finally returned to the usa from china!

[oldplayer]

only had one opporunity to go to a pool hall in beijing. wasn't the one i wanted to go to but one is better than none. it had 12 eight ft tables and one 5 X 10 ft......all in good condition and very level....they were the china brand table (star, i think).......cloth was slow but china made i am sure. what really jumped out at me were the TIGHT POCKETS! i mean really tight, only 1 1/2 balls in the opening of the corner pockets. i practiced drills etc for about 3 hours. only non'chinaman in the place. had a couple of locals watch me practice for a bit but i guess decided they didn't want any part of this american.....

 

[SpiderWebComm]

only had one opporunity to go to a pool hall in beijing. wasn't the one i wanted to go to but one is better than none. it had 12 eight ft tables and one 5 X 10 ft......all in good condition and very level....they were the china brand table (star, i think).......cloth was slow but china made i am sure. what really jumped out at me were the TIGHT POCKETS! i mean really tight, only 1 1/2 balls in the opening of the corner pockets. i practiced drills etc for about 3 hours. only non'chinaman in the place. had a couple of locals watch me practice for a bit but i guess decided they didn't want any part of this american.....

Those tight pockets are everywhere throughout China. They were prob snooker-cut as well, which is really common. I found the regional Chinese players to play REAAAAALLY well (i.e. run-out players on those 1.2 ball opening tables).

I miss China and hopefully will make my way back in 2012.

Dave