how long do you propose those races should be, for it to not become a lagging contest? and who would promote such an event?
Pocket Size
- Thread starter Mole Eye
- Start date
how long do you propose those races should be, for it to not become a lagging contest? and who would promote such an event?
klikr
Active member
I'm not a promoter, so I can't really tell. Snooker fans seem to be okay with races to 19 or so.. Also maybe doing quicker 2 sets of races to 4 or 5? saw that in a tournament recently, can't remember which one it was, found it fitting... the lagging contest character of things... maybe throw a coin instead? at each beginning of a set?
It is not possible for pro tournaments to be played on worn cloth, so the only option is 4-inch pockets, so in my opinion, Matchroom has it right.
For a longer tournament, by the end of the first week (if they don’t replace the cloth) the tables will start playing a little closer to how 4-inch pockets should play - brutally tough for us amateurs but how they should play for the pros.
I suggested to RKC to make some pool templates.
Surely there’s simple technology for accomplishing this.
Just run it through a machine like they do jeans.
I do not want 9 ball to turn into snooker!!
Unfortunately with 4 inch pockets, it’s headed that way.
I remember back with 5 inch pockets and folks playing One Pocket. You could see some great deep pocket ball extractions. You can't do those shots today.
Couple of three factors here. 1. Cloth speed. 2. Shelf depth 3. Pocket size 4. Pocket cut angle.
Personally I think pockets should be 4.75 with in between angle and depth. No smaller than 4.5 in. This is not snooker. You should be able to pass a ball past another ball.
Slow the cloth and equipment down, guys will have to stroke harder and in turn miss more. Players today can poke and barely stroke the ball and move whitey all over the place. On brand new cloth I can draw the ball and make it do a car burnout. It's ridiculous.
Couple of three factors here. 1. Cloth speed. 2. Shelf depth 3. Pocket size 4. Pocket cut angle.
Personally I think pockets should be 4.75 with in between angle and depth. No smaller than 4.5 in. This is not snooker. You should be able to pass a ball past another ball.
Slow the cloth and equipment down, guys will have to stroke harder and in turn miss more. Players today can poke and barely stroke the ball and move whitey all over the place. On brand new cloth I can draw the ball and make it do a car burnout. It's ridiculous.
I have played snooker in British clubs on cloth so thick you wouldn’t believe….42 ounce….slow pool cloth tends to be about 24 ounce.
the game was horrible….pro snooker has gone to speedy cloth and it’s raining centuries….the game is beautiful.
…..the most money I ever won in one session was snooker on a 5x10 with carom cloth…never had one surprise, like skid or roll-off.
….if pool went to coarse, cheap cloth again, I’d quit playing…hell, I like 3-cushion, anyway.
Do you realize that the balls go airborne on those horse blankets most of the time?
Pocket size is not important as how much elasticity the rubber has, if cushions/rubber is soft - cushions will slide instead of rebounding. With soft cushions and customized facings in pockets - a 4 1/2" pocket can play very easy. The recent changes in tightening matchroom sports pockets - was much needed. So if some promoter stated "the only Thing i did to that table is put in new facings" just note the pockets may accept a ball like rainwater through a sieve
How much have you played straight rail? What's your high run?
I'm genuinely curious, pt.
I’ve never played straight rail. I‘ve been remiss in this, Raymond Ceulemans said you need it to be a top 3- cushion player.
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4.5 is pretty much the ideal size for everything. Enough that you need to actually make the shot, big enough you don't need to be a 700+ Fargo to use it.
I don't like different table setups in the same room, if they have tournaments on them. Tighter pockets are nice for those that want the challenge but then pose an issue during tournaments when players can be playing on a table they make balls on to one that all of a sudden rejects the same exact shot. Matches on tight pockets end up being like matches between two D players, it's whoever hangs up the game ball that wins.
It's a fun and difficult game (for me). I would like to know how quickly a player of your caliber could get good at it.
I'm not good at it.
That definitely is a problem. If most of the tables were 4.5”CP, and only a couple were 4.25”, it is a much better balance than 50/50 is for conducting a tournament. Sierra Billiards isn’t set up for a tournament with only eight (8) 9’ tables. A field of 16 with double elimination or a field 32 with single elimination is the largest field Sierra could accommodate. Nonetheless, having a new pool hall with new immaculately maintained Diamond tables where I can play anytime for $65/mth is wonderful.
If table conditions don't allow a top pro to split a pocket and come 4 or 5 rails around for shape, there's a few items that create this.
Pockets are TOO small, pocket facings are not cut correctly, or the room is VERY humid with dirty balls and cloth.
Pockets are TOO small, pocket facings are not cut correctly, or the room is VERY humid with dirty balls and cloth.
not happening. these are 256 or 128 player fields, it's just not manageable.
that is happening. it's called the predator pro series, and is the main 10-ball tour atm. it's effectively a lower tier tour because the top pros don't like the format.
Snooker is a different game entirely and comparing, or worse yet migrating closer it will only hurt American pool. Pool is in my soul, and is now unwatchable to me. Tight pockets take the 'fun' shots out of the game. The shots casual fans actually come to see. The 'how the hell did he just do that' shots. What's wrong with pool is that IT'S JUST BECOME F'IN BORING. Tighter tables and glass slick cloth only magnify it.
Load that MF'er up with high right, fire it in like your life depended on it, come around 4 rails for the 9, look at your opponent in the chair and ask him 'how'd I hit it' in the middle of a running 4 pack.
That's what's missing in pool. Now we're obsessed with everyone having a turn at the table.
4.5" pockets, shag, race to 17.
Load that MF'er up with high right, fire it in like your life depended on it, come around 4 rails for the 9, look at your opponent in the chair and ask him 'how'd I hit it' in the middle of a running 4 pack.
That's what's missing in pool. Now we're obsessed with everyone having a turn at the table.
4.5" pockets, shag, race to 17.
Keep that bad boy covered for me!
Seriously. I don't even want to know there's a pool table under it!
Nyquil
Well-known member
I agree with this. I have my table reclothed twice. It's forgiving for awhile to say the least that's on 4.5 inch pro cuts. 4 inches is fine by me but my mechanic said they need to make sure the shelf angles are set up better for tighter play rather than just focusing on the width. I think we will come to a standard soon for the pros. Personally though 4.5 for a league banger is good enough for me but the pros should be playing on 4 inches.
I like what Matchroom is doing but to say they are standardizing is an overstatement. It looks like they'll use 4" at the major 9ball championships (WPC, UK Open, Spanish Open, European Open, US Open) and possibly in their major invitationals (WPM, WCOP and Mosconi Cup). They surely won't mandate that all events carrying Matchroom ranking points adhere to these specifications, and that's as it should be. As in golf, when the major titles are up for grabs, the playing conditions should be tougher.
As we saw at Derby City 9ball, when the field has too much dead money in it, super-tight tables slow an event down to a crawl, and the 2023 Derby City 9-ball forced the two finalists (SVB and Gorst) to play 25 hours of pool on the final day.
As we saw at Derby City 9ball, when the field has too much dead money in it, super-tight tables slow an event down to a crawl, and the 2023 Derby City 9-ball forced the two finalists (SVB and Gorst) to play 25 hours of pool on the final day.