considering how much the American pool fan hates bar tables, I'm curious to know if fans from the uk look down on blackball/English 8 ball tournaments. which btw, aren't those tables smaller than the bar boxes here?
what do uk players and fans think about blackball and english 8 ball tables?
- Thread starter Positively Ralf
- Start date
I'm from the UK.
I used to play snooker to a reasonable level.
Now I play on american 9ft tables (8ball, 9ball, 10ball)
I was never a fan of English8ball, but mainly because of the small cueball.
Also in my day the rules made it a very negative game.
Being predominately a pub game, the tables were vastly different mainly due to lack of maintenance and abuse. I never took to it.
I always saw it as snookers poor relation. Whereas I see the american 9ft table and disiplines as just 'different'
I used to play snooker to a reasonable level.
Now I play on american 9ft tables (8ball, 9ball, 10ball)
I was never a fan of English8ball, but mainly because of the small cueball.
Also in my day the rules made it a very negative game.
Being predominately a pub game, the tables were vastly different mainly due to lack of maintenance and abuse. I never took to it.
I always saw it as snookers poor relation. Whereas I see the american 9ft table and disiplines as just 'different'
The smaller cue ball really gets me. Understandable back in the day but now there are *smart* " American" tables that use lasers to distinguish the white ball from the others - no oversize or under size or magnetised cue ball needed. They are for sale on the open market in the UK, so no reason why English pool tables shouldn't have the same option. But what really really gets me is that in tournaments, where a pub coin op has no relevance, the game is still played with the coin op small size cue ball.
All that aside, I'm not a fan of the game. Pool for me is about being able to cheat the pocket (as much as the pocket tightness allows), being able to play rail shots with speed and being able to use your margin for error on the clean no wipey feet pot to do things with the cue ball that a player of the same skill level couldn't do on a snooker table. The snookerisation (and I love snooker by the way) of the game and the negative defensive rules killed the game as an enjoyable recreation. The official rules (Blackball and World Rules) that are now often used in league play make the game much much better and are by stealth taking the game back to its "American" pool roots. I have nothing against the game and it is challenging and therefore worth playing but even now it just isn't pool for me.
6ft pub tables compound the negatives for me. 7ft tables, found in pool halls and some pubs make it a game (but why play it when the same pool hall has a 9 ft "real" pool table?). Never played on an 8 footer but would like to give it a go. Don't hate it just really don't like it and don't see the point of it when a better game (that can be played on 7ft, and even 6ft , tables in pubs is available. If it's the only game in town I'll play it 24/7 if I'm available to play. If there's a choice then I will play pool or snooker and not "snooker pool".
Some players prefer it, good luck to them and I have tons of respect for the players that play it at the elite level. I even watch them on YouTube but it's still not really pool for me.
All that aside, I'm not a fan of the game. Pool for me is about being able to cheat the pocket (as much as the pocket tightness allows), being able to play rail shots with speed and being able to use your margin for error on the clean no wipey feet pot to do things with the cue ball that a player of the same skill level couldn't do on a snooker table. The snookerisation (and I love snooker by the way) of the game and the negative defensive rules killed the game as an enjoyable recreation. The official rules (Blackball and World Rules) that are now often used in league play make the game much much better and are by stealth taking the game back to its "American" pool roots. I have nothing against the game and it is challenging and therefore worth playing but even now it just isn't pool for me.
6ft pub tables compound the negatives for me. 7ft tables, found in pool halls and some pubs make it a game (but why play it when the same pool hall has a 9 ft "real" pool table?). Never played on an 8 footer but would like to give it a go. Don't hate it just really don't like it and don't see the point of it when a better game (that can be played on 7ft, and even 6ft , tables in pubs is available. If it's the only game in town I'll play it 24/7 if I'm available to play. If there's a choice then I will play pool or snooker and not "snooker pool".
Some players prefer it, good luck to them and I have tons of respect for the players that play it at the elite level. I even watch them on YouTube but it's still not really pool for me.
Blackball rules make the game a lot better, the older (and still used, but not as widely) World Rules were far more negative.
As for the table size, its just a practical thing, but given the pocket size and cut I think it can still be harder to pot a ball close to the rail than on a 9ft American style table.
The small cue ball is stupid, I wish they would change that.
Personally I would like to see 7ft Chinese style tables (i.e. snooker style pockets, but everything else the same as a 7ft US bar box), I think that would be a great way to start standardising pool around the world.
All that said, the IPA tour in the UK seems to be going from strength to strength, they are even showing matches live on free to air TV from next month, which frankly is pretty amazing. They also have a tie in with a leading UK bookmaker and sports bar chain.
So for me, if the choice is between a 9ft American table or a 7ft English table, I'd go for the American 9/10, but if they are both 7ft, I'd probably opt for the English table...although if someone ever makes a rounded pocket table for American pool balls I'd definitely give that a go!
As for the table size, its just a practical thing, but given the pocket size and cut I think it can still be harder to pot a ball close to the rail than on a 9ft American style table.
The small cue ball is stupid, I wish they would change that.
Personally I would like to see 7ft Chinese style tables (i.e. snooker style pockets, but everything else the same as a 7ft US bar box), I think that would be a great way to start standardising pool around the world.
All that said, the IPA tour in the UK seems to be going from strength to strength, they are even showing matches live on free to air TV from next month, which frankly is pretty amazing. They also have a tie in with a leading UK bookmaker and sports bar chain.
So for me, if the choice is between a 9ft American table or a 7ft English table, I'd go for the American 9/10, but if they are both 7ft, I'd probably opt for the English table...although if someone ever makes a rounded pocket table for American pool balls I'd definitely give that a go!
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