Indentations in the cloth from shooting jump or masse shots.
tight pockets bad for pool?
- Thread starter jalapus logan
- Start date
There you have it and I agree, the Diamond pro cut is the ideal compromise (I believe it's fine for straight pool too). You want a challenging but fair and playable table. There, in my opinion, you have it. Good shots drop and bad shots don't. Position can be cheated, but not ludicrously so.
Buckets make for good ESPN but what a joke for tournaments. I was at a tournament where special tables were brought in for the ESPN semi finals and finals. The tables had over 5" pockets and they were using alternate break 9 ball. Danny Basovich and Corey Deuel were on serve the entire match if I recall. It was boring, made-for-tv all runout pool.
Or any hard speed shot.. If one doesn't have quality balls..
Yep, and ball stroked (draw or follow) with lesser quality balls (Aramith Premiums in this case) leave a little burn mark like this on the cloth.
Most often seen as a line to the headball when breaking.
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Fwiw snooker players can shoot with a lot of juice as well. Look up Stephen maguire and Judd trump as examples.
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Are long rough, tight fairways and tough pin placements bad for golf? It's really the same question. The difference is that golf gets it.
In golf, they set the course up super-tough for the biggest championships and not nearly as tough the rest of the year.
In pool, they should set tables up tight and unforgiving for the biggest titles and looser and more forgiving the rest of the year. Unfortunately, pool doesn't do that. Anyone who watched the China Open this year would have never guessed it was a major championship, as slop was going in from everywhere.
Tight equipment is, in my opinion, bad for pool, but has its place in sorting out the creme-de-la-creme in the biggest events on the pool calendar.
Simlarly, the ten footer befits the Derby City Bigfoot 10-ball event, because only the true stars of the game get into the field. The extra challenge befits the occasion. Jay Helfert gets it for sure.
In golf, they set the course up super-tough for the biggest championships and not nearly as tough the rest of the year.
In pool, they should set tables up tight and unforgiving for the biggest titles and looser and more forgiving the rest of the year. Unfortunately, pool doesn't do that. Anyone who watched the China Open this year would have never guessed it was a major championship, as slop was going in from everywhere.
Tight equipment is, in my opinion, bad for pool, but has its place in sorting out the creme-de-la-creme in the biggest events on the pool calendar.
Simlarly, the ten footer befits the Derby City Bigfoot 10-ball event, because only the true stars of the game get into the field. The extra challenge befits the occasion. Jay Helfert gets it for sure.
Your opinion carries weight here, as you always bring well reasoned analysis to the fore. I'm curious, what game for you think should be "The" pro game? It's a loaded question, because I really would love to see all of the pool games showcased more, not just 9 or 10 ball.
To me, the DCC is as good as it gets right now for pool fans who appreciate the unique skills required across pool disciplines.
Note, I also really like the team format of the mosconi cup. I think that adds significantly to the fan experience.
Speaking as a fan, the DCC is far and away the best experience out there, but, of course, it's about ten events in one. Nine ball, ten ball, one pocket, banks, straight pool and much more. Wow!
I'm not a big fan of team events, but the novelty that is the Mosconi is a good watch. Pro pool is not a team sport, though, and at least to me, nothing compares to a mass gathering of talent that fights it out until just one is standing.
As long as it is played on big tables, I think eight ball should be the pro game. It's a great game and the last Accu-stats Make it Happen 8-ball event produced some of the most beautiful and fascinating pool I've ever watched. I also feel that eight ball is the only discipline of interest to anyone but the serious pool fan, and that this means that if pool is ever to attract the interest of amateurs who play it, eight ball is the path.
To answer the question-yes, tight pockets are bad for MY game. 5" pockets on a Gold Crown are what they had in the sixties when I learned to play at Chris' Billiards. Made fun of for playing 8 and 9 ball by the adults, they told us to be men and taught us to play 14.1. I never looked back, and happily live with my decision. The real OLD timers back then taught me another life lesson. I asked the 90ish old timer what the hell he was playing on those funny tables with NO pockets. He said "son, at my age, I play billiards, not only can't I bend over, but I can't see the pockets either!" I can't wait to make the transition to 3C. HappyJack
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Some things stay the same I think. 14 years later, same story huh? It's really just balls and sticks for all time, and pool surely beats going to work, so there's that.
Flakeandrun
Well-known member
Although he's a cheating scumbag, look up Stephen Lee (the 'Rolls Royce' of cue actions... I think his mechanics are in part due to his build, but still, effortlessly moves the ball to places you think are impossible)
For some tight pockets, the best players will perform the best. But make them even tighter, and even those best players turn into cowards and become afraid to shoot. Pockets that are "too tight" become incredibly boring to watch and to play.
From an 8-Ball thread a few months ago:
Appleton's World Pool Series did take steps to toughen 8-Ball. The one-inning games ranged from 52% to 73% in his five 8-Ball events. He tweaked things throughout the series, with some people feeling he went too far in that direction for one of the events (37% successful breaks and 16% B&Rs on the streamed matches). But I wish he had been able to continue his quest to provide 8-Ball events at a level that was just right for top pros; it was interesting.
Man if only pool was like those highlight reels!
I’m at the pool room practicing and in walks a group of beginners and D players. Of course the pick the 4 1/8 table right next to me. I ask the D player, you know this tables has super tight pockets, he said yea we play on this table all the time.
On the other side of me is the B and C players playing on the 3 7/8 table.
A guy wants to play me some 1P on the 3 3/4 table. I told him they need to burn that table. I’m practicing on the 4” table pretending I’m Fedor Gorst
On the other side of me is the B and C players playing on the 3 7/8 table.
A guy wants to play me some 1P on the 3 3/4 table. I told him they need to burn that table. I’m practicing on the 4” table pretending I’m Fedor Gorst