I am wondering if a nine foot table would hurt my barbox game? Just entertaining the idea of getting a nine foot table for the house and selling the barbox. What are the pro's and con's to each. Space isn't an issue for one table (can't have both). I only compete in barbox league play but like playing on a 9ft as well.
9ft. vs. 7ft. pool table
- Thread starter Overlandy
- Start date
If you like playing on a 9', that means that you already play on a 9', so you already know the answer for YOU. It's not so much the size, as it is the speed of YOUR table to the tables you will play on somewhere else.
barbox may require tighter positions so just throw in some half table 9ball drills..
all balls on half the table will force you to play precise position and not zonal..
That's the biggest thing I had trouble with when I switched to 9fters for all my practicing.... zonal can get u into trouble on a small track... of course recovery shots are much easier so it kind of washes out.....
Chris
all balls on half the table will force you to play precise position and not zonal..
That's the biggest thing I had trouble with when I switched to 9fters for all my practicing.... zonal can get u into trouble on a small track... of course recovery shots are much easier so it kind of washes out.....
Chris
I think that if you were to get a 9 foot table, your game would improve immensely. I also think the transition from a 9 foot table to a 7 ft table is not such a big deal, especially since you are already familiar with the 7 footer.
I also think that if you get a 9 foot table and do some serious practicing on it, you may wonder why you ever played on a 7 foot table in the first place.
I also think that if you get a 9 foot table and do some serious practicing on it, you may wonder why you ever played on a 7 foot table in the first place.
9ft tables are superior to 7ft'ers
After playing on 9ft tables anything smaller feels like a "kiddie table". I've never met anyone who's game got worse switching from a 7 to a 9. The people I've encountered (league or otherwise) that tell or show me have seen their game improve from playing on 9 foot tables.
It's my humble opinion that your game will improve in more ways then 1 if you get a 9ft home table
After playing on 9ft tables anything smaller feels like a "kiddie table". I've never met anyone who's game got worse switching from a 7 to a 9. The people I've encountered (league or otherwise) that tell or show me have seen their game improve from playing on 9 foot tables.
It's my humble opinion that your game will improve in more ways then 1 if you get a 9ft home table
I agree with this, with one exception -- and that is if you play 8-ball on the barbox.
Ts Renfro succinctly states, you're going to need to do some half-table drills to make sure your cue ball control is precise, since in the case of 8-ball on the barbox, you have the same number of balls, approximately the same-sized pockets (this depends, of course), but in HALF the table real estate.
With 9-ball, it's a wash, and actually, I find 9-ball on the barbox almost a kiddie game. Even though there's only half the table real estate, as you remove balls off the table (assuming there's no troublespots / clustered-balls you need to deal with), the game gets to be easy; almost like, <dink!> <dink!> <dink!> (i.e. no need to let your stroke out as you often do on a 9-footer -- on a barbox, you can just "poke" at the balls and be reasonable with cue ball control).
But in 8-ball on a barbox, if your opponent has a significant number of "soldiers" on the table, you have to be more precise with the cue ball than on a 9-footer. The "windows" to navigate around your opponents balls are tighter than on a 9-footer (remember, it's that half real estate thing). An inch or two "not enough" or "too far," and you're snookered / in trouble. Pair this with the non-standard cue ball found on most barboxes (i.e. Valley barboxes -- either overweight [Dynamo] cue ball or magnetic cue ball), and this compounds the problem.
In general, though, having a 9-footer will be a boon to your game, not an albatross around your neck.
The same people who say practicing on a 9' table hurts your barbox game are the same ones who look at me and complain that my handicap isn't high enough. Well... I practice solely on 9' tables so I guess they're wrong.
Indeed. Those that say playing on a 9-footer will hurt your barbox game may be coming from that "I only play on a barbox and actually myself don't have the stroke/skills to play on a 9-footer" world. Many exclusive barbox players have this stance, and they are, of course, incorrect. The only thing is that cue ball control thing in 8-ball (I described above).
But if you play/practice 14.1 or one pocket on a 9-footer -- or even do half-table drills -- you'll definitely have the "touch" it takes to transition over to the barbox very quickly.
If you get a 9-footer, you might want to think about getting yourself a quantity of 1 each of the following types of cue balls:
- Aramith green "S"-logo'ed magnetic ball
- Oversized cue ball (rare, but there are still some of these tables out there)
- Aramith Red Dot Dynamo cue ball (this is the heavyweight of cue balls -- at 6.78 ounces -- for those Dynamo tables that use the weight-actuated cue ball return mechanism)
You can practice with these cue balls -- even on a 9-footer -- to get accustomed to how they react.
-Sean
I never heard that it would hurt my game from anyone. I made that up in my head. I just had a few concerns, but as long as i'm playing it's all good.
I just want to progressively get better, and I think the small track itself is keeping me from doing so.
Thanks again for the input everyone.
I just want to progressively get better, and I think the small track itself is keeping me from doing so.
Thanks again for the input everyone.
Cankerz
Registered
I teach billiards at the university in my town, which has 9 footers, and then play an 8-ball league at the bars in town. I have found that the only issue I run into is cue ball speed. Therefore, the advice I can give you is to slow down your shots. Do a couple table drills on the 7 footer barbox to get a feel for the speed of it before playing.
I always practice on my 9' table at home. Playing half the table (I play 1P)
If your thinking of getting a 9' table have the pockets shimmed to 4 1/2" or less. This may seem a bit drastic but in the end you will become a pocketing machine.
When moving to a bar table the only thing you will have to watch is your speed. But, since you practiced half table on the 9' this should be a slight adjustment. The bar box pockets will look huge.
If they are using a standard bar box QB it will be heavier (its got a magnet in it). You will want to practice with the heavier ball.
If they are using a red circle.........your good to go.
Enjoy :smile:
John
If your thinking of getting a 9' table have the pockets shimmed to 4 1/2" or less. This may seem a bit drastic but in the end you will become a pocketing machine.
When moving to a bar table the only thing you will have to watch is your speed. But, since you practiced half table on the 9' this should be a slight adjustment. The bar box pockets will look huge.
If they are using a standard bar box QB it will be heavier (its got a magnet in it). You will want to practice with the heavier ball.
If they are using a red circle.........your good to go.
Enjoy :smile:
John
go big
Pool is one of my favorite hobbies. I like a 9' table and think the small tables should have a sticker on them that says "for age 12 and under". Lots of shooters I know like the small tables and good for them if they do. At least they are shooting pool. Just because I find them boring does not mean they are, just my preference. I just spent 2 days shooting in a tournament with 102 other players, both 8 & 9 ball. I had to play my 1st match on a small table as there were not enough 9' Diamond tables. I was not happy and almost lost the match to a guy that definitely shot worse on a 9' Diamond table. I think shooting on a good quality 9' table like a Diamond will make shooting on a smaller table easier if you regularly shoot on both. It's like shooting a pistol, the closer you are the easier it is to hit the target.
Pool is one of my favorite hobbies. I like a 9' table and think the small tables should have a sticker on them that says "for age 12 and under". Lots of shooters I know like the small tables and good for them if they do. At least they are shooting pool. Just because I find them boring does not mean they are, just my preference. I just spent 2 days shooting in a tournament with 102 other players, both 8 & 9 ball. I had to play my 1st match on a small table as there were not enough 9' Diamond tables. I was not happy and almost lost the match to a guy that definitely shot worse on a 9' Diamond table. I think shooting on a good quality 9' table like a Diamond will make shooting on a smaller table easier if you regularly shoot on both. It's like shooting a pistol, the closer you are the easier it is to hit the target.
If bar boxes are "kiddy" tables, and you are used to the "puberty" tables, and bar boxes are so easy compared to the puberty tables, then how did you almost lose on one??
Personally and what I've been advised by instructors is to master your play on a 9 foot table this will make playing on a "kiddie table" aka barbox easier. I grew up on a barbox and played on one for years after I could place a bet and run a table. Once I started to play on a 9 foot, I felt like I was on a golf course and couldn't putt a ball corner to corner for a dollar. After playing on a 9 foot table with the 4 1/2" pockets routinely for the last 4-5 months I have found my accuracy on a barbox significantly increased and my game on a 9 foot table with "regular" pockets, aka buckets that can catch a softball, has increased too. I practice on the small pocket 9 foot tables as much as I can.
Use me as an example, go the right way, not the wrong way
Or split the difference and get an 8 foot with 4 1/2" pockets and fast cloth
Use me as an example, go the right way, not the wrong way
Or split the difference and get an 8 foot with 4 1/2" pockets and fast cloth
Personally, I've found it more difficult to play on a barbox, then step up to a big people pool table, than the other way around. after playing on a 9-footer with triple shimmed pockets and the 10-footer at steinway, i can practically walk in to a bar without any warm-up, 2-stroke everything, and run out. If I'm on a losing streak, "bar beating" usually helps boost my ego.
And then there are the barbox warriors. Guys who would never even think to play on a 9-footer, yet swear they're the next coming of efren or something. I can go on all day long about bar pool.