Is Practice on a 10’ Table Advised for Matches on a 9’ Table?

ChrisinNC said:
I don’t practice much anymore between our weekly 9-ball tournaments, but curious as to opinions regarding if I’m only doing 2-3 one plus hour solo practice sessions a week, if it would benefit me to be doing those sessions on a 10’ table vs a 9’ table?

My feeling is yes, with the only issue being having to make the necessary adjustments in speed control for cue ball positioning. I’ve found myself often coming up a little short on cue ball positioning on the 10’ table, leaving myself with longer, harder shots than I should.

I’ll just need to make sure to dial back my positioning speed by 10% when playing a match on a 9’ table. I’m hoping I’ll be able to do this, but not sure. Opinions?
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If you use the diamonds in aiming some shots you will find the 7 foot and 9 foot tables are similar. The 8 foot and 10 foot tables are similar to each other.
 
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R2PQZ said:
If you use the diamonds in aiming some shots you will find the 7 foot and 9 foot tables are similar. The 8 foot and 10 foot tables are similar to each other. The angles are different on a 3 rail corner to corner kick shot. Diamonds are more important on 3 cushion billiard tables.
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Bavafongoul said:
Playing on a 10’ table helps your game. However, you really want to play on the same size table you’ll use
in a tournament to get ready. Why? The 10’ table will obviously play more difficult and so would a 9’ table
with really tight pockets. But your use of cue ball speed is different on a 10’ because of the larger playing
area. So you stroke the cue ball to cover the larger table to get shape and that same stroke on a 9’ table
wouldn’t achieve the same results. You want to master cue ball speed. Practicing on 10’ tables is fine but
before a tournament, you should be practicing on the same size & brand pool tables as in the tournament.
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If I may attempt to sharpen that point, all those long shots that now should play like ducks, will have you jacked up on a 9 footer. This, I theorize, ambushed many a snooker player before they figured it out.
 
Bavafongoul said:
Playing on a 10’ table helps your game. However, you really want to play on the same size table you’ll use
in a tournament to get ready. Why? The 10’ table will obviously play more difficult and so would a 9’ table
with really tight pockets. But your use of cue ball speed is different on a 10’ because of the larger playing
area. So you stroke the cue ball to cover the larger table to get shape and that same stroke on a 9’ table
wouldn’t achieve the same results. You want to master cue ball speed. Practicing on 10’ tables is fine but
before a tournament, you should be practicing on the same size & brand pool tables as in the tournament.
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This post is near perfect and I've little to add but shot selection may be slightly different on the ten-footer, especially in straight pool and eight ball, and, assuming you have an opponent, your defensive choices will be a little different in all the games. Preparing for a tourney, you'll do better to practice on the kind of equipment upon which you expect to compete.
 
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measureman said:
Would you practice golf at Pebble Beach if you were going to play at Augusta?
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No, but my table doesn't have sand traps, water hazards, deep rough, or women's tees.

Practice on bigger tables, or tables with tighter pockets is a definite advantage IF you don't get discouraged and understand what you are working on. For instance, if you practice on a stingy table, you have to realize that your accuracy is likely better than you need to play at the same level on an easier table. Simply aim for a smaller part of a bigger pocket and use your better accuracy to cheat the shot.
 
ChrisinNC said:
You’ll have to expand on that to explain exactly why that is the case, as I’ve never heard that before?
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The diamonds are important in 3 cushion. With cueball in one corner on head rail to kick to other corner on head rail the diamond count will be 5. Shoot into 3rd diamond and cueball will come off 2nd diamond on opposing rail and go into other corner. On each table 5 will be the diamond count. Some tables hit 3 and come off 2 to hit corner. Some you hit 2 1/2 and come off 2 1/2 to hit corner. Each shot requires running english. Once you figure out the table you can parallel the pattern for shots outside of the corners. Probably more confused now than before. If we were in a poolhall it would be easier to show you than explain it. In the 211 Club where I worked we had 9 foot pool, 10 foot pool, 10 foot billiards, and 12 foot snooker. Angles changed when going from 9 footer to 10 footer.
 
R2PQZ said:
The diamonds are important in 3 cushion. With cueball in one corner on head rail to kick to other corner on head rail the diamond count will be 5. Shoot into 3rd diamond and cueball will come off 2nd diamond on opposing rail and go into other corner. On each table 5 will be the diamond count. Some tables hit 3 and come off 2 to hit corner. Some you hit 2 1/2 and come off 2 1/2 to hit corner. Each shot requires running english. Once you figure out the table you can parallel the pattern for shots outside of the corners. Probably more confused now than before. If we were in a poolhall it would be easier to show you than explain it. In the 211 Club where I worked we had 9 foot pool, 10 foot pool, 10 foot billiards, and 12 foot snooker. Angles changed when going from 9 footer to 10 footer.
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If the angles changed it was a factor other than the size of the table. Different cloth, different rails, different cloth tension, or shorts not hitting the same relative pace were more likely the reason the ten played differently.
 
I have never noticed a difference as all tables are proportionate.. There are many threads on AZ and 1P talking about Diamonds playing short (or Brunswick playing long). I have always struggled banking multi rails on Diamonds. I think there a lots of factors. On a snooker table, smaller lighter balls, cloth speed and general condition, rails/rail profile and so forth. Obviously a bigger table takes more force to move around hence faster cloth is common. I use 760 for that reason. I am sure some pool table scientist like Bob Jewett could weigh in but why?
 
DeeDeeCues said:
No, but my table doesn't have sand traps, water hazards, deep rough, or women's tees.

Practice on bigger tables, or tables with tighter pockets is a definite advantage IF you don't get discouraged and understand what you are working on. For instance, if you practice on a stingy table, you have to realize that your accuracy is likely better than you need to play at the same level on an easier table. Simply aim for a smaller part of a bigger pocket and use your better accuracy to cheat the shot.
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That’s not really my mindset when playing on more forgiving pockets. I still shoot for the center of the pockets, which provides a larger margin of error as compared to tighter pockets.
 
R2PQZ said:
The diamonds are important in 3 cushion. With cueball in one corner on head rail to kick to other corner on head rail the diamond count will be 5. Shoot into 3rd diamond and cueball will come off 2nd diamond on opposing rail and go into other corner. On each table 5 will be the diamond count. Some tables hit 3 and come off 2 to hit corner. Some you hit 2 1/2 and come off 2 1/2 to hit corner. Each shot requires running english. Once you figure out the table you can parallel the pattern for shots outside of the corners. Probably more confused now than before. If we were in a poolhall it would be easier to show you than explain it. In the 211 Club where I worked we had 9 foot pool, 10 foot pool, 10 foot billiards, and 12 foot snooker. Angles changed when going from 9 footer to 10 footer.
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I don’t understand how the diamond aiming system would change for different size tables. In all cases from 7 foot to 10 foot tables, they are all twice as long as they are wide and the diamonds represent 1/8 of the length and 1/4 the width of the playing area. I’m thinking the only reason it would change is if the cushions are different or the cloth is different.
 
My personal opinion is it does not matter if you practice on a 7', 9', or 10' table, even if you were playing an event the next day. Practice is to get you and keep you in physical, mental, and decision making stroke.
 
DeeDeeCues said:
If the angles changed it was a factor other than the size of the table. Different cloth, different rails, different cloth tension, or shorts not hitting the same relative pace were more likely the reason the ten played differently.
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ChrisinNC said:
I don’t understand how the diamond aiming system would change for different size tables. In all cases from 7 foot to 10 foot tables, they are all twice as long as they are wide and the diamonds represent 1/8 of the length and 1/4 the width of the playing area. I’m thinking the only reason it would change is if the cushions are different or the cloth is different.
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I too have not heard of this, but there may actually be a geometry difference. I believe the distance from the diamond to the cushion nose is the same for all size tables. But the "perfect location" for a diamond marker is actually the gutter line on the cloth, where the ball's center is when contacting the cushion. Bob Jewett has some articles about this. Depending if you aim "through" the diamond on the rail, or "adjacent" to the diamond on the rail, the angle might actually be different when switching table sizes. It might also be different in both cases compared to the theoretical angle. I have not sketched this out, but it seems plausible. If the diamond was on the cloth in the gutter line, then the geometry should not change when changing table sizes.
 
Positive and negatives to this. The positive so you're going to have to deal with more difficult shots. When you get to the smaller table the shots should feel easier. The negative the cue ball path is going to be slightly different. I think it could be more of a positive you will get a feel for the cue ball path. You will have to adjust when you switch table sizes
 
Texas Carom Club said:
I just think to practice on what your gonna be competing on.
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Couldn't agree more. I started playing league this summer. I have a 9ft diamond and play on 7 ft diamonds at league. The league place I play at re clothed their tables with champion cloth and it plays fast as hell. The table is very lively much more than my 9ft. I have troubles adjusting for the first couple of matches every time. Having any table to practice on obviously can help but try to get as much time on the tables you are actually competing on. That's my .02
 
Never seen a 10' table in the wild.

I do play Snooker from time to time.
12' table, Smaller balls, napped cloth and rounded pockets.
Much harder game, good for sorting out cueing issues.
 
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