bassmaster911
Registered
The league that I play on is going to be moved to 7' tables. Is it going to be a big transition from the big table. I don't have a lot of experience on the 7'. Does anyone have any tips for a smooth transition. Thanks
Bar box suggestions wanted
- Thread starter bassmaster911
- Start date
IMO, It is easier to transfer to 7's from 9's rather then vice versa. It should be a little easier as the shots are closer, but clusters are more prone on the small tables, especailly in 8 ball.
What game are you guys playing?
What game are you guys playing?
bassmaster911
Registered
8 ball............
Icon of Sin said:
Those clusters can be a problem. What you should do is go there during the day when hardly anyone is there and get to know the table. maybe pop in on your lunch hour. Run some ball's down all the rails at different speeds to see if
any roll out or in. Shoot some ball's at the rail 1/2 a Diamond away at different speeds and note if they go in or not at the different speeds. Shoot some bank shots in the side pockets and corner pockets and see how the table banks. Also shoot the cue ball from the corner pocket at the fifth diamond on the long rail for a 3 rail bank shot with just a touch of running english on the cue ball. If the cue ball does not go in, note if it is "Short" or "Long" and adjust for that. Get a feel for the table. Do a few draw shots
to get the feel of the heavier cue ball. maybe play a few games with the
local day drinkers for some practice.
You probably will feel like you are playing kiddie-pool and the shots will be a lot easier... but you do have to be a little tighter with position. I used to warm-up on big tables before going to the bars to gamble. And I was nothing short of a GOD at the bar! Haha!
Here are some of the things I look at while playing 8 ball on a barbox:
1. Find the trouble ball/balls that you need to work through. Want to get to these sooner rather than later.
2. Make sure you have a solid key ball prior to the 8. Understand what pockets are available for the 8ball prior to selecting stripes/solids.
3. If there is an opportunity earlier in the rack (when you have alot of options) to start a cluster for your opponent by bumping one of his balls do it while continuing your run.
4. If you need to play safe, attempt to re-arrange your balls to your advantage (in front of pocket blocking opponents). Remember distance is good but not as effective as on a 9' table, so try to play precise safes.
5. Never move a ball without a purpose. If your breaking up a cluster, attempt to understand what the outcome will be prior to shooting.
8 Ball Bible is a very good book regarding 8ball on a bar table. Here is a quick link to show product: (Not endorsing site, was first google search)
http://www.pooldawg.com/product-424...ml?PHPSESSID=4c24219d38a510e32d3f0286bd1a7117
1. Find the trouble ball/balls that you need to work through. Want to get to these sooner rather than later.
2. Make sure you have a solid key ball prior to the 8. Understand what pockets are available for the 8ball prior to selecting stripes/solids.
3. If there is an opportunity earlier in the rack (when you have alot of options) to start a cluster for your opponent by bumping one of his balls do it while continuing your run.
4. If you need to play safe, attempt to re-arrange your balls to your advantage (in front of pocket blocking opponents). Remember distance is good but not as effective as on a 9' table, so try to play precise safes.
5. Never move a ball without a purpose. If your breaking up a cluster, attempt to understand what the outcome will be prior to shooting.
8 Ball Bible is a very good book regarding 8ball on a bar table. Here is a quick link to show product: (Not endorsing site, was first google search)
http://www.pooldawg.com/product-424...ml?PHPSESSID=4c24219d38a510e32d3f0286bd1a7117
It depends what kind of table they are. If they are diamonds they should play pretty much the same as a 9 footer.
Valleys are messed up. The corners are in the way. They roll funny. It should be easy to make balls though. Just remember the "center" of the corner pockets are closer to the rail. It has to do with the way the pockets are shaped. Don't shoot into the side pocket unless you have to.
Valleys are messed up. The corners are in the way. They roll funny. It should be easy to make balls though. Just remember the "center" of the corner pockets are closer to the rail. It has to do with the way the pockets are shaped. Don't shoot into the side pocket unless you have to.
Few things here.
Most of what I am saying is on Phil Capelle's book, Play your best eight ball. It's mostly for league players.
He shows with diagrams how the corners are most played on a bar table, since the side pockets are so small in comparison to big tables. So you should in fact be playing for the corners on most position shots.
Also, I think that speed control is very important, since, as said, the balls are cluster more often, and you have much less room for error or to work with.
You normally need to spin the cue ball more often on a small table, and specialty shots like shooting over a ball and shooting off the rail are much more commonplace as well.
Most of what I am saying is on Phil Capelle's book, Play your best eight ball. It's mostly for league players.
He shows with diagrams how the corners are most played on a bar table, since the side pockets are so small in comparison to big tables. So you should in fact be playing for the corners on most position shots.
Also, I think that speed control is very important, since, as said, the balls are cluster more often, and you have much less room for error or to work with.
You normally need to spin the cue ball more often on a small table, and specialty shots like shooting over a ball and shooting off the rail are much more commonplace as well.
Gregg said:
Yes, I've noticed this too. I spend a few months each year helping a friend of mine who I usually play 9 Ball with on 9' tables get ready for the BCA bar-box 8 Ball in Vegas. Every year I catch him repeatedly leaving himself position on either the 8 or the key ball into a side pocket and he invariably messes up and sells out the rack. I keep telling him he'd be better off going for short-side position into an uptable corner pocket. (Assuming he's running the rack and there's a lot of balls in the lower half of the table) There's just a lot less room to manouver in the middle of the table on a bar box, so even if he gets the right angle he frequently puts the cue ball too close to the rail. Even though it is technically the longer shot it would be nothing more than a moderately long shot on the 9' table that he makes all the time.
It's definately more of a mental problem than a physcial one. You just have to change your shot choices when you go to smaller tables, as well as just changing from 9 to 8 Ball.
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Make sure you don't foul with the tip of your cuestick on the rack with your follow-through after you break! lol 
bassmaster911 said:
Strive for tighter position.
Cueball paths are more important, as shotmaking is generally easier.
The sidepockets are in play much more, although on most 7' bar tables, they are smaller by comparison to 9' tables.
Clearing out balls that hang out in the middle of the table opens up your paths, and doesn't get you in trouble later in the rack for being on the wrong side.
Because it's easier to make balls, the transition will normally be easier, but don't be decieved. The runouts are tougher to accomplish, IMO, on a 7' table. The best runout players think a little more.
Fred
bassmaster911 said:
put the burden on your shotmaking...take longer/tougher shots and play for larger position zones. practice your break a lot. a lot of people can string a lot of racks on barboxes
Oh, and one other thing, don't try to run the cueball 2 and 3 rails for position unless you have to at the end game. Developing the little dink stroke where you draw or follow 1-2 inches is crucial on the 7 footers, to be able to stay on the correct side of the object ball.
As the previous post said, check the size of the cueball. Some/most bar tables have a larger and heavier cueball. If you are the type of person that aims by imagining a ghost cueball touching the object ball and aiming the center of the cueball to the center of the ghost ball, you will have to aim cut shots a bit thinner to compensate for the larger cueball. But if you aim by imagining what point on the cueball must contact the object ball you should be ok with the larger ball. Also draw shots are more difficult due to the weight of the cueball. Carom angles also change slightly with a heavier cueball. (slightly less than 90 degrees)