Professional pool played on 7 footers... I don't get it

JazzboxBlues

JazzboxBlues

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
First off I've had a long layoff from pool and have always thought real pool was played on 9' tables. Since I've returned to the game it seems that 7 footers are more common place. I can appreciate the table quality of a 7' Diamond and would buy one if it was my only option. Now to the point of my post.

I was watching the Midwest Pro Am 8 Ball tournament last night and will be watching this afternoon. I just think these games should be played on a 9' table. I get the balls will be bunched closer on a 7 footer but think a 9' foot table would increase the overall difficulty. I could be off base but this is the way I see it.
 
Positively Ralf

Positively Ralf

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another one of these topics, alright!

Anyways, I have no problems with 8 ball being played on tight 7 footers. But that's just me.

As for other games, unless I'm going crazy, I do not see many pro events for 9 ball, 10 ball, one pocket and straight pool on 7 footers.
 
Bobkitty

Bobkitty

I said: "Here kitty, kitty". Got this frown.
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Silver Member
JazzboxBlues said:
First off I've had a long layoff from pool and have always thought real pool was played on 9' tables. Since I've returned to the game it seems that 7 footers are more common place. I can appreciate the table quality of a 7' Diamond and would buy one if it was my only option. Now to the point of my post.

I was watching the Midwest Pro Am 8 Ball tournament last night and will be watching this afternoon. I just think these games should be played on a 9' table. I get the balls will be bunched closer on a 7 footer but think a 9' foot table would increase the overall difficulty. I could be off base but this is the way I see it.
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One of my pet peeves also. Why have the best in the Country play on the easiest to play on tables? Even my game jumps way up on 7' tables. I think it boils down to ease of set up. The 7' Diamond tables use one piece slate, remains covered, and I think all they do is take off the legs and store them in a semi-trailer. 9' tables usually have 3 piece slate, must be recovered each set up, etc. etc. I know a lot of pool players that refuse to watch the pros play on the dinky tables. Someone needs to figure out why the British players are paid like our pro golfers and our top players barely make a living. Show me a pool player that lives like a top 100 pro golfer. It's all about TV coverage and that is driven by interest. I think if they played on 9' tables with tight pockets, interest would rise.
 
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terryhanna

terryhanna

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The hotseat match last night between Bergman and SVB was one hell of a match that's all i know.

I don't care what size table, that was fun to sweat both players running 6 and seven packs made one entertaining match imo
 
Texas Carom Club

Texas Carom Club

9ball did to billiards what hiphop did to america
Silver Member
In Europe the carom pros only play on 10ft tables
They make kids and newbies start on 7 and 8ft tables

I dont need to see pro pool players runnin packs on 7ft tables would lile to see it done on 9 akd 10ft tables

Oh but then you dont get as many people jammed in the place and sell much less beer thats what its become about here

No on plays 1pkt or 14.1 on small tables
rotation on small tables does not interest me
 
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G

gxman

AzB Silver Member
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8b race to 15 on a barbox for a pro is silly.

$1K entry and 8 player field. The $6K added is nice for them.
 
mvp

mvp

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I personally like the idea of pros playing on 7fter's. Most of us when we play competive ether state,local, or national level, we (amateurs) play mainly on 7ft tables. Most homes only accommodate a 7 or 8 ft table so I find it refreshing to relate to the professionals by playing and practicing with the same equipment more readily available to the common player.
 
D

daphish1

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
For world championships sure 9' tables. This is not a world championship. I think for pro caliber players 8 ball is easier on a 9' table, less clusters.

Most people don't know who pro players are and how good they are. Pool needs more of this type of event to introduce players to the masses and less WPA events that regular pool players don't watch.

In the commentary today they said barbox 8 ball is Corey Deuel and SVB's favorite game.
 
V

vjmehra

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
denwhit said:
One of my jet peeves also. Why have the best in the Country play on the easiest to play on tables? Even my game jumps way up on 7' tables. I think it boils down to ease of set up. The 7' Diamond tables use one piece slate, remains covered, and I think all they do is take off the legs and store them in a semi-trailer. 9' tables usually have 3 piece slate, must be recovered each set up, etc. etc. I know a lot of pool players that refuse to watch the pros play on the dinky tables. Someone needs to figure out why the British players are paid like our pro golfers and our top players barely make a living. Show me a pool player that lives like a top 100 pro golfer. It's all about TV coverage and that is driven by interest. I think if they played on 9' tables with tight pockets, interest would rise.
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Well said.

In bowling you start with bumpers and then bowl without.
In golf you start on a 9-hole and then move up to an 18.
In swimming you start in a 25m pool and then move up to 50m.
In the UK typically you start on 7ft English pool tables and the best move up to snooker.

Why pro's play on US style 7 foot tables in a mystery to probably everyone outside the US!
 
Pushout

Pushout

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I, for one. will NOT pay to see pro players play on 7 foot tables. I know better. Sadly, this is becoming more and more common for a variety of reasons, some of which are that a lot of bar table players know nothing else.
 
boogeyman

boogeyman

AzB Silver Member
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beneath_the_sur said:
In Europe the carom pros only play on 10ft tables
They make kids and newbies start on 7 and 8ft tables

I dont need to see pro pool players runnin packs on 7ft tables would lile to see it done on 9 akd 10ft tables

Oh but then you dont get as many people jammed in the place and sell much less beer thats what its become about here

No on plays 1pkt or 14.1 on small tables
rotation on small tables does not interest me
Click to expand...

Selling beer and getting people through the door is what's it has always been about, beneath.

TO EVERYONE: you all realize why things are going to 7 footers, right?
It attracts more people to the game.
Isn't that what we want? More people playing our game?

We can't have it both ways.
The more participation in an industry the more money that flows into that industry.

I can't believe I even need to even say this.
That's why I love pool players: always something to complain about.:)
 
Texas Carom Club

Texas Carom Club

9ball did to billiards what hiphop did to america
Silver Member
boogeyman said:
Selling beer and getting people through the door is what's it has always been about, beneath.

TO EVERYONE: you all realize why things are going to 7 footers, right?
It attracts more people to the game.
Isn't that what we want? More people playing our game?

We can't have it both ways.
The more participation in an industry the more money that flows into that industry.

I can't believe I even need to even say this.
That's why I love pool players: always something to complain about.:)
Click to expand...

Im no pool player :grin:
Beer is not why i play billiard games
 
boogeyman

boogeyman

AzB Silver Member
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vjmehra said:
Well said.

In bowling you start with bumpers and then bowl without.
In golf you start on a 9-hole and then move up to an 18.
In swimming you start in a 25m pool and then move up to 50m.
In the UK typically you start on 7ft English pool tables and the best move up to snooker.

Why pro's play on US style 7 foot tables in a mystery to probably everyone outside the US!
Click to expand...


VJMEHRA, it's no mystery.
It's very simple: U.S. culture.
We have a whole new generation that demands convenience and ease.

If we can "shrink" the pool game a bit and allow people to "see" the game a bit easier,
that stands to attract more players. Consider yourself educated in that area now.

By the way, golf has toyed with the idea of making the hole bigger.
 
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V

vjmehra

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
boogeyman said:
Selling beer and getting people through the door is what's it has always been about, beneath.

TO EVERYONE: you all realize why things are going to 7 footers, right?
It attracts more people to the game.
Isn't that what we want? More people playing our game?

We can't have it both ways.
The more participation in an industry the more money that flows into that industry.

I can't believe I even need to even say this.
That's why I love pool players: always something to complain about.:)
Click to expand...

That's cool if it works...but the state pro pool is in suggests it doesn't.

I get why pool halls want 7 footers and have no complaints about that, they need to produce revenue and if that's the best way to do it, it makes complete sense.

But the pro's should be playing on 9 (or even 10) footers, high value sponsors are not going to pay up to be associated with a bar game (which is what a 7 foot pool table is).
 
boogeyman

boogeyman

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Silver Member
vjmehra said:
That's cool if it works...but the state pro pool is in suggests it doesn't.

I get why pool halls want 7 footers and have no complaints about that, they need to produce revenue and if that's the best way to do it, it makes complete sense.

But the pro's should be playing on 9 (or even 10) footers, high value sponsors are not going to pay up to be associated with a bar game (which is what a 7 foot pool table is).
Click to expand...

Pros should not have to do anything.
They play on equipment that is afforded to them at tournaments.
They are at the mercy of the TDs.

Let me explain it in a different way.
By professional players playing on 7 foot tables, that is very conducive to the up-and-coming player who might think, "The game looks easy. Let me play some pool and maybe I can become a pro pool player."

I hope that example screams at you crystal clear.:rolleyes:
 
boogeyman

boogeyman

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vjmehra said:
That's cool if it works...but the state pro pool is in suggests it doesn't.

I get why pool halls want 7 footers and have no complaints about that, they need to produce revenue and if that's the best way to do it, it makes complete sense.

But the pro's should be playing on 9 (or even 10) footers, high value sponsors are not going to pay up to be associated with a bar game (which is what a 7 foot pool table is).
Click to expand...


Not sure where you are getting that correlation, vjmehra.
The game has evolved away from the smoky bar rooms years ago.
If a pool player wanna-be sees a 7 foot table, he/she will not think, "ooh a bar table."
They will see a table. Times are a-chaing, vjmehra.
 
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