Part of the reply below he sent to me is in the picture below. He went off on a long tangent about how before it was a hooligans game, and also about attitudes toward life, education and leisure. He said Chinese-8 has 'prestige' and playing this version on a simpler table gives a broader spectrum of people a platform to move onto the 'real 8-ball game' (Chinese-8)

He obviously used translation (hence 'table tennis' and some whackier comments later on in further comments). Interesting conversation. It's a bit like when snooker was taken from smoke-filled rooms of gamblers and gangsters and put onto UK TV. That's what his rhetoric reminds me of anyway.

At least this tournament has a confirmed set of rules now.

Texas Carom Club said:

atleast in this country

europe and asia arent falling over themselves to rush out the big tables and bring in the small ones

minus england where they play alot of both 6fters and snooker tables

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6ft is crazy.. but no doubt their bars are crammy and city real estate is an issue in the UK more than in mainland europe. i've seen another table for even smaller spaces, where one short end is pushed against the wall and the pockets are in the table along with pins

Shaft? Or just the butt?

Thanks

skogstokig said:

all except for the mixed combo sounds like WPA official rules

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Seems likely. I prefer no mixed combo following the break. Makes it far too easy.

DeeDeeCues said:

One is based on concepts learned from a couple hundred years of engineering, the other is the result of some dude thinking a lead screw looked cool.

I'd think the choice would be simple.

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So Bill Stroud invented the radial pin just for the hell of it?

Flakeandrun said:

I am familiar with, and prefer playing, call shot 8-ball. No mixed combo when nominating the suit, deliberate fouls ok, standard BIH for fouls (behind the headstring when on the break), no doublehit/push shots, rail after contact, all ball fouls. Whatever rule-set that is. I used to play with a German dude when I started playing, and these were the rules he played with me. I assumed they were straight from some kind of pool bible, given that's how by-the-book Germans generally are.

In the tournament mentioned, I had just assumed it was the same rules that everyone plays in casual games in that hall. I have to rabbit on a bit to get people to play call shot with me in the way I described above there (same as in my local). Had never had an issue with deliberate fouls, but then also doesn't come up too often for me. But then I've only switched from snooker for just over a year now.

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all except for the mixed combo sounds like WPA official rules

. . . double loser, as the kids used to say.

bbb said:

the discussion has been informative for me and i especially like nic barrows take on the issue
thanks to bob/matt/wobblystroke/brknrun/poolmanis and every one else for your comments

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Nic is probably world most dedicated man about shot mechanics. No matter how good your technique is he probably can make it even better. IMO ofc

One is based on concepts learned from a couple hundred years of engineering, the other is the result of some dude thinking a lead screw looked cool.

I'd think the choice would be simple.

For those of you who never saw Cisero Murphy play, here is a video of him playing in the US Open 14.1 in 1992, sadly past his prime. He only gets to 26 but there are several good shots of his stroke style.

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iusedtoberich said:

Thanks. Do you have a similar video for the squirt amount vs the sidespin amount?

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I don’t have a video, but equations and plots can be found here:

Thresh said:

I do, that's economics.

I'm in Illinois. 9 ft tables are rare. Simple fact is you can have more 7 ft tables in the same space.

I mean, maybe it's just Illinois? Maybe I'm the weird state where 9ft tables aren't the majority? Pool Halls in this area will have 35 seven foot tables and 5 nine footers.

Bars with tables always have 7ft. Even pool bars I go to have eight 7 ft tables.

I have a 9ft at home. I love 9ft tables, it's easier to play on a 9 ft. More break and runs, less break outs.

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While I respect your answer to my question, which was "yes" -- your opinion as to why your answer is correct, well, that I respectfully disagree with. What you portrayed about more 7ft tables in a space than 9ft tables is not economics. That's math. Math will certainly, absolutely, tell us that you can fit more 7ft tables into a space than 9 ft tables. Simple math. Simple mathematical fact. However, that's where the math ends. That has nothing to do with economics. Revenue, the results that come from either scenario, is completely a different story. Sure you have more tables with 7 footers, but who is to say they will generate more revenue than the 9 footers over time. Who is to say the pool rooms with 9ft tables won't be more popular, and last longer, than the ones with 7ft tables. Regardless, after the math fact, from that point, it's a fallacious discussion. Too many hypotheticals.

That said, where I come from, and in this area of the Northeast (let's say, NY, NJ, CT, PA), I think the opposite is true. Most of the pool rooms I have gone to have more 9ft tables than 7ft tables. Let others from this area tell me I am mistaken. With all variables being equal, except the tables, I would think that pool rooms with 9 foot tables will have a better chance to survive than pool rooms with 7 foot tables. One-timers and the once in a while players may prefer a 7ft table. But those aren't the players who are going to be your regulars and allow your pool room to survive over time. Regular pool players, players who play weekly or more, serious pool players, players like the members on this board -- like you and me, as you said you love 9ft tables, you have one at home, and so do I -- are we going to go to a pool room with only 7ft tables? I too love 9ft tables. I had a choice, and I chose 9ft. When I go to pool rooms, I play on 9ft tables only. I wouldn't go to a room with 35 seven footers and only 5 nine footers. I don't think it would be my kind of place. Maybe I am wrong about that, but I don't believe the majority of pool rooms industry wide are going to be 7ft tables in the future. JMHO. Thanks.

jax_joe said:

Is it smoking?

Thanks.

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No smoking at all in the Pool Hall. (The other Q-Ball is smoke free but they have a smokequarium in the middle of the pool hall.