Good for your game or Bad for your game.

JoeyA

JoeyA

Efren's Mini-Tourn BACKER
Silver Member
I'm talking about one of those triple shimmed, 9 foot Diamond tables. You know, the one that can make you look like a banger at any moment in time; the table that punishes you for every mistake, the table that you can't cheat ANY pocket, the table with the worn cloth and when you hit the object ball it had better be headed for the dead-nuts center of the pocket or if it hits the facing with a little speed, it is guaranteed to be rejected.

I've heard different arguments. From those of you who have played on that type of SUPER-TIGHT table; what is your opinion and thoughts?

Is it good for your game? If so, why and what part of your game? If not, why and what part of your game is it bad for?

Thanks!
 
I've never played on one myself, but my lack of confidence in my game doesn't need any more help from a tough table. If I had to shoot on a tight table all of the time, I'd probably get frustrated and give the game up (like I did with bowling,several times now ;)). I likes me some BUCKETS!!!

Maniac (sucks at pool :embarrassed2:)
 
JoeyA said:
I'm talking about one of those triple shimmed, 9 foot Diamond tables. You know, the one that can make you look like a banger at any moment in time; the table that punishes you for every mistake, the table that you can't cheat ANY pocket, the table with the worn cloth and when you hit the object ball it had better be headed for the dead-nuts center of the pocket or if it hits the facing with a little speed, it is guaranteed to be rejected.

I've heard different arguments. From those of you who have played on that type of SUPER-TIGHT table; what is your opinion and thoughts?

Is it good for your game? If so, why and what part of your game? If not, why and what part of your game is it bad for?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Definitely good for your game imo. My current home table is just a generic 8 footer with 1 shim in the pockets. It was all I could fit in my house but good enough to keep me instroke. I havee a set of those pocket reducers I use at home as well on occasion. those are fun, and frustrating as hell as it will make the pocket tighter then it would be if triple shimmed.

I try to get out once a week to the poolhall and shoot on a triple shimmed Gold crown 3. It fixes you up right away. Forces you to play right. Not only does it help with ball making but it helps with position play as well. It will help you be more accurate when shooting those higher english shots and it will force you to play the simplest position route possible.

I always get that warm fuzzy feeling when I break and run a rack on that table. If my game is in bad shape, generally 2 hours on that table of breaking and playing racks by myself will fix me right up.

Im sure others may disagree and everyone is entitled to their own opinions. IMO, it is what I would want in my house.
 
I always like playing on this type equipment, I feel it makes you have to aim shots a lot better than looser pocket tables. I think there's a carry over effect, when you play on something with normal pockets you're dialed in and aim shots more accurately without trying to.

But that being said I go into it knowing that run outs will be rare, and I'm prepared to be cheated out of a lot of wins (that would go on normal pockets). That way I'm not discouraged by looking like a banger when I don't run as many balls as I would normally.
 
I have super tight pockets at home and it gets frustrating to jaw shots that would go in on any other table. I will say that when I go to my buddies house and his buckets, I play great. So yes they help my game, but the frustration level can be enormous.
 
too tighten or not to tighten

i've got a 9' table with 3.75" corner pockets and 3.5" side pockets, and it has helped my accuracy, A LOT. (It has also often helped in dealing with frustration.) What it has not helped with much is position play, as I'm usually overly concerned with making the ball, even when I'm practicing position. Usually what happens is I try to practice position, but then notice that I really still need work on making the ball.

I've had the table set up this way for almost a year now, and I'm not really sure it's helped me as much as I thought. I think that a very tight table is a great tool if you know how to practice on it. In other words, it's how/what you practice, not necessarily what you practice on. I'm going to give it another year before adjusting my table some, as I've noticed some flaws in how I play/practice, so the jury is still out.

there is something to be said for having a table at home that plays exactly like the ones at the pool hall that you gamble on...or like the ones at the tourneys you go to. (I'm sure you've heard this before, but you've probably only heard that from people who are against tight tables, so I thought it was worth saying from someone who is an advocate/owner of a tight table)
 
My table pockets at home are around 4 inches wide,, Im a firm believer that tighter pockets make for a more accurate shooter..

Whenever I go out to pool halls, there pockets in comparison are looser, which in turn for me, means easier to pocket balls,easier to set, easier to win money ..;)
 
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JoeyA said:
I'm talking about one of those triple shimmed, 9 foot Diamond tables. You know, the one that can make you look like a banger at any moment in time; the table that punishes you for every mistake, the table that you can't cheat ANY pocket, the table with the worn cloth and when you hit the object ball it had better be headed for the dead-nuts center of the pocket or if it hits the facing with a little speed, it is guaranteed to be rejected.

I've heard different arguments. From those of you who have played on that type of SUPER-TIGHT table; what is your opinion and thoughts?

Is it good for your game? If so, why and what part of your game? If not, why and what part of your game is it bad for?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I really don't understand the thinking behind the very tight snooker pockets. I know for 1 pocket players it is easier to give up the big weight.
My feeling is that the game is slowing down and making it more boring for the audience. But when gambling who give a rats ass about an audience?
in tournaments I would rather see the old 6 packs again vs 6 balls and the bitty bunt safety.
At 60 years old, they don't have pockets big enough for me though. At Conyers last year on that tight table I felt like I was tryin to thread a french fry into a needle.
 
JoeyA said:
I'm talking about one of those triple shimmed, 9 foot Diamond tables. You know, the one that can make you look like a banger at any moment in time; the table that punishes you for every mistake, the table that you can't cheat ANY pocket, the table with the worn cloth and when you hit the object ball it had better be headed for the dead-nuts center of the pocket or if it hits the facing with a little speed, it is guaranteed to be rejected.

I've heard different arguments. From those of you who have played on that type of SUPER-TIGHT table; what is your opinion and thoughts?

Is it good for your game? If so, why and what part of your game? If not, why and what part of your game is it bad for?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Bad.

There's a lot you can't do on these SUPER-TIGHT tables that are part of the beauty of the game and part of what makes better POOL players better.

I've got anecdotes, but so does everyone.

Freddie <~~~ anecdotally speaking
 
A table like that is very good to practice on, but it's not for tournaments IMO. The real tight tables are alright for two top players matching up if both agree. I have 4" rails and 41/2" rails. I leave the 4" on most of the time because it's only a 7' table. If it were 9' i'd just use the fours for practice. Johnnyt
 
I never thought tight pockets were bad for your game. The ONLY way they're bad for your game is if you have an ego to feed.

If you're playing someone, the table is brutal for both players equally... so that doesn't even come into play.

Dave
 
Cornerman said:
...There's a lot you can't do on these SUPER-TIGHT tables that are part of the beauty of the game and part of what makes better POOL players better.

Freddie <~~~ anecdotally speaking
Click to expand...
That is basically where I am with the matter: Depends on how you define 'better'.
 
Thanks for all of the great responses. I wanted to get a consensus of opinion and you've done just that.

My "current" perspective is:

That the table is very humbling.
You have to focus much harder to make each ball. You cannot take even a straight in 3 foot shot for granted (not that you should ever).
It seems that I try to pay more attention to cue ball position, since it is far easier to make a shot on this table if you are close to the object ball. So I play shape a little more carefully, choosing angles that are helpful in getting the cue ball where it needs to go.

The downsides appear to be that I can't cheat pockets. I can't power shots nearly as easily, especially long distance shots. I often find myself babying the shot, trying to make the ball instead of getting shape as well because I know that if I try to get perfect shape on some shots, I will wind up missing the object ball. Many times, I just have to take the harder shot and well, you know what happens when you have harder shots on tight equipment.... pfffft.

I am formulating my thoughts and I guess, if I practice on this super tight table with the benefits in mind, it is good. However, I fear that "regular" practice on this equipment may have me practicing the wrong things. Do any of you agree with this? I'm talking about not playing the tough shape, playing more safeties, babying the tougher shots etc.... One of you, I think Spiderwebcomm said something about ego and it doesn't feel good when another competitor is winning games after you have run 7 of the 9 balls, missed, and he plops in the 8 and 9 in for a win.....:(
 
Cornerman said:
Bad.

There's a lot you can't do on these SUPER-TIGHT tables that are part of the beauty of the game and part of what makes better POOL players better.

I've got anecdotes, but so does everyone.

Freddie <~~~ anecdotally speaking
Click to expand...
I agree.^
I say BAD for YOUR game.
If a player only played on tight pockets he will be missing a lot of pool
education...like positional shots and even the attention span to stay at
the table long enough to make a big run at straight pool.
Tight pockets encourage a 'pedestrian' game.

I also say BAD for THE game.
I've played a lot of pool and gambled a lot on tight pockets and showed
a profit....
..but I have NEVER played on tight pockets for pleasure.
...and a lot of people who say "These pockets are buckets!' will still
play more pool on them.
 
I don't mind if someone wants a triple shimmed table, I do think it would be a disaster to have more than 1 table like that in most poolrooms.
I keep hearing how easy the game has become but I don't see people putting many 4 and 6 packs together on the regular equipment let alone 10 and above.
Some people think it is equally hard for both players.
I agree it is equally tough, but the guy who shoots a little straighter has to have the edge, unless he never ducks.
What about the player who doesn't shoot quite as straight but has great cueball control and can move around the table well. He will have almost no chance because a lot of the shots he has to shoot are almost impossible to make because you have to go distance with English.
To me, you are just taking away one of the important variables of the game, that allows different types of players to have a chance.
If mostpeople want to practice pocketing balls into smaller openings , have them jump on the snooker table for an hour with regular size balls , they'll get over it.
 
I like the concept of temporary practice on a tight table. My buddy had a ten foot snooker table that we played on for a while and it got my shot making dialed in and I still benefit from that.

I had a table once where every shot was jacked up and it did wonders for my jacked up game.

Wouldn't want either for my permanent practice table though.
 
Bad

I Have played for years on a triple shim deep shelf pockets. I recently stop playing on it. The reason is anytime a table wont accept a certain type of a shot, it changes how you play the game. For example a power draw shot. Makes you play patterns that on a normal table you would not play. I think the table that TAR uses would be unplayable if the cloth was old, or slow.
 
one way or the other

Their great for practicing shots and doing drills..., Ok for one pocket, but at the end of the day I think Buddy Hall said it best....,

The game should not come down to who shoots the straightist, it should be about who plays the best!
 
I got a news flash for y'all....

**You can practice your accuracy on big pockets also.**
 
My "home" pool hall has one table with shimmed pockets and nine tables with buckets. As one of the higher skill level regulars there, I get asked this question a lot, and I think the answer varies depending on the person asking.

If the person is a new player or a player with poor fundamentals, there isn't much value in them trying to play on the shimmed table since it will just frustrate them.

If the person is a player that understands the game fairly well (knows multiple position routes, common patterns, etc.) and has decent fundamentals but has trouble making shots, I think that the shimmed table is a good table to practice on, but they should be alternating between that table and the bucket tables so that they don't get too caught up with making the ball and forget to develop their position play.

If the person is a banger that can fire balls in from anywhere but doesn't play position well, I tell them to practice on the buckets until they can run out a rack or two every night then try out what they've learned on the shimmed table.

If I'm talking to someone that occasionally runs a rack of 9-ball on the shimmed table, I tell them they are ready to learn one pocket. :wink:

If they string together racks on the shimmed table, they are out of my league and shouldn't be asking me questions.
 
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