Just In Case You Missed The Announcement - A Snooker Player Promoting Chinese Pool

[Scaramouche]

http://www.china.org.cn/sports/2012-02/10/content_24602122.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpDSg40ZHh0
Poster provides this info:
The game is neither American 8-ball nor British 8-ball. It is Chinese 8-ball, officially called "Chinese billiards" by Chinese Billiards & Snooker Association (CBSA). Based on 2011 CBSA data, about 71% of the players in China play Chinese 8-ball -- much more than those playing 9-ball (16%) and snooker (12%).

Chinese 8-ball is a weird pool game. The size of table is the same with standard 9-ball table. The pocket is like snooker which is cut on an arc and is obviously rounded. The size of balls is similar to carom billiards but smaller. The cloth has a directional nap but the balls behave differently compared with rolling on snooker nap. Most distinct part is that its reaction to cushion rail is astonishingly nothing like any other cuesports tables, because the slate beds are much thicker than snooker and 9-ball beds while the distance from the nose of the cushion to the covered slate surface is shorter than that of any other tables.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DImATQ70-Eg

 

[Scott Lee]

Wow...that is some SERIOUSLY slow cloth...and very small pockets. The balls and pockets remind me of Russian Pyramid...but the cloth is 10x slower here.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

 

[YubaCushion]

Is it just me.

Tell me you wouldn't like to try that table out.

 

[DA\/E]

There is a fair bit of info and footage of Chinese 8-Ball out there on the net.

The pockets aren't really that small, the good players run out regularly, and the cloth isn't really that slow.

However, it's probably a better test of skill than say, playing 9 ball or 10 ball on a 10 foot table.

Just my 0.02.

 

[billiardshot]

I alway wonder why Asia Billiards Tournaments can seen too draw sponsorship from Auto Companies, but America Cannot? Thanks Scaramouche for those links.

 

[Scott Lee]

Well the cloth on THAT table was VERY slow. If you watched the video there's no way you could argue that.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

The pockets aren't really that small, the good players run out regularly, and the cloth isn't really that slow.

.

 

[JayKidd]

Chinese pool tables in a common pool hall have corner pocket width around 92mm, appro.3 5/8 inch. and tables used in tournaments have corner pockets width less than 83mm, appro. 3 1/4 inch.

Slow snooker felt makes the cueball loss spin rapidly, and round corners make rail cut shots very hard even without any side spin on cueball.

The only shot that is easier of a Chinese pool table is a narrow angel side pocket shot since the effective pocket size is larger due to the round "nose".