I think the slapping is nearly as likely to cause the ball to speed up. In either case I think the effect will be very minor compared to leaving your weight on the table when shooting stretched out.During a match today I hit a poor shot, and in frustration I slapped the table. My opponent thought this might be a foul since it could slow the balls down. I think I might agree with him.
Opinions? Bob Jewett?
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I think the slapping is nearly as likely to cause the ball to speed up. In either case I think the effect will be very minor compared to leaving your weight on the table when shooting stretched out.
I suppose that if we started calling such fouls, leaning on the rail would be the first to need action. For that matter, standing at the head/foot of the table will slow/speed the cue ball down/up the table as you are certainly causing some sag of the floor and tilting the table. Should it be a foul to walk around to the end of the table to see if you get a rail contact? Standing by that end of the table will probably increase the likelihood of contact.
I think this can of worms should be left unopened.
I admit I've done this many times, not to change the outcome, but just to express myself. I've never noticed it changing the outcome.
After reading that some regard it as unsportsmanlike or cheating I will stop.
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I think that no one knows whether slapping the table or even banging the table with a baseball bat can significantly slow down or speed up a ball rolling on the cloth. Reasonable arguments can be made for both slowing and hastening and there seems to be people in both belief camps.
Let's suppose a ball comes off the far end cushion at a speed that will stop a diamond from the near end cushion. How many inches can we change the stopping spot by slapping the table? I'll guess that it's less than a quarter inch.
I guess you never heard of 'vibration'..... There is a old trick shot that one places two balls next to each other on the bottom rail and a third ball is set on top of them. The shooter tells a person to stand at the end of the table to watch the hit. The shooter states that they will hit the to ball on top without hitting the bottom two. As the watcher protects his private area... the shooter hits the cue ball slowly down the table towards the three balls. The shooter taps the bed of the table with their hand. The two bottom balls move and the top center ball falls straight down....the cue ball than hits that ball..... vibration!
What is this "vibration" of which you speak?
I didn't think slate transmitted vibration that well. Sue me.
I need to disagree with you. Even if it is less than a quarter inch... it's too much. I have had no shots b/c of less than a quarter of an inch.
It is possible but tedious to measure the effect of slapping the table while a ball is rolling. Until someone does that, neither one of us knows anything regardless of what each of us may believe.You can give me all the numbers you want and you still will never convince me that slapping the table does not affect rolls. Just as I can not convince you that it does.
As for the part of your comment about not allowing a player to move to the end of the table..... Really?..... do I sense some sarcasm.
It is possible but tedious to measure the effect of slapping the table while a ball is rolling. Until someone does that, neither one of us knows anything regardless of what each of us may believe.
As for moving around the table, no floor is perfectly stiff. All floors sag from load. All of them. Moving from one end of the table to the other will change the tilt of the table. I believe the effect is usually small enough to ignore.