Help me understand about 7 foot tables

[MitchAlsup]

I'll say right up front that I've never played on a 7 foot table, nor for that matter on an 8 foot table as far as I can recall. To me, a 9 foot table was what pool was all about and anything else might as well have been bumper pool. So in looking for a table for my home I've never considered anything but a 9 footer, which with a room appx. 20x16 should be just fine.

But I am curious about why the 7 foot tables seem to be so popular, especially the Diamonds.

To a very large degree, people who actually play pool and want a table in their home buy as big a table as will fit. People who live in smaller houses will gravitate towards 7 footers, people in somewhat larger houses will gravitate towards 8 footers. People who have either a larger house or a large room which can be dedicated to pool gravitate towards 9 footers. I have an 8 footer because that is as big as a rom I have to dedicate to pool.

Bars gravitate towards whatever brings in more money per unit time.
Often these turn out to be 6.5 foot Valleys.

 

[Ralph Kramden]

To a very large degree, people who actually play pool and want a table in their home buy as big a table as will fit. People who live in smaller houses will gravitate towards 7 footers, people in somewhat larger houses will gravitate towards 8 footers. People who have either a larger house or a large room which can be dedicated to pool gravitate towards 9 footers. I have an 8 footer because that is as big as a rom I have to dedicate to pool.

Bars gravitate towards whatever brings in more money per unit time.
Often these turn out to be 6.5 foot Valleys.

Why do folks looking for a table ask... What is the largest table I can fit into this space?
I've never heard anyone ask.... What is the smallest table that I can fit into this space?

Most folks must prefer playing on tables larger than 7 feet.. if they have enough space.

.

 

[Sweatin']

I get it with a home table if that is all someone has room for. But I guess I was under the impression that in some cases people who had room for bigger tables for some reason just chose to have a 7 footer. Maybe my impression was erroneous; I just couldn't make that compute.

As far as bars are concerned, let's distinguish between a bar and a room. Bars I can understand going with 7 footers, but why would any serious room go with anything but a regulation 9 foot table? Sure they could squeeze in a few extra tables, but what real player would want to play on them? And leagues are voluntarily playing on them? What's up with that? Most surprising of all is that you guys say tournaments are played on 7 foot tables. Granted I've been out of the game for a while, but I find this very surprising. Next thing you know I'll find out that those newfangled experimental cassette tapes are going to replace the tried and true 8-tracks.

I guess I'm just old school. I was brought up to think that pool was played on a 9 foot table, snooker on a 10 foot table and everything else was bumper pool.

Heck, never mind about old school. Maybe just old...

 

[BasementDweller]

Some people just like to play for fun. If you can't have fun playing on a bar table than you're probably too tightly wound.

 

[SamShaddey]

I've played on 9 footers daily and bar boxes. I've owned a few 8 footer and a barbox curently. I agree that it is vary hard to play one pocket on the bar box but didn't have that problem on the 8 footer. As far as 14@1 I can play that on any table. The biggest thing I have noticed is on the small table you play a lot more combos and caroms. And on the big table long cuts and banks. I prefer to practice on a Bar box with pro cut rails and 4" pockets but that's only because that is what every major tourney is played on bar boxs in my area. And my smaller pockets make there's feel like buckets! That's just my thoughts for what it's worth!

 

[ctyhntr]

For co-operated Diamond Smart Table uses an optical sensor to detect the cue ball from the other balls. The other manufacturers require a special cue ball such as oversized cue ball, heavier cue ball, or with a magnet inside. With co-op Diamond Smart Table, you can use a regular cue ball.

Also the rails, leveling system and Simonis 860 cloth makes for a more challenging game.

cut for brevity...But I am curious about why the 7 foot tables seem to be so popular, especially the Diamonds.... cut for brevity

Help me understand this if you will.

 

[Mkindsv]

Our local room just picked up some 7' Diamonds, two of them. I can honestly say that as a TAP 6, I found the Diamond bar box every bit as challenging as the Brunswick super 8's that we play on otherwise.

There are different challenges on each. The Brunswicks have big ole pockets, the Diamonds have tiny little pro cut pockets. The ends of the rails are different. With the Diamond, from my limited experience, there is not much chance if you try to cheat a pocket that you are going to continue your run. Honestly, having played on Valleys, and now Diamond bar boxes, they are two entirely different experiences.

I have found the banks to be more difficult on the Diamonds, and kicks to be the same, but sure...running the ball down the rail at a fraction of the distance is a bit easier.

Either way, I like the little bar boxes they have installed, seem like a little toy table that you'd have no business missing any balls on, until you play on it a bit and realize that they are plenty challenging in their own right. Would I put one in my house??? Probably not, but if that's all I had room for it'd be far better than a Valley for keeping our game tuned up...Just my ever so humble opinion.

 

[Cornerman]

I get it with a home table if that is all someone has room for. But I guess I was under the impression that in some cases people who had room for bigger tables for some reason just chose to have a 7 footer. Maybe my impression was erroneous; I just couldn't make that compute.

As far as bars are concerned, let's distinguish between a bar and a room. Bars I can understand going with 7 footers, but why would any serious room go with anything but a regulation 9 foot table? Sure they could squeeze in a few extra tables, but what real player would want to play on them? And leagues are voluntarily playing on them? What's up with that? Most surprising of all is that you guys say tournaments are played on 7 foot tables. Granted I've been out of the game for a while, but I find this very surprising. Next thing you know I'll find out that those newfangled experimental cassette tapes are going to replace the tried and true 8-tracks.

I guess I'm just old school. I was brought up to think that pool was played on a 9 foot table, snooker on a 10 foot table and everything else was bumper pool.

Heck, never mind about old school. Maybe just old...

This has to do with your age. You simply haven't been around. There are parts of the country that have pool halls with nothing but 7' Valley tables for decades: Ohio, Tenn, KY. There are parts of the country that only have 8' bar tables (Central Massachusetts, for example).

The famous JOB Music City tournament was held in a room chock full of nothing but barboxes.That's a 20+ year tournament. Not exactly new.

You say you're old, but then you think pool should be on a 9' table? Why wouldn't you think instead that pool should be on a 10' table? That was the norm after all, prior to Brunswick making the commercial tables so tiny by making them 9'. Are you sure you're old? I don't think so.

Freddie <~~~ old schooler

 

[realkingcobra]

To hell with political correctness! I'm going to get flack for this, but I don't care.

1. Bar boxes (7 footers) change the game. IMO bar box pool is by far inferior as a game. It makes running out easier, and is less demanding of your stroke.

2. Bar boxes are not made for serious players. They may be played on by such, but they are primarily made to keep bar guests drinking.

3. Bar boxes make the game less visually pleasing and far less entertaining.

4. Bar boxes makes playing proper straight pool close to impossible, leaving only the small games of 8, 9 and 10-ball. Rotation is also no good on the bar box and forget about one pocket.

5. There are very few spectacular shots on the bar box

6. Bar box cueballs react differently

7. Bar boxes take the big strokes, the big breaks and stretching out of the game, leaving it a much less athletic activity.

8. Putting a proper pool professional on a bar box, is IMO an insult to the skill and knowledge he has developed over many years. Sure it makes the league players feeling validated, and probably entertains them, but to me it's like putting a world champion sprinter in a sack race and calling it the world championship. It's a joke, plain and simple.


8 footers still make both rotation and straight pool possible to play. So IMO it's the better choice for a home table if that is what space allows, though it too makes the game easier, it's much closer to a proper 9 footer as far as angles and gameplay is concerned.

Has anyone broke Willie Mosconi's 526 high run on a 7ft yet?

 

[realkingcobra]

This has to do with your age. You simply haven't been around. There are parts of the country that have pool halls with nothing but 7' Valley tables for decades: Ohio, Tenn, KY. There are parts of the country that only have 8' bar tables (Central Massachusetts, for example).

The famous JOB Music City tournament was held in a room chock full of nothing but barboxes.That's a 20+ year tournament. Not exactly new.

You say you're old, but then you think pool should be on a 9' table? Why wouldn't you think instead that pool should be on a 10' table? That was the norm after all, prior to Brunswick making the commercial tables so tiny by making them 9'. Are you sure you're old? I don't think so.

Freddie <~~~ old schooler

Pinkies billiards in Lincoln NB had 98 7ft Valleys and 10 9ft GC3s, and when I was there visiting, i saw every 7ft in use at one time, and no one playing on the 9fts. Denver had a Pinkies with 48 7ft Valleys and 2 9fts.

 

[PocketSpeed11]

I began playing mid-2010. For the first 2 years or so I was almost strictly playing on 9-footers. I would bemoan barboxes and consider them child's play. Yet, when I hurt my shooting shoulder I found the shorter shooting distances to be much easier on it. When I started playing on barboxes my positional play skills drastically improved. In my opinion, barboxes are much more conducive to an amateur improving positional play. If you didn't start playing on barboxes, they will probably have to become an acquired taste. I've come to love the more crowded table area that a barbox provides and the greater opportunities to break out balls...simply put I find it to be more fun than a 9-footer. But unlike a couple years ago, when it was hard to adjust to a 9-footer from regularly shooting on a barbox, I find it to be pretty easy nowadays. Barboxes certainly have their place in the pool world, especially for the lower level player looking to improve their game at a faster rate.

 

[Sweatin']

This has to do with your age. You simply haven't been around. There are parts of the country that have pool halls with nothing but 7' Valley tables for decades: Ohio, Tenn, KY. There are parts of the country that only have 8' bar tables (Central Massachusetts, for example).

The famous JOB Music City tournament was held in a room chock full of nothing but barboxes.That's a 20+ year tournament. Not exactly new.

You say you're old, but then you think pool should be on a 9' table? Why wouldn't you think instead that pool should be on a 10' table? That was the norm after all, prior to Brunswick making the commercial tables so tiny by making them 9'. Are you sure you're old? I don't think so.

Freddie <~~~ old schooler

Just turned 68, Cornerman.

In the last 3-4 years it's started to feel a little old but it does beat the heck out of the alternative. While I did have a couple of 9 foot Gandys in my home over the years, working 75-80 hours a week and raising kids didn't leave much spare time to enjoy them. So the last time I really got to enjoy the sport was in college and shortly after, so it's been a while. You're right, I haven't been around in a long time.

It'll be several months but I'm really looking forward to getting our new house finished so I can finally get a table and hopefully have time to enjoy it.

 

[wigglybridge]

"There are parts of the country that only have 8' bar tables (Central Massachusetts, for example)."

Freddie, i normally think everything you write is spot on, but i don't know where you got this wacky idea. i live in Central Mass, and know of only 1 hall within 2 hours' drive of me that has Any 8' tables, let alone "only" 8' tables. i haven't been everywhere, but i've been to a lottawhere.

 

[mchnhed]

Leagues are voluntarily playing on 7 foot tables?
You guys say tournaments are played on 7 foot tables?

Granted I've been out of the game for a while, but I find this very surprising.

I was brought up to think that pool was played on a 9 foot table, snooker on a 10 foot table and everything else was bumper pool....

See photos of 7' Bar Box Tournaments and Leagues.

I was brought up playing pool on 10 foot tables and 12 foot Snooker tables not the junior size used today.

 

[JazzboxBlues]

I had always played on 9' Gold Crowns before I stopped playing. I was asked to play in a VNEA league last fall. Despite not particularly like playing on the Valleys it got me right back into the game. I still prefer a 9' especially since I'm playing straight pool now. 8 ball isn't all that bad on a 7 footer.

 

[realkingcobra]

"There are parts of the country that only have 8' bar tables (Central Massachusetts, for example)."

Freddie, i normally think everything you write is spot on, but i don't know where you got this wacky idea. i live in Central Mass, and know of only 1 hall within 2 hours' drive of me that has Any 8' tables, let alone "only" 8' tables. i haven't been everywhere, but i've been to a lottawhere.

Almost every pool room in TX is filled with 8fts, MT is almost all 7fts, except Butte, every bar table in the city is an 8ft. In WA state, the majority of pool tables are 8ft.

 

[Cornerman]

Just turned 68, Cornerman.

In the last 3-4 years it's started to feel a little old but it does beat the heck out of the alternative. While I did have a couple of 9 foot Gandys in my home over the years, working 75-80 hours a week and raising kids didn't leave much spare time to enjoy them. So the last time I really got to enjoy the sport was in college and shortly after, so it's been a while. You're right, I haven't been around in a long time.

It'll be several months but I'm really looking forward to getting our new house finished so I can finally get a table and hopefully have time to enjoy it.

Yeah, but you're not old school. You proved that.

 

[Cornerman]

"There are parts of the country that only have 8' bar tables (Central Massachusetts, for example)."

Freddie, i normally think everything you write is spot on, but i don't know where you got this wacky idea. i live in Central Mass, and know of only 1 hall within 2 hours' drive of me that has Any 8' tables, let alone "only" 8' tables. i haven't been everywhere, but i've been to a lottawhere.

Your profile says you're in Western Mass, not Central Mass. I grew up in Western Mass (Greenfield).

My house is in Templeton which is in Worcester County, and I lived and played in the Central Mass area for 15 years. I assure you, everything in the Fitchburg, Gardner; Leominster area is played on 8' if not bigger. Several AZers from Central Mass are on this site, and can chime in.

I generally don't post anything with BS in mind, as my posts are based on reality. Posting fantasy would be other people.

 

[Sealegs50]

To hell with political correctness! I'm going to get flack for this, but I don't care.

1. Bar boxes (7 footers) change the game. IMO bar box pool is by far inferior as a game. It makes running out easier, and is less demanding of your stroke.

2. Bar boxes are not made for serious players. They may be played on by such, but they are primarily made to keep bar guests drinking.

3. Bar boxes make the game less visually pleasing and far less entertaining.

4. Bar boxes makes playing proper straight pool close to impossible, leaving only the small games of 8, 9 and 10-ball. Rotation is also no good on the bar box and forget about one pocket.

5. There are very few spectacular shots on the bar box

6. Bar box cueballs react differently

7. Bar boxes take the big strokes, the big breaks and stretching out of the game, leaving it a much less athletic activity.

8. Putting a proper pool professional on a bar box, is IMO an insult to the skill and knowledge he has developed over many years. Sure it makes the league players feeling validated, and probably entertains them, but to me it's like putting a world champion sprinter in a sack race and calling it the world championship. It's a joke, plain and simple.

Beside the space consideration, I think you pointed out the reasons why bar owners would want 7 ft tables rather than 9 ft. in their bars. 7 ft. tables have a buffering effect between the skills of a solid player and a novice. With less space between balls, there are fewer open shots and fewer run-outs. None of the shots are particularly long, so the skill of a stronger player is less of an advantage. Novice players have more fun when they play more and make more balls. That keeps them in the bar buying more beer. Tables in bars are there to entertain patrons and not so much for attracting serious players.

FYI, 9 and 10-ball are rotation games. Playing either game on a coin-operated table means you don’t shoot at all of the balls you paid for. So, I agree that rotation games are not suited for coin-operated bar tables.

 

[gxman]

Clicks, the chain pool hall near me, has about 16 8ft, 2 9ft, and 1 7ft.

The 8ft there is most popular for the typical patron.

Another bar/hall chain, Ricochet, has maybe 14 8fts.

Two more bar/hall I've never been to.

And last, the major pool hall for the players has 7 9ft and 7 7ft, all diamonds.

I play on my 9ft at home, but before I had my table, its either 9ft or 8ft at the hall. No interest in poking around on the 7ft.