I'm just curious, how many people compete on a regular basis either tournaments or league play on the exact same size table as they have at home? I play pool leagues on bar boxes so that is what I put in my home room. A large group of my league players have tables as well . . . 8 and 9 footers. Games of pool are very different on different size tables. Why practice on something you don't see when you are out in the match world? Thoughts . . .
Home Table vs Competition Tables
- Thread starter BarTableMan
- Start date
Its really not that different. Sure a 7' to a 10' is, but even the 2 foot difference isn't that big a deal. A bank is a bank, a cut is a cut, what size the table is at most matters for speed. And tables in league vary so much in speed that I've seen 9 footers that shoot faster than any 7 foot I've ever played on because they had excellent new felt + bumpers, and then 8 footers that felt like they were 12 feet as slows as the felt was... So you always have to adjust to the table's own speed. I think most people get at home whatever is the biggest that will fit honestly.
Balls become more clustered and harder to move around on a 7' table.
There's a plus and negative to the big versus small table argument.
On the small table, there is unargubly less playing surface for the same size/amount of balls, which can cause traffic/clusters that must be dealt with. But learning to deal with them is good for your game.
On the big table, some shots are daunting by the sheer length of them. Learning to stroke smoothly and confidently on these shots will also be a boon for your game.
Small table: clusters
Big table: long shots
I have always found in my personal experiences that shooting for long stretches on a 9' table makes me feel like I cannot miss a shot when I get onto a barbox. But going from a lot of play on a barbox to the big table, I find I need a longer period of adjustment. Your mileage may vary.
I believe that playing on both types of tables is overall a good thing for one's game. Much to be learned by the difference the two types afford you.
Maniac (sucks on both sizes
)
I've an oversized 8 footer in my home and play on Bar boxes when competing. I do make sure to get to the bar boxes early enough to adjust for speed, but as Maniac said above, after shooting on all of that "green", things just seem easier. (even though their not).
but don't take my word, I'm just a league player with no real skills to speak of.
but don't take my word, I'm just a league player with no real skills to speak of.
I play at home on a 9ft diamond pro am and on barbox tables for league play. Several of my team members play with me at home on the weekends and all claim that having been on the 9ft table has helped them to improve thier league play considerably. Yes, speed is the biggest issue moving from a pristine diamond environment to a barbox cloth and cushion environment but, I personally believe that the experience of playing on a larger table only enhances ones ability to play on the smaller venue.
I agree with this sentiment. The truth is, I've seen plenty of players who are exceptional on a 9-foot table make an easy transition to a 7-footer but cannot say the opposite is true. The APA players who try to make the leap to 9-foot competition ALWAYS struggle. A long time ago, somewhere in your brain, you've made the decision what is a "normal medium distance shot". For the 9-foot table player, that shot is somewhere around 5-7 feet. For the barbox player, that shot is somewhere around 3-4 feet.
Also agree! I play at home on a standard 8, play 2 nights a week on oversized 8's at a friends pool room and have NO problem transitioning to either a bar box or a 9' table. The longer shots don't bother me and I have a "drill" that I do to get the table speed down when changing sizes, or cloth speed, that only takes a few minutes. Sure, small tables add a cluster issue, but adjust to the speed and you can get the clusters taken care of in short order.
Standard 8' practice days will be a thing of the past by the weekend. I bought a 4 1/2 X 9 to put in my room here at the house. The frame is put together, all issues that it had have been fixed and it's just about ready to set the slate on and put on the new cloth. Only big chore left is covering that rails! I HATE doing that! Not that difficult, but just a pain in the arse compared to stapling the bed cloth in place!
Bob
Practice at home on 9' tables. Compete primarily on bar tables.
It usually takes me one or two shots to remember that I don't need as much speed but that's about it. I practice a lot of 14.1 so cluster management on the 7' tables isn't much of an issue.
I know a guy in APA who swears that playing on a 9' table messes up your bar table game. This a guy who says that my SL should be higher.
It usually takes me one or two shots to remember that I don't need as much speed but that's about it. I practice a lot of 14.1 so cluster management on the 7' tables isn't much of an issue.
I know a guy in APA who swears that playing on a 9' table messes up your bar table game. This a guy who says that my SL should be higher.
I agree with this.
I think there's another psychological variable at play here. I've run into this when having the discussion about ball pocketing skills vs. cue ball positioning skills. What it is, is the idea that when you KNOW that you can pocket the ball, you have more confidence in your overall game. This is turn, helps you control the cue ball.
I don't think it works in reverse, you don't tell yourself - "well, I know I can get the cue ball where I want, now if only I can pocket the ball." If you can't pocket the ball everything else quickly falls apart. At least it does for me. So when you go from the big table to the bar table it's a huge confidence boost. I don't see how you could possibly get that same boost going from the bar table to the big table.
I hardly ever practice on bar tables.
I have only been playing for about a year and a half so take that into consideration. I have a 9ft. GC at home that I use a lot but my leagues are all on 7 foot tables, for me it is a huge confidence boost playing on small tables because there is no long shot on a bar table when you are used to 9s. Also my shelves are deep so the pockets play tough, it seems like anything close on a Valley falls in the hole. The only problem I have is 1 particular table in league that the cloth is so fast on its like the cue ball will not stop until it hits a cushion or another ball, I do not have this problem on the few Diamonds in our league which are faster than most Valleys.
Is easier to go down than up, in my opinion. In the process of getting a 9' table in my home, even though the room is just a touch short for it I'd rather have it match what I play on regularly vs. practicing on an 8' and then having to make and adjustment every time I go out to play.
Scott
Scott
I have a bar box in my basement, but play league on 9 footers. If I play even an hour on my basement table it screws me up for at least 3/4 hours when I go to a 9 footer. I hate it, so hardly use my basement table.
Which is also why I've been feverishly looking for a nine foot gc1 or gc2. Unfortunately with no luck yet, ha ha
Which is also why I've been feverishly looking for a nine foot gc1 or gc2. Unfortunately with no luck yet, ha ha
My practice table is in a rec room. The bumpers sag, the felt needs to be replaced and the pockets are so messed up that you need to be dead on. Since its not my table, but its free, I use it. If I go play tourneys (starting league Monday), I like to get in early to get a feel for the felt and bumpers but the practice table keeps me focused on my shots, aiming, cuts and how to get shape without depending on the bumpers.
I do spend a lot of time at pool halls on 8&9 foot and on bar boxes to keep myself well versed. To play on a crap table has really helped my game a lot.
I do spend a lot of time at pool halls on 8&9 foot and on bar boxes to keep myself well versed. To play on a crap table has really helped my game a lot.
I have a Gold Crown IV with shims at home and play league on valley bar boxes. At home I play either 10 ball or straight pool. I think 10 ball on the bigger table helps make everything feel easy on the bar box, and the straight pool helps me work on how clusters will break apart. Just my two cents...
I think many players buy a home table specifically because they don't plan on spending much time in the pool hall. Even for tournaments and leagues.
People usually buy the table they think plays the best, or has the best price, not the one that closely matches a specific set of tables at a specific hall.
When you bought your 7' are you saying space and price had nothing do your decision?
People usually buy the table they think plays the best, or has the best price, not the one that closely matches a specific set of tables at a specific hall.
When you bought your 7' are you saying space and price had nothing do your decision?
As far as "home" vs. "competition" in the table quality sense (furniture grade home tables vs. Diamond/Gold Crown tables), there is no comparison.
In the "bar box vs. 9 footer" sense, it comes down to what you spend most of your time on. For example, if someone plays exclusively on bar boxes, they'd likely be at a disadvantage against an equally skilled player who plays exclusively on 9 footers if the match were played on a 9 foot table (and the opposite is usually true as well).
I do feel that 7 foot to 9 foot is a harder transition to make simply because of the length of the shots you can face on a 9 foot table.
In the "bar box vs. 9 footer" sense, it comes down to what you spend most of your time on. For example, if someone plays exclusively on bar boxes, they'd likely be at a disadvantage against an equally skilled player who plays exclusively on 9 footers if the match were played on a 9 foot table (and the opposite is usually true as well).
I do feel that 7 foot to 9 foot is a harder transition to make simply because of the length of the shots you can face on a 9 foot table.
This game is about adapting. The more you get used to playing on a lot of different types of tables, cloths, types of cueballs etc. The stronger your game becomes.
Then you're not playing on an 8 foot with a red circle, or playing on a Valley with a valley cueball, or a 9 foot with a blue circle, or measle ball. You're just playing pool. No excuses.
my $.02
Then you're not playing on an 8 foot with a red circle, or playing on a Valley with a valley cueball, or a 9 foot with a blue circle, or measle ball. You're just playing pool. No excuses.
my $.02
I make sure when ever I do a table in my house(I have moved a few times over the years) I duplicate what ever I'm playing on at the local pool room. I cant make sense out of having different cloth/table at home.