SHould Pratice be on Same Tables you Play On?

Jeff

Jeff

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Should you practice on the same type of tables you will usually be playing on.

If you play 100% of the time on bar tables, should you only pratice on bar tables?

Here is why I ask, I play three nights a week in leagues and they are always bar tables.

But there is a pool hall fairly close to me with large nice tables that you pay by the hour.

It's almost impossible to pratice on a bar table. What are you going to do keep feeding quarters, that could get expensive fast and would be a real big hassle.

But is praticing on a completely different type of table helping or hurting ?
 
Jeff said:
Should you practice on the same type of tables you will usually be playing on.

If you play 100% of the time on bar tables, should you only pratice on bar tables?

Here is why I ask, I play three nights a week in leagues and they are always bar tables.

But there is a pool hall fairly close to me with large nice tables that you pay by the hour.

It's almost impossible to pratice on a bar table. What are you going to do keep feeding quarters, that could get expensive fast and would be a real big hassle.

But is praticing on a completely different type of table helping or hurting ?
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I believe that your consistancy will become alot better if you play on regulation tables instead of playing on Coin-Op tables. I have played on bar tables before (when I was a youngster) and I had limited opportunities to even pull off massé or jump shots with ease. Unless you wanna practice your massé shots in those tables, nevertheles, stay away from the barbox tables if possible. Stick with the 4x8 that is not coin-op or go big with 4.5x9 and practice your aiming.
 
its always been my experience that you can play on full sized tables and then step down to a bar table, etc no problem. I always play on 4 1/2 by 9's, and then when they would have a tourney on the 4x8's or bar tables its like so small, pockets are huge......cant hardly miss. I think the only way youd have problems is if you go the opposite way, playing on small tables then try to switch over to the big ones.
 
scottycoyote said:
its always been my experience that you can play on full sized tables and then step down to a bar table, etc no problem. I always play on 4 1/2 by 9's, and then when they would have a tourney on the 4x8's or bar tables its like so small, pockets are huge......cant hardly miss. I think the only way youd have problems is if you go the opposite way, playing on small tables then try to switch over to the big ones.
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I find it the opposite. I mostly practice on 4.5 x 9 tables, I play one league night on the 9 footers but it takes me a little getting used to the 7 footers when I play my other league night on them. Although the pockets are bigger, it's just so darn crowded.

I must be a cowboy at heart, don't fence me in :P I never have a problem switching back to big tables.

I too wish I could get more practice on bar tables, but there's only so many days in the week.
 
I think long as your hitting balls practice on a big table or a bar box. I don't think it matters as much imo as long as your hitting em. I play on the bar tables myself thats where the money is unless your playing one pocket. LOL my practice partner never misses a shot on a big table.:D
 
Jeff said:
Should you practice on the same type of tables you will usually be playing on.

If you play 100% of the time on bar tables, should you only pratice on bar tables?

Here is why I ask, I play three nights a week in leagues and they are always bar tables.

But there is a pool hall fairly close to me with large nice tables that you pay by the hour.

It's almost impossible to pratice on a bar table. What are you going to do keep feeding quarters, that could get expensive fast and would be a real big hassle.

But is praticing on a completely different type of table helping or hurting ?
Click to expand...

You don't say what game you play, but if it's 8-ball, spend some of your big-table practice time breaking racks softly and trying to run out. Leaving the balls crowded together will help compensate for the fact that you're practicing on a different table than you play on, since crowding is the major difficulty of bar table play that isn't as prevalent on a big table.

-Andrew
 
Andrew Manning said:
You don't say what game you play,

-Andrew
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I play 8 ball and 9 ball APA two nights and bca 8 ball on the third.

All games are on bar tables, some better than others. :) :)
 
supergreenman said:
I find it the opposite. I mostly practice on 4.5 x 9 tables, I play one league night on the 9 footers but it takes me a little getting used to the 7 footers when I play my other league night on them. Although the pockets are bigger, it's just so darn crowded.
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It depends on your strengths... I can step down to smaller tables, but stepping up is difficult. This is because my shot-making is the weakest part of my game. If your shot-making is strong, and position is weaker, then you would like the bigger margins for error on a bigger table.
 
Jeff said:
I play 8 ball and 9 ball APA two nights and bca 8 ball on the third.

All games are on bar tables, some better than others. :) :)
Click to expand...

I grew up on big 4.5x9's playing all games but once I did start playing bar boxes, I found the switch very easy. Toyboxes I called them. But when I started playing 8 ball league's during the week, I always went back to the big tables after league was over and on weekends. Depending where you like to play is consideration as well. Bar's, then bar boxes will do. Plan on playing in halls then get on the big tables. I even practiced for an hour on a 4.5x9 before going to league and then would shot lights out.

When it comes down to it, it's just "Balls and a stick".
ez
 
Bar Box vs. 9 FT table

I think the key is to play with the same cue ball. Valley, Dynamo, regulation cue balls do not play the same. If you play bar box on a Valley, play with the same cue ball on a 9-footer in practice. You have to play tighter position on a bar box. That is dificult to do, if you aren't using the same cue ball.
JPA
 
Play on anything and everything. Barboxes, 8 and 9 footers, fast and slow cloth and different kinds of cueballs.

IMO, the ability to adjust to the table conditions is the number one consideration of being a good player.

It will round your game out.
 
I say straight pool on a 9 foot with Simonis is the way to go when it comes to practice sessions...lol ;)

I try to start every night session with a game of straight pool before I start up any 9-Ball races...seems to work for me (helps with shot-making ability, I guess), and it gives you a pretty good feel for the table, too...
 
All our leagues are played on bar tables. We usually have a "Game" table and a "Practice" table. The home team gets the first 1/2 hour of practice on the "Game" table and the visitors get the last 1/2 hour.

I never play on the practice table, that way I do not have to adapt to the game table conditions. Even though these are both 7 footers they all play jus a bit different.

I prefer 9' tables to "Play/Play", but, I have an 8' Olhausen at home. I feel this gives me the feel of the 9', but closer to the 7'.

Mike
 
jdelcue@emory.e said:
I say straight pool on a 9 foot with Simonis is the way to go when it comes to practice sessions...lol ;)

I try to start every night session with a game of straight pool before I start up any 9-Ball races...seems to work for me (helps with shot-making ability, I guess), and it gives you a pretty good feel for the table, too...
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I can't say I do this before league games, but when I need to get back to basics, I go back to playing straight pool. Seems to cure the troubles. All the old timers always said you should start off playing straight pool first and then venture into other games. You will end up a smarter player. Plus, a tough game of 8ball on a barbox can seem like a straight pool game. So you will be the smarter of the players usually.

Good suggestion
ez
 
Table size

I feel if you are just practicing drills, working on your stroke, etc., then it doesn't really matter what size table you play on, but if you are working on a specific game(s), or position play via multi rails, then it matters a WHOLE bunch! Remember that the balls are the same size regardless of the table, but the percentage of the surface of the table they occupy will obviously vary by table size. ;) I think you can see where that would be critical to your game.:cool:
 
I would say that playing on the 9-foot is extremely helpful to your game regardless of what equipment you play on. As I have noted in other posts, playing on a nine foot table demands greater accuracy and power of stroke, and it requires that you land on the balls with the proper distance and angle. Further, I find that practicing with the regulation cue ball is better for your game than the bar table ball. The stroke that you develop by stroking through the small cue ball will stand you in good stead even when you adjust back to the bar table cue ball.

Of course, if all or most of your competitive play is on bar boxes, it would behoove you to ensure that you spend a percentage of your time, perhaps 20-25%, on the bar boxes.
 
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