I'm a player. I've gambled mostly on double and triple shimmed GC's (before the rage of extending the rails came to be). I had no problem playing either one hole or 9 ball on a double or triple shim. Preferred double for 9 ball, and triple for one pocket.
All that said, when I chose my home table, a GC4, I wanted the factory pockets, which are about 5 to 5 1/8 at the corner. My home table is for practice. To get in stroke after a layoff, and to keep in stroke while I'm in a playing stretch. Its also to learn new shots, and practice new or old shots. AND, its also to boost my morale and confidence of my own game. For all of those reasons, I picked a bucked GC when I had my first and only home table installed 7 years ago. 7 years later, I have zero regrets, and I'd do it all the same. I still gamble at the pool room on tighter pockets, and its absolutely no problem.
All that said, when I chose my home table, a GC4, I wanted the factory pockets, which are about 5 to 5 1/8 at the corner. My home table is for practice. To get in stroke after a layoff, and to keep in stroke while I'm in a playing stretch. Its also to learn new shots, and practice new or old shots. AND, its also to boost my morale and confidence of my own game. For all of those reasons, I picked a bucked GC when I had my first and only home table installed 7 years ago. 7 years later, I have zero regrets, and I'd do it all the same. I still gamble at the pool room on tighter pockets, and its absolutely no problem.