When Did Simonis Become The #1 Tournament Choice?

Black-Balled said:
Where is that? Looks like a fine hangout.
Click to expand...
The place is called Club 200, its in Manchester, UK.
It is a really cool place, five 9ft tables, six Chinese 8 ball tables and 13 snooker table. Plus darts, Mah-Jong and a very tasty Korean restaurant!

Club 200 | The Best Snooker Club in Manchester

Introducing the finest snooker club in Manchester, with heated tables, premium lighting and top-tier ball sets. From American pool to Chinese 8-ball, darts to mah-jong, table tennis to table football, we have something for everyone to enjoy here at Club 200!
www.club200mcr.com www.club200mcr.com
 
I started playing in 1992 or so. All the legit rooms I went to then in the Philadelphia area had 760. Only the bars had something else, which was always thick, slow, carpet on crooked tables.
 
Black-Balled said:
Interesting...then a fire, post 2020.
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Unfortunately, the exact date for the initial production of billiard cloth is not known because of a factory fire in 1982 where the company archives were destroyed.

issuu.com

The Man behind the cloth - Issuu

by Peggy Mallen When I started to read about the history of Simonis cloth, I couldn’t help but wonder how they survived for the last 333 years!!!! Yes, you heard me correctly…333 years. Think about it – it was the 17th Century in a mid-size community, Verviers, Belgium where it all started. They...
issuu.com issuu.com
 
Cornerman said:
(Edit: I misunderstood the question - I answered the Tournament Blue question that apparently wasn’t asked)

Early 2000’s

Greg Sullivan came up with making Tournament Blue the choice for Diamond tables after some discussions with eye specialists on best color for his application, He worked with Pantone to get that correct color. He started that work in the late 1990’s, but it didn’t become the de facto standard until the 2000’s. .
Click to expand...
Per Grok 3, eye specialists, and ME...GREEN cloth is BEST:

1. Why Green is Preferred for Pool Tables
  • Standard in Pool: Most pool tables, especially for professional and recreational play, have green felt (often a shade like tournament green). This is not arbitrary; green provides a visually comfortable backdrop that enhances focus and reduces eye strain during extended play.
  • Contrast and Visibility: Green offers excellent contrast for the colored balls used in pool (e.g., red, yellow, blue, purple). The cue ball (white) and other balls stand out clearly against green, making it easier to track their positions and aim accurately.
  • Eye Comfort: Green is in the middle of the visible light spectrum (around 495–570 nm), which the human eye is most sensitive to. This makes green less fatiguing to look at over long periods compared to more extreme colors like blue (shorter wavelength, ~450–495 nm) or red.
  • Glare Reduction: Green felt, especially in matte finishes, minimizes glare under typical pool hall lighting (e.g., fluorescent or LED lights), improving visibility of the table’s surface and ball paths.

2. Blue as an Alternative
  • Modern Use: Blue felt is increasingly popular, especially in televised tournaments (e.g., Mosconi Cup), because it looks vibrant on camera and appeals to modern aesthetics. However, blue is less common traditionally.
  • Contrast Considerations: Blue can provide good contrast for certain balls (e.g., yellow, white, orange), but some darker balls (like the black 8-ball or purple 4-ball) may be slightly harder to distinguish compared to green, especially in dimmer lighting.
  • Eye Strain: Blue, being a shorter-wavelength color, can cause more eye strain over long periods compared to green, as the eye’s focus adjusts differently to shorter wavelengths. This can subtly affect precision in a game requiring sustained concentration like pool.
  • Lighting Sensitivity: Blue felt can sometimes reflect light more noticeably, creating potential glare spots under certain lighting conditions, which could distract players.

3. Vision Science and Practical Implications
  • Human Vision Sensitivity: The human eye’s peak sensitivity is around 555 nm (greenish-yellow), making green easier to process and less straining than blue. This is why green is a common choice for environments requiring prolonged visual focus, like pool or snooker tables.
  • Color Perception in Lighting: Pool halls often have controlled lighting, but green felt performs more consistently across a range of lighting conditions (natural, fluorescent, or LED). Blue can appear less vibrant or create harsher contrasts in suboptimal lighting.
  • Psychological Factors: Green is often associated with calmness and focus, which can subtly benefit players in high-pressure games. Blue, while calming, can sometimes feel colder or less “natural” in prolonged exposure.
4. Playing Pool Specifically
  • Ball Tracking: In pool, players need to track the cue ball and object balls precisely. Green provides a neutral background that doesn’t interfere with perceiving spin, speed, or angles. Blue, while functional, may slightly reduce clarity for some players, especially with darker balls.
  • Chalk and Markings: Pool tables often accumulate chalk dust or cue marks. Green felt tends to hide these imperfections better than blue, maintaining a cleaner appearance that doesn’t distract from gameplay.
  • Tradition and Familiarity: Most players are accustomed to green tables, which may provide a psychological edge due to familiarity. Switching to blue could require a slight adjustment period for some players.
5. When Blue Might Be Better
  • Aesthetics and Branding: Blue is often chosen for its modern, visually striking appeal, especially in professional or televised settings. If the goal is to create a unique or visually engaging environment, blue can be a great choice.
  • Lighting Optimization: In very bright, well-controlled lighting environments, blue can perform nearly as well as green, with minimal glare if the felt is high-quality.
  • Personal Preference: Some players may simply prefer blue for subjective reasons, and if they adapt to it, the difference in performance may be negligible.
Conclusion

For playing pool, green is the better all-around color due to its superior contrast with pool balls, reduced eye strain, glare minimization, and alignment with human vision sensitivity. It’s the standard for good reason, offering optimal visibility and comfort during extended play. Blue is a viable alternative, especially in modern or televised settings, but it may not match green’s universal effectiveness for most players. If you’re setting up a table or choosing one to practice on, green is the safer, more practical choice unless aesthetics or specific lighting conditions favor blue.
 
Back in the 1970s, our Frat house brother (Doodle) and pool table tech would only allow us to redo the table with Simonis cloth.
He had a myriad of arguments.
All I know is that he was correct in the choice of cloth.
 
MitchAlsup said:
Back in the 1970s, our Frat house brother (Doodle) and pool table tech would only allow us to redo the table with Simonis cloth.
He had a myriad of arguments.
All I know is that he was correct in the choice of cloth.
Click to expand...
Yes he certainly was correct!
 
Cornerman said:
(Edit: I misunderstood the question - I answered the Tournament Blue question that apparently wasn’t asked)

Early 2000’s

Greg Sullivan came up with making Tournament Blue the choice for Diamond tables after some discussions with eye specialists on best color for his application, He worked with Pantone to get that correct color. He started that work in the late 1990’s, but it didn’t become the de facto standard until the 2000’s. .
Click to expand...
I recently saw him claim that in an interview. I love the blue and will never understand why people.. usually non pool players..love red
 
HawaiianEye said:
Per Grok 3, eye specialists, and ME...GREEN cloth is BEST:

1. Why Green is Preferred for Pool Tables
  • Standard in Pool: Most pool tables, especially for professional and recreational play, have green felt (often a shade like tournament green). This is not arbitrary; green provides a visually comfortable backdrop that enhances focus and reduces eye strain during extended play.
  • Contrast and Visibility: Green offers excellent contrast for the colored balls used in pool (e.g., red, yellow, blue, purple). The cue ball (white) and other balls stand out clearly against green, making it easier to track their positions and aim accurately.
  • Eye Comfort: Green is in the middle of the visible light spectrum (around 495–570 nm), which the human eye is most sensitive to. This makes green less fatiguing to look at over long periods compared to more extreme colors like blue (shorter wavelength, ~450–495 nm) or red.
  • Glare Reduction: Green felt, especially in matte finishes, minimizes glare under typical pool hall lighting (e.g., fluorescent or LED lights), improving visibility of the table’s surface and ball paths.

2. Blue as an Alternative
  • Modern Use: Blue felt is increasingly popular, especially in televised tournaments (e.g., Mosconi Cup), because it looks vibrant on camera and appeals to modern aesthetics. However, blue is less common traditionally.
  • Contrast Considerations: Blue can provide good contrast for certain balls (e.g., yellow, white, orange), but some darker balls (like the black 8-ball or purple 4-ball) may be slightly harder to distinguish compared to green, especially in dimmer lighting.
  • Eye Strain: Blue, being a shorter-wavelength color, can cause more eye strain over long periods compared to green, as the eye’s focus adjusts differently to shorter wavelengths. This can subtly affect precision in a game requiring sustained concentration like pool.
  • Lighting Sensitivity: Blue felt can sometimes reflect light more noticeably, creating potential glare spots under certain lighting conditions, which could distract players.

3. Vision Science and Practical Implications
  • Human Vision Sensitivity: The human eye’s peak sensitivity is around 555 nm (greenish-yellow), making green easier to process and less straining than blue. This is why green is a common choice for environments requiring prolonged visual focus, like pool or snooker tables.
  • Color Perception in Lighting: Pool halls often have controlled lighting, but green felt performs more consistently across a range of lighting conditions (natural, fluorescent, or LED). Blue can appear less vibrant or create harsher contrasts in suboptimal lighting.
  • Psychological Factors: Green is often associated with calmness and focus, which can subtly benefit players in high-pressure games. Blue, while calming, can sometimes feel colder or less “natural” in prolonged exposure.
4. Playing Pool Specifically
  • Ball Tracking: In pool, players need to track the cue ball and object balls precisely. Green provides a neutral background that doesn’t interfere with perceiving spin, speed, or angles. Blue, while functional, may slightly reduce clarity for some players, especially with darker balls.
  • Chalk and Markings: Pool tables often accumulate chalk dust or cue marks. Green felt tends to hide these imperfections better than blue, maintaining a cleaner appearance that doesn’t distract from gameplay.
  • Tradition and Familiarity: Most players are accustomed to green tables, which may provide a psychological edge due to familiarity. Switching to blue could require a slight adjustment period for some players.
5. When Blue Might Be Better
  • Aesthetics and Branding: Blue is often chosen for its modern, visually striking appeal, especially in professional or televised settings. If the goal is to create a unique or visually engaging environment, blue can be a great choice.
  • Lighting Optimization: In very bright, well-controlled lighting environments, blue can perform nearly as well as green, with minimal glare if the felt is high-quality.
  • Personal Preference: Some players may simply prefer blue for subjective reasons, and if they adapt to it, the difference in performance may be negligible.
Conclusion

For playing pool, green is the better all-around color due to its superior contrast with pool balls, reduced eye strain, glare minimization, and alignment with human vision sensitivity. It’s the standard for good reason, offering optimal visibility and comfort during extended play. Blue is a viable alternative, especially in modern or televised settings, but it may not match green’s universal effectiveness for most players. If you’re setting up a table or choosing one to practice on, green is the safer, more practical choice unless aesthetics or specific lighting conditions favor blue.
Click to expand...
Blue and green are both the most common colors for humans to look at, jungle/grass and sky. They are both provide similar levels of contrast and mood, and it is very subjective even scientifically to determine which one is better. Evolutionary science is has a lot of blurry edges. Grey/tan are also a natural colors (mountain/desert). Less common natural colors like red and yellow are accents and we are not used to seeing them for long periods of time historically.
 
Here's a pic of Apple Green, Powder Blue and Tournament Blue.
 

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Flakeandrun said:
The hall I play at switched to grey tournament. Liking it a lot! Enjoy
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Which grade does your hall use? I'm looking at getting some for the table on my pool hall. The Competition and Royal cloths are around the same price?
 
deep said:
Which grade does your hall use? I'm looking at getting some for the table on my pool hall. The Competition and Royal cloths are around the same price?
Click to expand...
right now it is competition, grey in colour, they will change this week as yuan8 open begins. I believe previously it was rated 750 (if memory serves me well). I’ve played on royal and competition. Not much between them in my opinion. But then I can’t tell the difference between average and good wine either… DM, I’ll ask the boss and get back to you with some details from a more knowledgeable person
 
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