One Pocket Ghost
Verified Member
I posted this on a thread over at azbilliards, and I thought I'd put it over here as well....it was on a thread about straight pool, and a poster was speaking to SJDick, but he was pretty much speaking to all of us diehard One Pocket players when he asked this question.....he asked, in so many words >>> "how can us One Pocket players say that straight pool is a boring game, and not think that One Pocket is a boring game, and he asked, how can it not be boring to play a game where you're usually not even trying to pocket a ball ?".........Pool players who don't play and don't like One Pocket are always saying One Pocket is boring - because they don't understand the game, or they don't have what it takes, ( brains and patience ) to play it.......Anyway, this was my answer to him......
" Brian, obviously, as my screen name implies, I'm a hard core One Pocket player - but I'm not prejudiced....although I don't, and have no desire, to play straight pool myself, I do think Straight Pool along with One Pocket, are hands down, the two best pool games ( and also 3c billiards ). As to your 'boring question.....
To a hard core One Pocket player, not shooting to pocket a ball in your inning is not boring at all - conversely, searching for and executing a beautiful safety, rearranging the balls in your favor, or sadistically trapping your opponent is extremely interesting and satisfying !....................And as for straight pool being boring, the real reason that straight pool is boring is usually not stated in these debates....to me, it's not the game itself or the shots in straight pool that define the 'boring factor' - it's the fact that if you're playing a decent to excellent player you will have to sit in your chair for 10, 20, 30, minutes at a time while he keeps shooting/running balls - THAT'S what's boring......Conversely, in One Pocket, you are shooting regularly, pretty much every minute or two - that's one very relevant reason why it's NOT boring to play One Pocket - every inning you are constantly involved/engaged in the game."
- Ghost
" Brian, obviously, as my screen name implies, I'm a hard core One Pocket player - but I'm not prejudiced....although I don't, and have no desire, to play straight pool myself, I do think Straight Pool along with One Pocket, are hands down, the two best pool games ( and also 3c billiards ). As to your 'boring question.....
To a hard core One Pocket player, not shooting to pocket a ball in your inning is not boring at all - conversely, searching for and executing a beautiful safety, rearranging the balls in your favor, or sadistically trapping your opponent is extremely interesting and satisfying !....................And as for straight pool being boring, the real reason that straight pool is boring is usually not stated in these debates....to me, it's not the game itself or the shots in straight pool that define the 'boring factor' - it's the fact that if you're playing a decent to excellent player you will have to sit in your chair for 10, 20, 30, minutes at a time while he keeps shooting/running balls - THAT'S what's boring......Conversely, in One Pocket, you are shooting regularly, pretty much every minute or two - that's one very relevant reason why it's NOT boring to play One Pocket - every inning you are constantly involved/engaged in the game."
- Ghost