Good for your game or Bad for your game.

JoeyA said:
I think Spiderwebcomm said something about ego and it doesn't feel good when another competitor is winning games after you have run 7 of the 9 balls, missed, and he plops in the 8 and 9 in for a win.....:(
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That's the game, not the table. Hence, why I never play 9ball.

If you were playing 14.1 and ran 30 on a real tight table and then spray a shot --- your opponent is on zero.
 
Matt said:
My "home" pool hall has one table with shimmed pockets and nine tables with buckets. As one of the higher skill level regulars there, I get asked this question a lot, and I think the answer varies depending on the person asking.

If the person is a new player or a player with poor fundamentals, there isn't much value in them trying to play on the shimmed table since it will just frustrate them.

If the person is a player that understands the game fairly well (knows multiple position routes, common patterns, etc.) and has decent fundamentals but has trouble making shots, I think that the shimmed table is a good table to practice on, but they should be alternating between that table and the bucket tables so that they don't get too caught up with making the ball and forget to develop their position play.

If the person is a banger that can fire balls in from anywhere but doesn't play position well, I tell them to practice on the buckets until they can run out a rack or two every night then try out what they've learned on the shimmed table.

If I'm talking to someone that occasionally runs a rack of 9-ball on the shimmed table, I tell them they are ready to learn one pocket. :wink:

If they string together racks on the shimmed table, they are out of my league and shouldn't be asking me questions.
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Good points for sure!
 
Well....

Learning to adjust your game to be effective on any table is defintately of value and ultimately good for your game. Just like I know I need to be more precise on a tough table, I also need to know I need to be more aware of the fact my opponent will be more likely to get out on a bucket table. There is great value in understanding the equiptment.

Next, I'd say its more rewarding playing to a high level on a tough table but its typically not nearly as fun and it can limit your options, but thats not neccesarily a bad thing. I mean if your constantly having to force shots, excessively cheat pockets and move the CB all over the table then theres a possiblily you 'could' be playing better patterns, position and maintaining better speed control than you have been......and now you know it. ;)

All things considered I'd prefer to play on something right in the middle of the road, tough but fair. Something like a reasonably stock Diamond.
 
King T said:
Their great for practicing shots and doing drills..., Ok for one pocket, but at the end of the day I think Buddy Hall said it best....,

The game should not come down to who shoots the straightist, it should be about who plays the best!
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Conventional wisdom always changes. That line of thought should be left in the past where it belongs.

Anyone who doesn't enjoy playing on championship type tables can't play, period.
 
TheThaiger said:
Conventional wisdom always changes. That line of thought should be left in the past where it belongs.

Anyone who doesn't enjoy playing on championship type tables can't play, period.
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I think you're out of context. The original question was about abnormal conditions, not championship tables.
 
ironman said:
I really don't understand the thinking behind the very tight snooker pockets. I know for 1 pocket players it is easier to give up the big weight.
My feeling is that the game is slowing down and making it more boring for the audience. But when gambling who give a rats ass about an audience?
in tournaments I would rather see the old 6 packs again vs 6 balls and the bitty bunt safety.
At 60 years old, they don't have pockets big enough for me though. At Conyers last year on that tight table I felt like I was tryin to thread a french fry into a needle.
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I certainly agree the game is slowing down and making it boring for the audience, but am not sure it's the pockets that are causing this. Who wants to see 6 packs? Not me. I want to see thrills and spills, cut n thrust, ebb n flow, great shots and bad misses. Pool badly needs to have some drama.

Tight tables encourage a match-up between two competitors, not a turkey shoot.
 
TheThaiger said:
Type. Championship type tables - tighter rather than looser.
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Um... no. The original was pretty clear. JoeyA is talking triple shimmed tricked up tables.

If you redefine his question, then none of the pages of answers will make any sense. I don't think that helps his question.
 
The table I play on most is a Diamond Professional with 4" pockets. Before I started playing regularly on that table (which was before the pockets were reduced), I would play a lot of 9 ball on a 12' Snooker table for practice.

I definitely think it helps your game. Your shotmaking and accuracy must be on point. I also think it helps your position play. In order to play the precise position you may need, you have to pocket the ball in a precise place. That goes for big pockets as well. If you're aiming to hit the left side of the pocket, and you hit the right side, your position route just changed and you may have lost your shape.

Learning to pocket the ball precisely while playing shape is paramount to reaching the higher skill levels of the game. When you move from the tight table to a more forgiving table, your accuracy should be improved enough to be able to pocket the ball in different places in the pocket to achieve the desired shape. But, it doesn't work the other way around.
 
Cornerman said:
Um... no. The original was pretty clear. JoeyA is talking triple shimmed tricked up tables.

If you redefine his question, then none of the pages of answers will make any sense. I don't think that helps his question.
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I wasn't redefining his question, but answering it directly. Here in the UK, our championship tables are tight as hell. Karen Corr was at the last GB9 and felt the tables were unplayable. They're as tough as hell - flick a rail and it won't go in, no matter what. I practice on a 4" triple shimmed tough-as-fcuk mother, and really struggled on them as well. I presume your championship tables are still reasonably generous then?

Tighter pockets will definitely help your game.
 
TIGHT BOX IS GOOD FOR YOUR GAME.iT MAKES YOU AIM THE BALL MORE CAREFULLY AND MAKES YOU CONCENTRATE ON YOUR STROKE AND CONTACT POINTS.iT MAKES YOU MORE AWARE OF PROPER POSITION PLAY..i T ALSO MAKES YOU LEARN YOUR CUE,IF YOUR TRYING TO GET POSITION AND MISSING THE BALL YOUR PROB, JUICING THE CUE TO GET POSITION,AND NOT COMPENSATING AT ALL.. INSTEAD OF A PROPER STROKE.Even HOW HARD YOU HIT A SHOT DETERMINES WHERE YOU CONTACT THE OBJECT BALL..IT CAN BE FRUSTRATING BUT THIS WILL HELP THE MENTAL PART OF THE GAME IF YOU KEEP AT IT A REALIZE WHAT YOUR DID WRONG TO MISS THE BALL...THIS TYPE OF TABLE YOU NEED TO BE SMOOTH AND PRECISE,ONCE THAT IS ACHIEVED THEN YOU CAN LEARN TO JUCIE THE CUE..BUT YOU WILL JAW MORE BALLS IF YOUR OFF A BLOND PUBE HAIR...
 
TheThaiger said:
I wasn't redefining his question, but answering it directly. Here in the UK, our championship tables are tight as hell. Karen Corr was at the last GB9 and felt the tables were unplayable. They're as tough as hell - flick a rail and it won't go in, no matter what. I practice on a 4" triple shimmed tough-as-fcuk mother, and really struggled on them as well. I presume your championship tables are still reasonably generous then?

Tighter pockets will definitely help your game.
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I bow to your UK Championship tables.

I didn't reallize that they all were:

  • triple shimmed,
  • the table that you can't cheat ANY pocket,
  • the table with the worn cloth (Championship you say???)
  • if it hits the facing with a little speed, it is guaranteed to be rejected.

Must be a wonderfully enjoying championship experience.
 
Cornerman said:
I bow to your UK Championship tables.

I didn't reallize that they all were:

  • triple shimmed,
  • the table that you can't cheat ANY pocket,
  • the table with the worn cloth (Championship you say???)
  • if it hits the facing with a little speed, it is guaranteed to be rejected.

Must be a wonderfully enjoying championship experience.
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What are you on about now?
 
I like being punished in practice but not in play.....

For practice and drills give me a super tight table that makes me work on my precision to the point of wanting to slit my wrists... For playing the ghost or anyone else for that matter the tight bastards will totally kill your tempo and confidence....

I like having the option of a triple shimmed to put the work in but when I finally get the table up in the basement it will have the standard tourney cut 4.5" pockets...

The olhausen I have down there atm is 4.5 triple shimmed and the mechanics butchered the pockets during install so one of the pockets is tighter than a nun on sunday......
 
I have always played on pro tapered pockets and currently I have a 1961 Brunswick Gold Crown with triple shimmed pockets... It teaches you to be more precise, and once you play for an hour or so, the tightness is not a factor anymore and there is play in them, you can cheat a pocket you just have to do it differently... Also your speed of play has to change to be effective. The best recommendation I can throw your way if you don't mind is play straight pool if you don't already. Play that game till your legs fall off and I guarantee you will be ALOT better than what you currently are. This game teaches you to shorten and slow down your shots, it also teaches you to be precise and efficient and most importantly makes you slow down your speed.. If you play with a full stroke, you will lose so bad and sit down so long that you'll have more than enough time to think about what you've done. That being said, I hope you don't take offense to anything I said and take what you will from it that helps you reach that next level you're striving for... Good Luck!
 
For me: Both good and bad.

Good: As frustrating as it is at times, it's the best for practicing focus and concentration because you will be punished if you let go of your focus, even the slightest bit. Great training for competition.

Bad: Causes a tendency to tighten up your stroke, start short-stroking shots, not play certain shots that are important to know.

I think playing on both super tight and moderately tight tables are the best way to go so you can let your stroke out on the moderate tables and play other important shots that can't be played on the super tight table, like rail shots with speed and spin.
 
It can only help you become better.. like these 2 examples:

In golf, we will get on the practice green and practice putting to a quarter or dime on the green, then putting to a 4 inch cup you can be more precise and in turn have more room for error

In pool, my game always drastically improves when I play better player. When you get tired of racking or losing money, you learn to play better automatically..that is unless you like taking a beating over and over.

a third case in point would be this: How many times have you played with a person who is pretty good but only plays on barboxes with toilet bowls for pockets, move to a 9 footer with even average pockets and struggle or not play up to his/her "level" they are used to...and then the person who practices and plays mostly on a large tight table get on an aforementioned barbox w/ bowls and play "above" their level like shooting fish in a barrel...

Sorry i got so long...
 
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JoeyA said:
I'm talking about one of those triple shimmed, 9 foot Diamond tables. You know, the one that can make you look like a banger at any moment in time; the table that punishes you for every mistake, the table that you can't cheat ANY pocket, the table with the worn cloth and when you hit the object ball it had better be headed for the dead-nuts center of the pocket or if it hits the facing with a little speed, it is guaranteed to be rejected.
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In my experience it helps especially with maintaining your concentration. And it's not just about pocketing balls. It forces you to stay in line and punishes you for trying to do extra. So in a way it highlights little things that you might not otherwise pay attention to like playing a little farther away from the ball or a little off angle.
 
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