How tight is too tight?
- Thread starter FuManchu
- Start date
Yeah......
Recommendations?
I suggest you do some searches, because this has been discussed a lot. For rotation games and 8 ball, I would say the consensus seems to be that 4.25" is about as tight as most might reasonably want. My own view is that anything less than 4 1/2 is miserable to play on once the cloth has broken in, but then I suck.
But, as I said, do your searches.
But, as I said, do your searches.
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What pocket size will you be competing on? That is what you will want for your home table.
Realize though whatever size you choose, there different ways to tighten up the pockets.
Rail extensions are the best way, whereas stacking facing shims in the pockets are the worst.
IMHO
Realize though whatever size you choose, there different ways to tighten up the pockets.
Rail extensions are the best way, whereas stacking facing shims in the pockets are the worst.
IMHO
When you have to use lubricant ?
4" at 139-141 degrees ( don't go over 141* ) is plenty tight.
Try not to touch the side pockets .
4" at 139-141 degrees ( don't go over 141* ) is plenty tight.
Try not to touch the side pockets .
Don't focus on how tight the pockets are. It doesn't matter if they are not cut correctly.
I played on a table that had 4 1/8" pockets, and that is TIGHT. However, the mechanic cut the pockets properly so the table would accept the ball if you hit it right. I am a C player at best, but my misses were due to missing, not because the pocket was rejecting good shots.
Too many "tight" tables are crafted so poorly that a well hit ball will be rejected by the pocket unless hit at the softest possible speed.
Have the table done by someone who knows what they are doing. Can't emphasize this enough.
Oh, and 3 1/2". You must be kidding right?
I played on a table that had 4 1/8" pockets, and that is TIGHT. However, the mechanic cut the pockets properly so the table would accept the ball if you hit it right. I am a C player at best, but my misses were due to missing, not because the pocket was rejecting good shots.
Too many "tight" tables are crafted so poorly that a well hit ball will be rejected by the pocket unless hit at the softest possible speed.
Have the table done by someone who knows what they are doing. Can't emphasize this enough.
Oh, and 3 1/2". You must be kidding right?
This is so true.
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3 1/2"?
Too big for snooker.
Should be 3 1/3"
Rounded not points
:grin:
Too big for snooker.
Should be 3 1/3"
Rounded not points
:grin:
Right, you can get the pockets pretty tight as long angle isn't too wide. If the throat of the pocket narrows too much, the pockets will spit balls out even if they were hit cleanly down the rail. Then you're playing snooker, not pool. On a pool table you should be able to hit a ball hard down the rail and have it pocket, it's part of the game and an important skill both to possess and to defend against. You don't want the pockets so loose that you can miss a shot down the rail by over an inch and still pocket it, but you don't want a ball that's hugging the rail to be rejected by the pocket just because you hit it with more than pocket speed.
If you want to challenge your ball-making skills, shoot through tight gaps in a cluttered pattern, or go practice snooker every once in a while. I would not go below 4.25" pockets, not because you want to make it easy on yourself, but because (American) pool is not about making balls into impossibly tight pockets, the game is about cheating pockets ever so slightly so you can get the angle you need, and also on the defensive end, knowing that the pockets will accept any ball you leave your opponent a shot on. In snooker and on the Chinese 8-ball tables, you can get away with slightly sloppy safety because those rounded pockets limit the speeds and angle you can shoot in at - just because your opponent can make the ball doesn't mean he can make it AND get shape on the next ball. American pool is not like that, if you leave a look at any pocket, your opponent should be able to punish you.
Although we have seen pockets tighten up in recent years on tournament tables, and going down to a little over 4" is a good thing, there is still a lot of skill in the strategy of manipulating the size and shape of pool pockets, if you tighten up the pockets too much, that dimension of the game goes away.
I agree with others, no tighter than 4.5" like the diamond pro table with the deep shelves. And even that may be too tight for 14.1 or banks. "Pool" is a collection of games involving a ball and a stick. Unlike snooker, where everyone plays only one game, pool has 14.1, onepocket, banks, 9 & 10 ball, rotation, Honolulu, Irish pool, etc. It's important to have a table suitable for all of these games. Pockets that are too tight really detract from the game, and some more than others.
For pockets under 4.25", I feel like it really limits even great players and it can severely stunt the progress of really good players. For anyone less than that, really tight pockets can just ruin their game. They will never be able to understand the spectrum of positions routes available by cheating the pocket on a "normal" table. Just food for thought.
For pockets under 4.25", I feel like it really limits even great players and it can severely stunt the progress of really good players. For anyone less than that, really tight pockets can just ruin their game. They will never be able to understand the spectrum of positions routes available by cheating the pocket on a "normal" table. Just food for thought.
If you play "decent" I would recommend 4 1/2" wide pockets without shims.
If you play GREAT, I would recommend 4 1/4" pockets. As others have mentioned, once the cloth gets worn in, 4 1/4" pockets can make many players frustrated.
What is the most number of 9 ball racks that you have run consecutively?
What is the most number of 8 ball racks that you have run consecutively?
This could provide some additional information that might be relative to how tight of a pocket I would recommend for you.
JoeyA
If you play GREAT, I would recommend 4 1/4" pockets. As others have mentioned, once the cloth gets worn in, 4 1/4" pockets can make many players frustrated.
What is the most number of 9 ball racks that you have run consecutively?
What is the most number of 8 ball racks that you have run consecutively?
This could provide some additional information that might be relative to how tight of a pocket I would recommend for you.
JoeyA
I recommend 4.25 for corners and 5" for sides. My table is 4" corners and 5" sides and although I have adjusted to it, it's really the kind of table that you have to be in superb stroke to play well. Tightening up the sides much below 5" does not achieve anything. The points will interfere on steep angle shots in a tight side and renders them virtually useless.
A tight table will help your game and 4 1/4 is tight enough. You will have to aim well and not cheat the pockets much, but still be able to run racks.
By the way, now that I've adjusted to 4" corners I don't think a 4 1/2" table is at all tight. Diamonds seem like buckets to me.
A tight table will help your game and 4 1/4 is tight enough. You will have to aim well and not cheat the pockets much, but still be able to run racks.
By the way, now that I've adjusted to 4" corners I don't think a 4 1/2" table is at all tight. Diamonds seem like buckets to me.
If you can make a rail shot
The pockets are too big.
Especially on a 12 x 6.
Nick
The pockets are too big.
Especially on a 12 x 6.
Nick