Table speed

Art Amato said:

If the tables I am playing on are lighting fast due to the age of the cloth, even faster than 860 or 760, should I have a faster cloth installed on my home table. I have champ. Green Teflon Ultra cloth on my 7 ft. Table at home and when I play in my leagues I find that the tables are so much faster than mine. I am finding position play more difficult when I play in these bars than I do on my own table. The seller and installer of the table talked me out of getting the 860 installed because he said I would not run into tables with it in bars. Well he was right about it not being 860. But I am finding that the bar tables are faster than the 860.

Click to expand...

I've found it best for me to have my home table set up similar to how the local tables play. Less adjustment is needed when going out to play.

Art Amato said:

Yes Neil, that was my first inclination to do just that it makes me mad that I didn't get the 860 installed when I got the table. I saved a few bucks but it wasn't worth it in the end.

Click to expand...

There are other things that make a table play fast. First, you won't be able to imitate the worn cloth condition with Simonis 860. There are huge differences between new and worn cloths even though both may play fast. For example, you will find that you can hardly draw the ball on worn cloth because there is practically no nap left. Yet, on a new cloth that may play just as fast, you may be able to draw the ball a mile.

Rails are also an issue that add or detract from the speed of the table. The pitch of the rail is a big factor. Dampness is also another issue. If the door is constantly opening and closing, letting in humid air, the rails will become damp and bounce like crazy.

If you want to play better on the worn bar table cloths, I suggest that you play on those tables as often as you can. As for your own table, enjoy having superior playing conditions. I do recommend Simonis 860 though. Maybe next time you can give it a try. Just don't expect it to mimic the poor conditions of the bar table.

Art Amato said:

Thanks Fran. I believe 860 will be installed shortly. Can one expect a slower condition in the winter when the heat is on vs the summer when the a/c is on? I found your answer very informative.

Click to expand...

Hey Art, no, not necessarily. Damp rails bounce hard but damp cloth on the bed of the table will tend to slow things down. The amount of slowness depends on how much nap the cloth has and how tightly it's pulled. Also, a dirty damp cloth will really slow down. When it's warm with normal humidity, the cloth plays faster and the rails react normally.

But then you have the issue of static electricity, like with dry heat that can be generated from hot forced air or hot lamps, like TV tables. If the cloth has a full nap, then the nap will raise due to the static, and the cloth slows down.

As you can see, things can get complicated pretty quickly. Just follow this rule of thumb: If you're unsure of the conditions or if they are puzzling you, play conservatively until you can figure things out. The strongest players adapt their games to the current playing conditions. It's a matter of survival.

This is why it is so important for a pool room to keep it's doors closed! Letting "fresh air" in can kill the table conditions in 5 minutes.

Art Amato said:

Fran, you are a wealth of information on this topic. I remember in the movie "The Hustler" when Paul Newman went into the pool hall and he rubbed the nap of the cloth with the back of his hand. I was wondering at the time if that had any significance and now I know. He was feeling what the nap of the cloth was and probably the speed of the table. Am I correct? Lol

Click to expand...

Well, it depends. If it was the character Fast Eddie rubbing the cloth, I'd say you were right. But if it was Paul Newman just throwing an unscripted gesture into the mix, I'd say no because Newman knew next to nothing about pool. In pool speak: Newman played like a dead man. LOL