Vintage Bar Table Tutorial

[garczar]

I remember when Dave was getting ready to go do this. Him and and Chuck Raulston(good Mo. player) came down to Tulsa for lunch. Dave knew it wasn't going to be a serious instructional vid, just a way to go make a little coin.

 

[gregcantrall]

Funny you mention that.
The only skids I've noticed have been lately on diamond tables using master chalk. My go to chalk for decades. Is it my stroke, or something else going on.

Humidity is a huge factor.
Makes the balls stickier.
When it comes to chalk less is more.
The old time clips of hustler drilling the chalk vigouesly while looking over the table is misleading. A careful touch up while observing the application is what I strive for. I want a thin smooth coat. Just as when I paint a door.

Triangle chalk works for me. To me it feels a little harder than Masters. Diminishes the chance of building a coat. Building a coat is An old painters hazard.
The change in humidity here going from dry to rainy is making the table and balls behave slightly differently. More likely to leave chalk mark on the cueball. I still get them on occasion but cleaning the balls is always a time out option Less often is less chance to get a kick or cling. Playing center ball with a natural Rotation at cueball to object ball collision lowering the possibility of a kick is my method. Staying on the right side for the shot with shape is a huge factor.
When roaming the Northwet my first task was an honest ass says mint of the conditions and the hazards was first of the first. Survival is still my strong suit. Preparation makes execution a higher percentage wager.
Oh yeah almost forgot, practice practice practice.

 

[jay helfert]

I played a lot of bar table pool back then. A good night on a challenge table could yield $50-100. That was a very good days pay back then.

No two bars were the same and the tables played were different! Cue balls, lights, rails, etc. It took getting used too. I would watch carefully until it was my turn to play, learning all I could before I hit a ball. There was no warm up or time to practice. And if you lost you might have a long wait to play again.

You learn to play good from the get go! I was there to make money, not make friends. I was never satisfied until the last guy quit. I loved the feeling of going home with my pockets stuffed with bills. First thing when I got home was to put the money on the table and neatly unfold it, count it and put it away. Then I could go to sleep thinking good thoughts.

I NEVER stalled in bars. I gave them my best game. They all wanted to be the guy who beat me! And I rarely got any heat from anyone. I was friendly but very competitive. That's what worked for me.