tomatoshooter
Well-known member
I'm sort of curious about the tougher pockets make you a better shooter idea. It would seem true on the surface but several people who seem to know what they are talking about don't seem to think so. I haven't tested it although I do have to say going from my 8' with snooty pockets to a 7' barbox with friendly pockets makes me feel like a god. The boost in confidence you get from switching may be the real reward. It's also possible that the player could pass on makeable shots or not learn how to cheat the pocket.
Anyway, I was thinking that, with no technique problems, shots presumably are distributed in a bell curve with most closer to the center and fewer at the fringes. It follows that a better shooter would have a narrower curve, i.e. 75% of shots falling within 1" of the center instead of 2" for a worse shooter. And perhaps 95% within 2" for the skilled player and 4" for the less skilled player. For tighter pockets to truly benefit the player, the player would probably have to miss so few shots on the larger pockets that they gain no useful feedback and even then I suspect the repetition would sharpen their skills. I suppose larger pockets could be more tolerant of sloppy play and a less motivated player may not work as hard.
One thing I do doubt is that the distribution of shots would be substantially different. I'd wager that if you practice on 5" pockets and make 90% and go to a 4.5" table and make 60% and I practice on a 4.5" table and get 60% when I play on the 5" table I'll hit 90%. I still think random distribution holds true.
It seems like the tighter pockets will make a player better when you first think about it but I wonder if really matters for a motivated player, unless they are at the very high end of the skill range or for a newer player who gets frustrated by the tight pockets. I would like to hear from some coaches who may have relevant experience.
Anyway, I was thinking that, with no technique problems, shots presumably are distributed in a bell curve with most closer to the center and fewer at the fringes. It follows that a better shooter would have a narrower curve, i.e. 75% of shots falling within 1" of the center instead of 2" for a worse shooter. And perhaps 95% within 2" for the skilled player and 4" for the less skilled player. For tighter pockets to truly benefit the player, the player would probably have to miss so few shots on the larger pockets that they gain no useful feedback and even then I suspect the repetition would sharpen their skills. I suppose larger pockets could be more tolerant of sloppy play and a less motivated player may not work as hard.
One thing I do doubt is that the distribution of shots would be substantially different. I'd wager that if you practice on 5" pockets and make 90% and go to a 4.5" table and make 60% and I practice on a 4.5" table and get 60% when I play on the 5" table I'll hit 90%. I still think random distribution holds true.
It seems like the tighter pockets will make a player better when you first think about it but I wonder if really matters for a motivated player, unless they are at the very high end of the skill range or for a newer player who gets frustrated by the tight pockets. I would like to hear from some coaches who may have relevant experience.
. The dude was an absolute killer. I ran into him later on. People that smoked me were wary of him. He just couldn’t seem to get into gear on a tight table for some reason. 