Me and a buddy are heading to Europe for 3 weeks to check out the pool scene. We are looking for suggestions of places to not miss. We plan to do pool halls during the day. But we are definitely more the dive bar 8 ball king of the hill type. We fly into Frankfurt but plan to hit any good pool within train distance. And of course Oktoberfest.
Europe pool scene
- Thread starter markusca
- Start date
Octoberfest is in OCTOBER iirc. You might be tad early. What you're looking for doesn't really exist in Europe. They have nice billiard clubs in general.
Oktoberfest ends October 3rd.
Short Bus Russ, an American in Germany. He may be in the know.
telinoz
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@ShortBusRuss tagged
Eh.... No such thing as "bar pool" in Germany. They literally don't play on 7 footers, anywhere. Most of the pool halls are centered around leagues, so most are membership based, and most members play in the league. You can visit a pool hall and pay a small daily fee,but most will not be open during the day.
I think the second week of August,there is a major pool tournament being played in Fulda, which is not too far from Frankfurt.
Sorry, other than that, I am not too familiar with anything outside of my local club. Fair warning: The average level of play here in Germany is prolly much higher than you would be accustomed to in the states, unless you hang around a high level pool hall. Everything is played on 9 footers, and people a couple a levels down from the top leagues are perfectly capable of running multiple racks of 9-ball / 8-ball / 10-ball.
And just don't play anybody 14.1, unless it is for fun and you just wanted to see how they play the game.
You can always come visit me for an evening in Mainz, about 30 minutes from Frankfurt... I have a table at my house.
I think the second week of August,there is a major pool tournament being played in Fulda, which is not too far from Frankfurt.
Sorry, other than that, I am not too familiar with anything outside of my local club. Fair warning: The average level of play here in Germany is prolly much higher than you would be accustomed to in the states, unless you hang around a high level pool hall. Everything is played on 9 footers, and people a couple a levels down from the top leagues are perfectly capable of running multiple racks of 9-ball / 8-ball / 10-ball.
And just don't play anybody 14.1, unless it is for fun and you just wanted to see how they play the game.
You can always come visit me for an evening in Mainz, about 30 minutes from Frankfurt... I have a table at my house.
@ShortBusRuss we shoot pretty good and both have 9’ diamonds at home. I think we can probably keep up with at least some of the Germans.
I was out a couple months ago. I found 3 semi promising bars in Berlin with a single American 7’ bar table. No games but it was a Tuesday night (I only had 30 hours there). I imagine there must be some game there on a Friday night even if it’s just a bunch of drunks messing around. In Geneva I found a pool hall like place near the college that had 2 Gabriel’s and 2-3 Brunswick’s. Since it was by a college it seemed like it had potential but I didn’t get there at night.
I saw a few pool halls and they seemed not like a single American could really walk in and get a game. Of course I also have a language barrier in France and Switzerland. Most people in Germany offered up English pretty quickly. Either way if we find a table we can be pretty happy for a long time just playing each other.
Thanks for the offer of hitting some at your place. We might take you up on it if you are serious.
I was out a couple months ago. I found 3 semi promising bars in Berlin with a single American 7’ bar table. No games but it was a Tuesday night (I only had 30 hours there). I imagine there must be some game there on a Friday night even if it’s just a bunch of drunks messing around. In Geneva I found a pool hall like place near the college that had 2 Gabriel’s and 2-3 Brunswick’s. Since it was by a college it seemed like it had potential but I didn’t get there at night.
I saw a few pool halls and they seemed not like a single American could really walk in and get a game. Of course I also have a language barrier in France and Switzerland. Most people in Germany offered up English pretty quickly. Either way if we find a table we can be pretty happy for a long time just playing each other.
Thanks for the offer of hitting some at your place. We might take you up on it if you are serious.
If you are in Munich anyway, great places to play are Q-Billard and Billard Star. Both are home to the 2 biggest pool clubs in Munich so plenty of players of mid to upper level around. In Berlin there is a great pool hall "Bata"-Bar & Billiards. Apart from that many clubs have their own locations not open to the general public, but they will be happy to welcome some serious players. Just google "Billardverein" and any major city name to find a club closeby.
should rename it septemberfest.
There’s a room in Munich called Bella billiards and bowling center. The equipment is ok, nice people there. I’ll look up the address later. I haven’t been in a few years but drove past it a month ago.
10 years ago around the main train station in Munich there were 7’&8’ boxes in some dive joints with slots. But they are all gone now. There was action in them as well, but as Russ noted-they play good, better than you would expect in those places. None left.
I’ve been to lord of pool rooms in Germany. Actually I’ll be in Germany next week. I mite bounce by somewhere-
Best
Fatboy
10 years ago around the main train station in Munich there were 7’&8’ boxes in some dive joints with slots. But they are all gone now. There was action in them as well, but as Russ noted-they play good, better than you would expect in those places. None left.
I’ve been to lord of pool rooms in Germany. Actually I’ll be in Germany next week. I mite bounce by somewhere-
Best
Fatboy
Did you plan on going anywhere else apart from Germany?
Funny.
I was going to say that last time I was a jelly doughnut I saw a few bar tables in...bars.
Wonder if we saw the same ones.
We only have 3 weeks but anywhere is an option. Definitely Geneva possibly Amsterdam possibly Paris. We still have 6 weeks to plan. That’s really why I am asking.
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Are you maybe still a jelly donut? Or are you now just a plain boring glazed donut.
Ich bin ein Berliner
Leaving the US to find the bar table scene is like leaving Egypt to seek out pyramids.
Of course, many local bars in England have English 8-ball, and I've found a couple of bars in Amsterdam that had a bar table, but the pool scene in Europe is not like ours in America.
Of course, many local bars in England have English 8-ball, and I've found a couple of bars in Amsterdam that had a bar table, but the pool scene in Europe is not like ours in America.
Not much happens in Geneva, I used to live there. In Zurich on the other hand you can come to my local pool hall, there are regularly money games big and small. It's only open in the evenings though from 5 pm. On Wednesdays they have a tournament with money prize and there is always side action.
What kind of action are you looking for?
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kanzzo
hobby player
If you come near Stuttgart check out Die Drei Pool Hall in Sindelfingen. Nice weekly Tournament every Monday with about 38 players participating and with a dozen top players being there. You will find plenty of action and get to know the local pool scene.
But as mentioned: 9 foot GC IV in top condition. No bar tables.
You could ask Ralph AKA Big Tatto here in the forum or Ralph Eckert (currently Berlin(?)) via his homepage about some places with action. They might know,
Sindelfingen in Stuttgart is known for good players and some Americans play there, too.
BTW - the 2nd largest Octoberfest is also in Stuttgart
Best regards
Gerhard
Sindelfingen in Stuttgart is known for good players and some Americans play there, too.
BTW - the 2nd largest Octoberfest is also in Stuttgart
Best regards
Gerhard
38 is a good turnout. 9 ball? Race? Buy in? If the bar scene doesn’t exist we don’t have a lot of choices. I can get bar games for $5 up to $150 for a single game here. But that’s not super regular. Most nights it’s just a shit show in a dive bar.