Do they help your game? I've never really had much time on a tight pocket table and understand that it will help your accuracy among other things but is it a true test of your game? Opinions and observations?
Tight pockets?
- Thread starter Socopool79
- Start date
I've played on "tight" tables a bunch. I don't feel it translates to pool on regular tables in the slightest. With the only exception of perhaps making you feel more confident when shooting a long tough one into a normal cut pocket. If a table is truly tight, then it limits cueball movement too much to make the game similar, this is the reason I'm against it. Games like Bank Pool and straight pool come to a grinding halt. I've played some one pocket on tight tables and that game is ok but even there I don't like it much because I think it's too easy to clear balls and my opponents have a tendency to send the cueball towards a hole knowing its less likely to scratch. Haha
I'm of the opinion that gambling on tight tables is dumb as well as any other competitive pool. It is however productive to practice by yourself on one. Pool is about confidence for me so missing 3 or 4 times as often doesn't breed much of that.
Before anyone calls me out, I know some of the above statements are contradictory but damnit it's hard to explain! Haha
The only benefit of playing on a tight table is the need to hit the center of the pocket. I like to warm up on tight tables before my first game. The biggest problem I encounter in most local tournaments is the wide array of variable in tables. So If I play a long match on a loose pocketed table and have to play on a tight one right away I am screwed.
So a tight pocket will improve your shot making ability however it will change how you play position. I struggle to move the CB around on a tight table.
Focus
Yes for high caliber players, they make you aware of the 'exact' contact spot on the object ball EVERY SHOT. For beginners, I'd say no. If your going to play in an event with pro cut pockets and you practice on the others, you'll be home sooner than you want.
Yes for high caliber players, they make you aware of the 'exact' contact spot on the object ball EVERY SHOT. For beginners, I'd say no. If your going to play in an event with pro cut pockets and you practice on the others, you'll be home sooner than you want.
Pro golfers don't play on "regulation courses". The rough is grown out, the tees are moved back, and the holes are cut in challenging spots. I guarantee that the course the pro's play on during the tournament are a hell of a lot tougher than the every day set-up for the club members. I've worked in golf course maintenance for most of my working life.
Personally, I do think tight pockets will help your game. It will unquestionably help improve your accuracy, and by not being able to cheat the pocket you will be forced to rely more on english to achieve cueball position, therefore helping to improve your accuracy and consistency when using english.
When you learn to hit center pocket consistently on a 4" pocket, then move to a table with the bigger pockets, you should be able to hit every quadrant of the larger pocket more accurately, helping you to "cheat the pocket" with more precision and control.
The room I play out of has Diamond Professionals with 3 different pocket sizes throughout the room, 4.5", 4.25", and 1 table with 4". When I spend a few weeks practicing on the 4" pockets, then play the weekly tournament on the other tables, I feel like a monster. A lot of the guys who only play on the standard pockets don't fare as well.
When you learn to hit center pocket consistently on a 4" pocket, then move to a table with the bigger pockets, you should be able to hit every quadrant of the larger pocket more accurately, helping you to "cheat the pocket" with more precision and control.
The room I play out of has Diamond Professionals with 3 different pocket sizes throughout the room, 4.5", 4.25", and 1 table with 4". When I spend a few weeks practicing on the 4" pockets, then play the weekly tournament on the other tables, I feel like a monster. A lot of the guys who only play on the standard pockets don't fare as well.
I once asked Buddy Hall that question. He answered with an emphatic NO. He said you want to practice on something that fills you with confidence. You want to feel like you can make everything. Many years ago I used to practice with pool balls on a snooker table. Didn't do squat for my game. That is because that is not what the game is about. Pool is about creating angles and moving the ball not about shooting an arrow through a keyhole. If people want to do that, go play snooker. Leave pool alone.
The way tables are now days, perfectly legitimate shots will jar in the pocket. That's just taking things to the point of being silly. It's not even pool anymore. I will bet that a guy could post an 800 ball straight pool run on youtube and some numbnuts would post asking what size pockets were on the table. I wish these people would just go away. Take up bowling and argue about making the lanes narrower.
Tight tables hurt your game.
Pool is all about confidence.
Wimpy Lassiter was the best tight pocket player I ever saw.
When we would practice together it was always on 5" pockets.
Wimpy said it built up your confidence and that you could always move closer to the center of the cue ball when you were playing on tight pockets.
Works for me.
Bill S.
Pool is all about confidence.
Wimpy Lassiter was the best tight pocket player I ever saw.
When we would practice together it was always on 5" pockets.
Wimpy said it built up your confidence and that you could always move closer to the center of the cue ball when you were playing on tight pockets.
Works for me.
Bill S.
I think super tight tables are not a good representation of what most competitive pool is being played with the exception of big events like the DCC. This also jars your confidence and I think detracts from the fun of the game.
Super tight pockets also greatly limit the type position that can be played and slow the game down tremendously.
If I were a room owner I certainly also would not want super tight pockets if it were by the game.
Super tight pockets also greatly limit the type position that can be played and slow the game down tremendously.
If I were a room owner I certainly also would not want super tight pockets if it were by the game.
if you're not playing on tight pockets then you often don't realize how much you're doing wrong. so many balls go in and you don't register that you mis hit it or that on a better table it would have hung up.
i personally don't like playing on tables if the pockets are lose. might as well not play at all if those are the conditions you're going to have to fade
This is a generalized post not directed at anyone
But I'd also like to add to my earlier post that alot of bangers love to play on really tight equipment because they feel like they can't get 3, 4 or 5 game punishments for their errors. They're right. There is exponentially less pressure on a given shot on the truly tight boxes out there.
Buddy Hall was referenced earlier, I asked him that same question and he gave me the same answer.
But I'd also like to add to my earlier post that alot of bangers love to play on really tight equipment because they feel like they can't get 3, 4 or 5 game punishments for their errors. They're right. There is exponentially less pressure on a given shot on the truly tight boxes out there.
Buddy Hall was referenced earlier, I asked him that same question and he gave me the same answer.
Personal Experience
For me (I´m not even a 1/100 part of Buddy Hall) it has improved my game a 100%, helps your accuracy and speed so much that when you go to a normal table you think they are 10 inches pockets.
The speed of the shot on a tight pocket table is way less than in normal tables. If you find how to make angles on a tight pocket table you´re saved. It teachs you how to use english in he correct way, and teachs you how to use the rails.
Sometimes when you´re on a normal table, you think you´ve missed a shot and it doesn´t even touch the rail, splits the pocket.
But give it a try, practice sometime on a tight table and see if it helps you or not.
For me (I´m not even a 1/100 part of Buddy Hall) it has improved my game a 100%, helps your accuracy and speed so much that when you go to a normal table you think they are 10 inches pockets.
The speed of the shot on a tight pocket table is way less than in normal tables. If you find how to make angles on a tight pocket table you´re saved. It teachs you how to use english in he correct way, and teachs you how to use the rails.
Sometimes when you´re on a normal table, you think you´ve missed a shot and it doesn´t even touch the rail, splits the pocket.
But give it a try, practice sometime on a tight table and see if it helps you or not.
Playing on a tight table doesn't help your game. Learning how to consistently play well on a tight table immensely helps your game. Unfortuntely it can take years. There are a lot of bad habits to break, like cheating pockets and playing sloppy angles, to do it.
No need to apologize for anything, I'm not angry at all. I just felt the need to clarify my point. Yes, the courses are the same in design, but conditions can differ greatly. Just like a pool table
Last edited:
Well said.
I was planning on having the pockets tightened on my table but to do it right the cost was outrageous.
I then analyzed my game and the games of all the players that I played against. The majority of the time that they lost was not because they didn't pocket the ball but from bad position play and not controlling the CB. Learning how to controll the CB and better position play will improve your game more than tight pockets.
Watch the next time you play and see how many games are lost because the player hooked themselves or left themselves with a hard shot, scratched on the final ball, and etc. Granted they will also miss a shot that they expected to make but a tight pocket wouldn't have helped because they missed due to another reason beside aiming.
.
I then analyzed my game and the games of all the players that I played against. The majority of the time that they lost was not because they didn't pocket the ball but from bad position play and not controlling the CB. Learning how to controll the CB and better position play will improve your game more than tight pockets.
Watch the next time you play and see how many games are lost because the player hooked themselves or left themselves with a hard shot, scratched on the final ball, and etc. Granted they will also miss a shot that they expected to make but a tight pocket wouldn't have helped because they missed due to another reason beside aiming.
.