seems like a chumpy game for us."[citation needed]
Set up and break
Different from other pocket billiard games, the balls in a one-pocket rack are all placed randomly, similar to bank pool. The player making the break shot (typically after winning the lag) chooses a foot corner pocket for the rest of the game; all of that shooter's balls must be shot into that pocket. All of the opponent's balls must be made in the other foot corner pocket.
Handicapping
One-pocket is a very flexible game for players of different skill levels, and many variations are used to handicap a game. The stronger player, for instance, might need 10 points to win versus 6 points for the weaker player (called a "10-6 spot"). Also, as the break shot is so critical in the game, spotting someone the breaks can be a very strong equalizer.
Handicapping one player by allowing points to be scored on bank and kick shots only is a particularly challenging spot, as the free-scoring opponent has a much greater variety of options for both balls to pocket and safeties (defensive positioning of the cueball after a shot) to play against the opponent.
See also
Last-pocket, a one-pocket-inspired rule in informal eight-ball
Bank pool, a similarly stringent game
References
Robin, Eddie; Breit, Jack "Jersey Red"; Kelly, Ed "Champagne" (1993). Winning One-Pocket: As Taught by the Game's Greatest Players. Billiard World Pub. ISBN 0-936362-03-0.
Robin, Eddie (1996). One-Pocket Shots, Moves and Strategies: As Taught by the Game's Greatest Players. Billiard World Pub. ISBN 0-936362-04-9.
Koehler, Jack H. (1005). Upscale One-Pocket. Sportology Pubns. ISBN 0-9622890-3-5.
Accu-Stats Videos (lots of different matches on tape or DVD)
Turn the River (film) 2007
Official One Pocket Rules
External links
OnePocket.org
One pocket videos by the years
One-pocket is one of the most stringent tests of excellence in all of pool, as it requires great shot-making skills, bank shot excellence, planning, and patience.[citation needed]
American pool player and entertainer, Rudolph "Minnesota Fats" Wanderone, allegedly said the game of one-pocket was like chess (later admitting that he had actually never played a game of chess).[this quote needs a citation] On the other hand, Wanderone's public rival, Willie Mosconi, called one-pocket a gimmick game for gamblers.[this quote needs a citation]
The game is said[by whom?] to be similar to chess, with a beginning, middle, and end game. A player must be careful not to leave the opponent with a good shot, or the opponent may be able to capitalize on a successful shot for successive shots and never let the original player shoot again. A player may even intentionally pocket the opponent's ball,[clarification needed] conceding a point in the process, in order to prevent the opponent from being able to pocket that ball and use it to get shape (ideal cue ball position) on a subsequent next shot.
The first one-pocket tournament was held in 1961, promoted by the Jansco brothers. The winner of the event was Johnny Vives. Hayden Lingo, author of the first published rules on One-Pocket, wrote the rules adopted as the basis for the tournament rules.
The game is very popular with gamblers, and frequently attracts high stakes.[citation needed] However, it is a skill game involving little luck when played correctly. One-pocket plays a major role in the yearly Derby City Classic which is played in Louisville, Kentucky each January.
One of the most famous players of the game is Grady "the Professor" Mathews, who has written articles and published a number of instructional videos on the game. The two main reference works on one-pocket are Winning One-Pocket and One-Pocket Shots, Moves and Strategies, both written by player and gambler, Eddie Robins. The books, now out of print, often sell on the used market for over US$200 each. Another well-known one-pocket player is Efren Reyes. His victories in the game include the US Open One-pocket Championship (2000) and the Derby City One-pocket event (1999, 2004-2007 and 2014).
One-pocket was the main game featured in the 2007 film, Turn the River, the story of a female pool hustler who plays high-stakes pool. The film ends with a nine-ball match, with the main character saying that nine-ball "seems like a chumpy game for us."[citation needed]
Set up and break
Different from other pocket billiard games, the balls in a one-pocket rack are all placed randomly, similar to bank pool. The player making the break shot (typically after winning the lag) chooses a foot corner pocket for the rest of the game; all of that shooter's balls must be shot into that pocket. All of the opponent's balls must be made in the other foot corner pocket.
Handicapping
One-pocket is a very flexible game for players of different skill levels, and many variations are used to handicap a game. The stronger player, for instance, might need 10 points to win versus 6 points for the weaker player (called a "10-6 spot"). Also, as the break shot is so critical in the game, spotting someone the breaks can be a very strong equalizer.
Handicapping one player by allowing points to be scored on bank and kick shots only is a particularly challenging spot, as the free-scoring opponent has a much greater variety of options for both balls to pocket and safeties (defensive positioning of the cueball after a shot) to play against the opponent.
See also
Last-pocket, a one-pocket-inspired rule in informal eight-ball
Bank pool, a similarly stringent game
References
Robin, Eddie; Breit, Jack "Jersey Red"; Kelly, Ed "Champagne" (1993). Winning One-Pocket: As Taught by the Game's Greatest Players. Billiard World Pub. ISBN 0-936362-03-0.
Robin, Eddie (1996). One-Pocket Shots, Moves and Strategies: As Taught by the Game's Greatest Players. Billiard World Pub. ISBN 0-936362-04-9.
Koehler, Jack H. (1005). Upscale One-Pocket. Sportology Pubns. ISBN 0-9622890-3-5.
Accu-Stats Videos (lots of different matches on tape or DVD)
Turn the River (film) 2007
Official One Pocket Rules
External links
OnePocket.org
One pocket videos by the years
