Table tightining up after days

[nfuids]

Hi,

I always hear that a new condition table tighten up after couple days of tournament play. What exactly is changing?

I mean obviously, the cloth is getting older/used, but what exactly does this mean for the actual game? How can knowing this be used? How can I adapt my game on new cloth vs used one?

Cleaniness of ball, I guess that affects cut induce throw, cling

Are yhe cushions changing as well? If so what changes?

Anything esle change?

Thanks

 

[billiardthought]

One thing is that the jaws of the corner pockets can round over time and will start spitting balls out more and more.

Edit: I'm thinking of when the cloth is pulled too tight on the jaws, not from wear. nevermind.

 

[Bca8ball]

I think it's simply a means of describing player fatigue.

Sure the tables get a little dirtier, the balls less shiny, but realistically...there's not much that can/does actually change.

I think it's the mental part of the game that's needed to battle fatigue and/or competition stresses.

You are eating, sleeping, and breathing pool, typically away from home, the whole time as you progress the competition increases.
We would like to say the tables get tighter... maybe it's not the tables at all. Lol

 

[billiardthought]

I think it's simply a means of describing player fatigue.

Sure the tables get a little dirtier, the balls less shiny, but realistically...there's not much that can/does actually change.

I think it's the mental part of the game that's needed to battle fatigue and/or competition stresses.

You are eating, sleeping, and breathing pool, typically away from home, the whole time as you progress the competition increases.
We would like to say the tables get tighter... maybe it's not the tables at all. Lol

This is simply not true. A brand new table's corner pockets will play different after two full days of use. Those shots that touch the rail half a diamond up from the pocket and still go? Those don't go two days later.

 

[lfigueroa]

Hi,

I always hear that a new condition table tighten up after couple days of tournament play. What exactly is changing?

I mean obviously, the cloth is getting older/used, but what exactly does this mean for the actual game? How can knowing this be used? How can I adapt my game on new cloth vs used one?

Cleaniness of ball, I guess that affects cut induce throw, cling

Are yhe cushions changing as well? If so what changes?

Anything esle change?

Thanks

It's just the cloth getting microscopically worn down a tad and chalk getting imbedded in the cloth so that the balls take slightly sharper angles off any rail contact.

Lou Figueroa
or sumthin'
like that

 

[classicjay17]

I think it refers mainly to the breaking in of the new cloth. Balls tend to slide a bit more off the rails and jaws of the pockets on new cloth. As it breaks in a bit, that slide goes away.

In the first hours/days of play on new cloth, it's a lot easier to pocket balls that hit the rail before the pocket. And balls that hit the jaws that would otherwise hang up or spit out, have a better chance of sliding off the jaw into the pocket on new cloth.

That's what I have always noticed while playing on newly covered tables.

 

[Bca8ball]

This is simply not true. A brand new table's corner pockets will play different after two full days of use. Those shots that touch the rail half a diamond up from the pocket and still go? Those don't go two days later.

That simply means shots that shouldn't be going in the first place stop going after a few days... I'm not buying it.
I miss plenty of shots but I can do it on day one or four just the same.

 

[billiardthought]

That simply means shots that shouldn't be going in the first place stop going after a few days... I'm not buying it.

I don't know how to respond to this......

 

[Worminator]

That simply means shots that shouldn't be going in the first place stop going after a few days... I'm not buying it.

You haven't been around new cloth much have you?

 

[Black-Balled]

Wow...largely innacurate.

New felt slides, allowing balls that brush the rail on the way to the hole to be pocketed, whereas the same shot on worn cloth will not fall.

I would say there is no change to the rails, only to the cloth covering them.

I think it's simply a means of describing player fatigue.

Sure the tables get a little dirtier, the balls less shiny, but realistically...there's not much that can/does actually change.

I think it's the mental part of the game that's needed to battle fatigue and/or competition stresses.

You are eating, sleeping, and breathing pool, typically away from home, the whole time as you progress the competition increases.
We would like to say the tables get tighter... maybe it's not the tables at all. Lol

 

[Bca8ball]

You haven't been around new cloth much have you?

Every major tournament I play starts out with new and/or newly covered tables.
My point was that I don't believe the tables get tighter; I actually like the tables more as they get some hours on them.

 

[Black-Balled]

Every major tournament I play starts out with new and/or newly covered tables.
My point was that I don't believe the tables get tighter; I actually like the table better as they get some hours on them.

No you dont.

Wrong again!!!!!!

 

[Bca8ball]

No you dont.

Wrong again!!!!!!

Ok mom, you obviously know what I prefer more than I do.

I don't have the confidence in control on newly covered tables, they play more predictable (to me) on day 3 than day 1.

The theme here is "I"; how you feel you up to you!

 

[Black-Balled]

Ok mom, you obviously know what I prefer more than I do.

I don't have the confidence in control on newly covered tables, they play more predictable (to me) on day 3 than day 1.

The theme here is "I"; how you feel you up to you!

Its ok, im a libra.

And my mom said i am special.

 

[Island Drive]

Ok mom, you obviously know what I prefer more than I do.

I don't have the confidence in control on newly covered tables, they play more predictable (to me) on day 3 than day 1.

The theme here is "I"; how you feel you up to you!

The 80% wool and 20% nylon mix of the non directional cloths, and of course those percentages can be different, and any cloth will play different from new to broken in. Humidity when a room fills up with spectators creates different play conditions, as do rooms that have swamp coolers as opposed to a/c. But the sheen of new cloth as it wears, is similar to object balls that are new and slick, as opposed to ones that have been handled by players and have been on the play surface picking up dirt/oil/chalk from use. Tables that have been played on after new cloth has been installed play different and more predictable once they have been broken in after hours of play. Arguing about play conditions not changing is ok if ya don't know. But Lou, and I and any player, that's played for 50 years or more understand how conditions change, with time. It would be like saying a golf course putting surface plays the same in the first round as it does all the rest of the rounds, it just doesn't. Saying we're wrong just shows us your still learning.

 

[BuddyWing]

^^^^^^^
amen

 

[Bca8ball]

I am and will hopefully always be learning.
The thread intent may have been lost.
The OP asked about the table tightening up with play vs new new. I (personally) like them more and have more confidence after they get hours on them; therefore, I don't see them as getting "tighter" at all.
Suppose I should have focused more on the term "changes" vs tightening.

 

[billiardthought]

I am and will hopefully always be learning.
The thread intent may have been lost.
The OP asked about the table tightening up with play vs new new. I (personally) like them more and have more confidence after they get hours on them; therefore, I don't see them as getting "tighter" at all.
Suppose I should have focus more on the term "changes" vs tightening.

The nice thing about facts is they remain true no matter what you "see them as". The table tightens up over time. Call it changing over time. The fact remains.... one day a ball goes and another day it doesn't.... particularly.... after the table has tightened.

 

[Worminator]

On new cloth... and it has already been stated... the balls slide down the rail due to the fact there is less friction, which means they slide into the pockets easier. This is especially true when the object ball has some inside spin on it.

Then, as the cloth wears, and chalk is worn into the cloth, the fiction increases and balls will not slide down the rails as much. Also, as the pocket facings are worn in the same manner, they tend to "spit balls out" more due to the increased fiction.

Pretty common knowledge for those who have been around the game a while. It is not the numbers of days that is the main factor, but the number of hours played on the table and how the table is maintained.

Take the Derby City Classic for example. Those tables are getting played 24/7, so it usually only takes about 1 day of steady play to notice a huge difference in how a table that started with new cloth plays.

 

[gerard soriano]

I think the pockets tighten due to when the cloth is new the balls slide as the cloth wears and get dirty the balls roll
I think a great example of this is a 3 rail kick starting at a corner pocket,With new cloth you can hit the first diamond past the side pocket with running english and it should scratch in the opposite corner
Six months later same table same shot it will hit at least a diamond short of the same pocket
Just My Opinion