Is Practice on a 10’ Table Advised for Matches on a 9’ Table?

I think it would be good to practice on a 10 footer. All other factors being the same between the 9 and 10 ft. table I'd say shot making skills should improve, and those power shots should improve. Adding another foot to those Bert Kinister drills will force just a bit more accuracy in the stroke.
 
ChrisinNC said:
I don’t understand how the diamond aiming system would change for different size tables. In all cases from 7 foot to 10 foot tables, they are all twice as long as they are wide and the diamonds represent 1/8 of the length and 1/4 the width of the playing area. I’m thinking the only reason it would change is if the cushions are different or the cloth is different.
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What happens is the the different sizes interrupt ball action at different times and rates. This can result in subtle to extreme changes in ball path.
 
iusedtoberich said:
My personal opinion is it does not matter if you practice on a 7', 9', or 10' table, even if you were playing an event the next day. Practice is to get you and keep you in physical, mental, and decision making stroke.
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It matters a lot when you go from a 7’table to a 9’ table. You see that all the time with APA players that compete
on 7’ tables and enter local tournaments played on 9’ tables. Their game drops off significantly. 50” x 100” is a lot
different than 39” x 78”. There’s also the issue of pocket size and shelf length. Don’t kid yourself into thinking pool
is pool regardless of the size table. Go play on a 10’ and find out……pool is only pool in that there’s 15 object balls.
The size of the table, pockets, rails and cloth are all factors but bigger tables like 9’, & especially 10’, are just harder.
 
Bavafongoul said:
It matters a lot when you go from a 7’table to a 9’ table. You see that all the time with APA players that compete
on 7’ tables and enter local tournaments played on 9’ tables. Their game drops off significantly. 50” x 100” is a lot
different than 39” x 78”. There’s also the issue of pocket size and shelf length. Don’t kid yourself into thinking pool
is pool regardless of the size table. Go play on a 10’ and find out……pool is only pool in that there’s 15 object balls.
The size of the table, pockets, rails and cloth are all factors but bigger tables like 9’, & especially 10’, are just harder.
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APA players can’t play in general on any table. I’ve played on 9’ tables my whole life. Once in a while I play on bar tables, and a few times I’ve played on DCC’s 10’ table. Really for me it’s a 10 second adjustment. I think the eye and brain calculate automatically the “length” of the shot.

In the simplest form, there is not a single one of an experienced player that will have trouble on a stop shot on any size table, the very first time they try it cold. I hold the same is true for multi rail position routes.

If it were true it makes a huge difference, then the first time you go 2 rails out of the corner to land on the other end of the table on a barbox, you’d hit it so hard since used to a 9’, that the cb would go 6 feet further than intended. That simply never, ever, happens.
 
iusedtoberich said:
APA players can’t play in general on any table. I’ve played on 9’ tables my whole life. Once in a while I play on bar tables, and a few times I’ve played on DCC’s 10’ table. Really for me it’s a 10 second adjustment. I think the eye and brain calculate automatically the “length” of the shot.

In the simplest form, there is not a single one of an experienced player that will have trouble on a stop shot on any size table, the very first time they try it cold. I hold the same is true for multi rail position routes.

If it were true it makes a huge difference, then the first time you go 2 rails out of the corner to land on the other end of the table on a barbox, you’d hit it so hard since used to a 9’, that the cb would go 6 feet further than intended. That simply never, ever, happens.
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IMO, you are not being realistic about the game of pool as it applies to the vast majority of pool players.
The principles remain the same but the skills to navigate & accomplish the table runout become harder.

I’ve never met, or know of, any seasoned pool player, other than perhaps a semi-pro, that did not find
playing on a 10’ table more difficult and challenged their skills to the point they didn’t play as well as when
they played on a 9’ table. Smaller tables are easier tables…..from 12’ to 10’ to 9’ & oversized 8’, 8’, and 7’.

Conversely, as the table size increases, the game progressively becomes more challenging presuming that
corner pockets are remain reasonably tight at 4.5” or smaller rather than the 5” or larger manhole openings.
The difference is admittedly less noticeable switching from a 7’ to a 8’ or from a 8’ to an oversized 8’ table.

Strong intermediate players make that transition relatively easily. But jump from a 7’ to a 9’, or worse, a 10’,
It changes and becomes harder. If you have doubts, play your ass off on a 9’ & then play on a 10’, you will
will miss more shots, not runout as often as you previously did, miss more banks and have much lower runs.

The 10’ pool table is where champions played for decades and it is the ultimate test, then comes the 9’ tables.
7’ tables & 9’ tables are like comparing single A and double AA baseball to playing on a MLB team. It’s harder.

I know a lot of players that play strong on a 9’ table so switching to a 7’makes them even better. The reverse
just isn’t applicable for the vast majority of pool players. You can’t compare yourself & think everyone else can
because that’s unrealistic. Nowadays, carbon fiber shafts likely aid some players switching from 7’ to 9’ tables.
 
Bavafongoul said:
IMO, you are not being realistic about the game of pool as it applies to the vast majority of pool players.
The principles remain the same but the skills to navigate & accomplish the table runout become harder.

I’ve never met, or know of, any seasoned pool player, other than perhaps a semi-pro, that did not find
playing on a 10’ table more difficult and challenged their skills to the point they didn’t play as well as when
they played on a 9’ table. Smaller tables are easier tables…..from 12’ to 10’ to 9’ & oversized 8’, 8’, and 7’.

Conversely, as the table size increases, the game progressively becomes more challenging presuming that
corner pockets are remain reasonably tight at 4.5” or smaller rather than the 5” or larger manhole openings.
The difference is admittedly less noticeable switching from a 7’ to a 8’ or from a 8’ to an oversized 8’ table.

Strong intermediate players make that transition relatively easily. But jump from a 7’ to a 9’, or worse, a 10’,
It changes and becomes harder. If you have doubts, play your ass off on a 9’ & then play on a 10’, you will
will miss more shots, not runout as often as you previously did, miss more banks and have much lower runs.

The 10’ pool table is where champions played for decades and it is the ultimate test, then comes the 9’ tables.
7’ tables & 9’ tables are like comparing single A and double AA baseball to playing on a MLB team. It’s harder.

I know a lot of players that play strong on a 9’ table so switching to a 7’makes them even better. The reverse
just isn’t applicable for the vast majority of pool players. You can’t compare yourself & think everyone else can
because that’s unrealistic. Nowadays, carbon fiber shafts likely aid some players switching from 7’ to 9’ tables.
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I agree completely as a table gets bigger the game becomes harder.

I disagree that the different table sizes are harder to adapt to from a speed/length of shot standpoint.

Anyway, good discussion.
 
iusedtoberich said:
I agree completely as a table gets bigger the game becomes harder.

I disagree that the different table sizes are harder to adapt to from a speed/length of shot standpoint.

Anyway, good discussion.
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I can tell you from experience that even the break shot on a 10-foot table is quite different. That added distance between the cue ball and head ball require you to strike the cue ball a little lower to achieve the same cue ball action off the head ball.
 
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iusedtoberich said:
I agree completely as a table gets bigger the game becomes harder.

I disagree that the different table sizes are harder to adapt to from a speed/length of shot standpoint.

Anyway, good discussion.
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They are much harder to adapt because on the 10 footer you cant reach MANY shots you would take on a 9 footer. If you want to shoot them they are like 2 or 3 feet longer. This makes pocketing the ball harder and controlling the speed and direction of the shot harder as well.
 
isn't a chinese 8 ball nine footer tougher than a 10' pool table?

all the americans who have done well at the derby 10' events struggle on those chinese tables

a russian pyramid table may be the toughest of all, I don't think i've seen any proven benefits to say those few russian players who have transitioned

having said that, if gorst and filler own 10 footers, maybe there is something to it
 
When I started playing I tried to learn how to play better by going on a snooker table for a short period. It was a waste of time. What did help me though was tighter pockets on a nine foot table.

I think it was in Robert Byrnes pool book he mentions that a pool player that is usedi to playing on a larger table will probably lose when he tries to play a good bar pool table player. Might be similar. However I have no actual experience playing on a 10 foot table.
 
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It
34YearsOfPlayin said:
When I started playing I tried to learn how to play better by going on a snooker table for a short period. It was a waste of time. What did help me though was tighter pockets on a nine foot table.

I think it was in Robert Byrnes pool book he mentions that a pool player that is usedi to playing on a larger table will probably lose when he tries to play a good bar pool table player. Might be similar. However I have no actual experience playing on a 10 foot table.
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Straight pool and keeping most of the balls at the foot can somewhat replicate the feeling of traffic of a bar table. There used to be big ball specialists. It has been ages since I had to deal with a big ball.

Overall it is a very different experience. Obviously you miss more on a big table and people get frustrated sometimes. It is reality that some shots in the middle of the table are unplayable without a bridge. Many people that play on my table do not enjoy it. It is basically unplayable for an APA 2/3 or a casual player but that is not his question. The OP is going in with clear eyes on what he wants to do for himself and why so he should be fine.
 
Play everything at your disposal. It's like cross training, the mind improves from staying active.

The biggest jump in my pool playing came with very few hours playing pool. I hardly played for several years, but came back and improved in no time. I credit my increase in skills directly to playing competitive foosball those years.
 
For visualization, this is a 5x10.
 

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In my opinion it makes no sense to use a 10 foot table to get better on a 9 foot table. That is backwards. Why not just use a 9 foot table to get better on a 9 foot table.
 
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cjl0s said:
For visualization, this is a 5x10.
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One thing about the increased surface area that might be problematic is position can be far more general. That is, presuming you strive for good angles, the landings are bigger as well and don't require the precision of speed that smaller tables demand.


34YearsOfPlayin said:
In my opinion it makes no sense to use a 10 foot table to get better on a 9 foot table. That is backwards. Why not just use a 9 foot table to get better on a 9 foot table.
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Depends how you work it. FI a workout on a 10 footer might entail looking further and stroking firmer than on a shorter table. If one has issues babying iffy shots, taking those angles to a larger table can be curative. The sweet spots of various equipment can enrich any player's ability.
 
When I wanted to get my aim straightened out I used to practice with pool balls on a 10' snooker table. A few hours of that and the pool table looked like a bar table. And the pockets looked like buckets. But don't tell anybody okay.
 
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