Bar Tables Vs 9 Ft Tables

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I've heard from many pool players that like one more than the other. Between the two which do rather play on and why? Does like one so much more than the other that you won't play on the any size table but that? I didn't mention 8 ft tables because it seems to me its 7s or 9s mainly in poolrooms. Lets hear it.
 
I prefer nine footers...since I play one pocket primarily that is really my obvious choice. I prefer all games on nine footers. I play pretty well on a bar box but would rather be on the big table. I actually like playing nine ball and eight ball on 8 footers the best...i dont know why, but I do. 9 ball on an 8 footer is a hell of a game.
 
I prefer 9 footers. To me, bar tables are like those little bikes with training wheels. Eventually, you have to grow up and go to the Big boy bikes. :D

Southpaw
 
I hate bar tables. There's too many clusters due to the lack of square footage. It makes runouts that much more difficult and eliminates the edge that a more skilled player may have. Often times I find there's no real solution for a table layout when playing on a bar table. No matter what you do, you're screwed.
 
Played on both...prefered the Bartables....did a lot better with the $$$ on them. Johnnyt
 
The three newest pool halls in Brevard county (Chalkies (not new but newer, Sparkeys (tables, but the owner is an a-hole of the utmost) LongShots (nice really nice) use primarially 8 footers. It seems to fit right in the middle of the 7' amateur matches (APA-VNEA-BCA)and the 9' pro tours (Spirit, Seminole, Joss, etc...)
 
9 foot all the way. On a bar box it is the great equalizer. How many times have you seen a player that has a terrible stroke run out on a BB? That same player is screwed on a 9 foot. I like that on the bigger table you need more fundamentals so the better player should succeed over the weak. I also do not like that many barboxes are kept in terrible shape as the bangers tend to congregate there. Most barboxes just aren't constructed as well as a good 9 foot so in no time the table just doesn't play well. I can play on both, prefer 9's so much I have decided to stop playing in the barbox leagues and focus on 9 and 10 ball.
 
any table will do

Ok, I like (good) 9 foot tables. Nothing beats playing on a quality brunswick for all of the games. On the other hand, I'd prefer to play on a well maintained 7 foot valley barbox than the 9 dufferins with slow cloth and inconsistant rails you find at the pool hall nearest me.

However, I spend equal time on both 7 foot barboxes and 9 foot tables.

Considering any of the regional tournaments I'd be going to are all on bar boxes you'd be stupid not to spend a good portion of your time playing on them.
 
I like both.

7ft tables teach you incredible cue ball control. You must break up clusters, play exact pinpoint shape on certain balls, learn to avoid the opponents balls, etc. Eight Ball on a 7' table is truely an art.

9' tables of course are great for improving your stroke. You can let it out far more frequently, go multiple rails for position, improve your safety play (especially in 9 ball), improve your potting ability (much tighter pockets), and make you a much better long shooter.

I see them both as necessary skills to develop in order to be a better player.
 
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Snorks said:
I like both.

7ft tables teach you incredible cue ball control. You must break up clusters, play exact pinpoint shape on certain balls, learn to avoid the opponents balls, etc. Eight Ball on a 7' table is truely an art.

9' tables of course are great for improving your stroke. You can let it out far more frequently, go multiple rails for position, improve your safety play (especially in 9 ball), improve your potting ability (much tighter pockets), and make you a much better long shooter.

I don't see them both as necessary skills to develop in order to be a better player.
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You can develop the barbox portion of your game just as well on a well maintained 8 foot. How do you feel about barboxes?

Has anyone on this site ever played on a barbox that was so good you said "Wow, I would rather play on this than a Diamond or GC any day!"?
 
I like 9 foot tables a LOT more. Barboxes are sometimes fun to play on in 9ball when you feel like taking it easy. 8 ball is a ***** on them though...
 
I really enjoy 8 ball on the 7' tables. Especially the 7' Diamonds. Best small table made.

For 9 ball, the 7' tables are a bit easy. For me, the 9' tables are much better for 9 ball.
 
PoolSponge said:
You can develop the barbox portion of your game just as well on a well maintained 8 foot. How do you feel about barboxes?

Has anyone on this site ever played on a barbox that was so good you said "Wow, I would rather play on this than a Diamond or GC any day!"?
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Considering that Vegas use 7' tables, and most 8 ball is played on 7' tables, I would much rather play on the same equipment when playing that game.

As for playing on a barbox vs a gold crown or whatever, if I was going to play 8 ball, I would play on a 7' table (assuming same price as other options), if I was playing 9 or 10 ball, I would play on a 9' table.

Other games like one pocket, 14.1, banks, I think they all are played on 9' tables but I'm not sure. In general, the game will dictate the table for me, not the other way around. And yes, I enjoy 8 ball as much as 9 ball or the other games.
 
Okay, I'm going to try and phrase this well. I'd like to say over 95% of my pool time is spent on a 9-foot table so obviously, it's my preference. Games like 9-ball and 14.1 are meant for a 9-foot table. The rules simply cannot stay within the confines of a coin-op. Also, my personal strengths are pocketing and long position routes (typical 9-ball player) so I'm naturally going to gravitate to the larger equipment.

With that said, I think a lot of the responses here show a genuine lack of appreciation for bar-table 8-ball (the intended game on a 7-foot table). Anyone who has been to the BCA Championships in Las Vegas will tell you all the desciplines are tapped. Cue control is priority. Pocketing is a given. Levels of genius can be seen in strategy and pattern play.

In many ways, it can be a rather intriguing playing field. The importance of rhythm or being "in stroke" is minimized so the cream really does rise to the top. I mean, you will find the occasional hiccups. I know I've had my share against players I should have beaten but on the whole, I think the better player will have an even greater edge in bar-table 8-ball than playing 9-ball on a 9-foot table.
 
I mainly play on 9 fotters.

I don't like the big ball on the 7 footers. If all the balls are the same though, I would have a lot of fun on a 7 footer.

Pete
 
Njhustler1 said:
I hate bar tables. There's too many clusters due to the lack of square footage. It makes runouts that much more difficult and eliminates the edge that a more skilled player may have. Often times I find there's no real solution for a table layout when playing on a bar table. No matter what you do, you're screwed.
Click to expand...

Eliminates the edge that a more skilled player may have? Hmmm, what is a more skilled player? Someone who can run racks of 9 ball on a 9 footer? I've seen a number of VERY skilled players playing 8 ball on 7 foot Diamonds. They DO find real solutions too....just happens that sometimes that solution is locking their opponent up. That is still part of the game right? Something a more skilled player should have in his/her aresenal??? BTW< the clusters are more than half of the fun in playing barbox, and I'm not talking "hit and hope" type shots to break things out.

I relate it to golf (I relate EVERYTHING to golf); the long bombers vs. the incredible short game guys. Both can be great for scoring (long hitters playing wedges into every par 4, and hitting all the par 5s in two - or close, and short gamers getting up and down from EVERYWHERE, and NEVER 3 putting, etc.). And, both will rip on why their game is better than the others. In the group I play in we have both, and really we are all about the same handicaps (scratch - 5). It all comes down to who can put the ball in the hole - same with pool.....
 
Agreed that in Vegas to suceed you need to be very comfortable on the 7 foot tables. The difference there is the tables have always been in excellent shape and I really enjoyed playing on them. Around here there is no place with tables that good to enjoy barbox pool. I enjoy the game on a barbox, I do not enjoy the tables. By the tables, I mean the beaten and battered Valley 7' tables. I have played on Brunswick Metro's, and they are ok, but again, they are beaten and abused and have Master cloth on them with low end Aramith balls. I understand that the BCA event in Vegas has some unreal tables and the balls are Aramith Pro's! Wow. That would definitely fire up my love for the 7' game.

And regardless of how good or bad one plays on a given table it comes down to enjoyment. I do not enjoy watching the cue ball turn in a way that gets Tiger Woods confused or hitting a perfect bank shot and hearing the deadly "thud" sound.

On a nice 7' 8 ball is fun...and I run out a lot. :D
 
I like a table that's 9 foot and green. I think everything else is sub-optimal.
I will play/gamble on anything though because of my addiction.
 
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