So, if we wanted to allocate a % of hashrate to a solo situation, using something like CK pool would be just as effective as mining to a node we had onsite/physically closer to our miners, themselves?

That's the takeaway I've came to with this thread. The orphan block comment was mainly what I was trying to understand, I guess.

What about working with smaller pools? Is that a thing? Where you combine forces/hashrate to a solo-like endeavor with a group of other similar minded miners trying to survive. ?

Thanks!