Is it just me or does anyone else think the pockets on the tables at all the past WPC's are way too big? So many times I've seen a player hit a ball so incredibly bad the ball wouldn't even rattle on a normal table but they make it on those tables. I think this allows for too many flukes and prevents the most skilled players from rising to the top. 95% of the players who compete in the WPC have top gears where they don't miss a ball, especially on massive pockets like that. If Joe Nobody can keep Efren in his chair the whole match because he can't miss on huge pockets, Efren can't win. I think the pocket size should be 4"1/2. What do you think?
WPC and Pocket Size
- Thread starter LastTwo
- Start date
I've heard they're going to triple-shim the pockets this year at the WPC. So, this year the pockets are going to be tighter ! No more sloppy shots. Last year it was evident that a couple of players advanced so far hitting them in the vicinity of the pocket thus being forgiven of many possible misses.
LastTwo said:
I think you're absolutely right, LastTwo!
Tighter pockets increase the premium on accurate position play and sound tactics, two areas in which the true superstars of pool tend to enjoy a huge advantage. Loosen the pockets and you level the playing field by neutralizing some of the weapons the truly elite players rely on the most.
As already pointed out, though, 4 1/2 inches on new, slidy rails, plays a little looser than that specification might sugggest, so I could be talked into 4 3/8. Any tighter than that would, in my opinion, be ridicuous. Pockets of 4 1/4 or less are, in my opinion, for one-pocket only.
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I know that they used to be 2.2 ball width, not sure what that is in inches. The pocket width will stay the same this year.
Matches in the last few WPC's have been little more then flips of a coin due to the pockets and the ability of most of the players in the event to run multiple racks on those tables. Anything to make it more difficult to run out and make it such that over 50% of the players in the event are not capable of controlling a set is a great thing IMO.
Celtic said:
Exactly! This is the equivalent of playing the US Open golf event on a course having very short rough and no sand traps or water hazards. The truly accurate ball strikers would lose a lot of their advantage. Put another way, some of the skills that define true champions would be deemphasized. Fortunately, in golf, it has always been understood that the major championships merit the toughest playing conditions that will put even the elite to a stiff test.
Why pool fails to understand this is a little hard to fathom. Inaccurate striking of the golf ball in a major championship usually finds trouble. Inaccurate striking of the cue ball in a major championship often finds.....the pocket.
SplicedPoints said:
I would like to see tighter pockets, but I think what is more important is the newness of the cloth which is a bad thing. Even with tight pockets, on a new cloth the balls slide of the rails and come off at a smaller angle allowing shots that should have stayed out, drop in. If they could figure out how to eliminate the slide on new cloth this in itself would be huge. In actuality, the normal player plays on a more difficult table than the pros do as the pros almost always have the benefit of new cloth. We need a cloth blend that plays equally consistent from new to worn.
You know, table mechanic Ernesto Dominguez has offered to show the brunswick company how to tighten their pockets at the correct angle, etc. The only company that took him up on the advice was Greg Sullivan of Diamond with the "pro cut" pockets. No wonder almost ALL the top players love to play on diamond tables. IMO, 4 inch pockets on new cloth play PERFECT for a tournament setting. Although 4 inches may sound intimidating, one must understand the new cloth slides the object balls into the holes much easier. Been around tables all my life, just one idiots observation.
mjantti said:
I've just been checking some of the pool websites in Taiwan recently. The general rumour is that the pocket size will stay the same, but I'm not exactly sure where the information is sourced from. I do hope the pocket gets smaller. I know for a fact that pros in Taiwan practice and gamble with 1.8 to 1.6 pocket sizes. So a reduction in pocket size 'could' potentially help the prospect of a Taiwanese winner.
But more importantly, better players will get to stay till the end.
SplicedPoints said:I've just been checking some of the pool websites in Taiwan recently. The general rumour is that the pocket size will stay the same, but I'm not exactly sure where the information is sourced from. I do hope the pocket gets smaller. I know for a fact that pros in Taiwan practice and gamble with 1.8 to 1.6 pocket sizes. So a reduction in pocket size 'could' potentially help the prospect of a Taiwanese winner.
I don't usually post rumours. This is info I got from a reliable source from the Matchroom today, no rumours here, just hard facts
Corner Pockets: Between 4.25 and 4.5 inches at mouth (10.8cm and 11.4cm)
The pocket openings for should be measured between opposing cushion noses where the direction changes into the pocket (from pointed lip to pointed lip). This is called mouth.
Corner Pocket Shelf: Between 1 and 2 ¼ inches (4.13cm and 6.35cm)
Side Pockets: 5 inches
Side Pocket Shelf: between 0 and 0.375 inches [0.9525 cm]
... So, once again. No sloppy pockets this year ! Grrreat !! I'm dying to see how they'll effect some of the players
IMHO, there are a few players who shouldn't be bothered at all such as Immonen, Strickland, Chao, Efren etc. who are accustomed to split the wicket.
mjantti said:I don't usually post rumours. This is info I got from a reliable source from the Matchroom today, no rumours here, just hard facts
Corner Pockets: Between 4.25 and 4.5 inches at mouth (10.8cm and 11.4cm)
The pocket openings for should be measured between opposing cushion noses where the direction changes into the pocket (from pointed lip to pointed lip). This is called mouth.
Corner Pocket Shelf: Between 1 and 2 ¼ inches (4.13cm and 6.35cm)
Side Pockets: 5 inches
Side Pocket Shelf: between 0 and 0.375 inches [0.9525 cm]
... So, once again. No sloppy pockets this year ! Grrreat !! I'm dying to see how they'll effect some of the players
Your last post said Matchroom indicated that the pocket width would be two balls. That's 4.5" I sure hope you're right, because, as others have noted, 4 1/2" is perfect!
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Where do they measure at?
When hearing all this talk about pocket size, I am not sure where you are getting the suggested 4.5" pocket size at. Is it at the back of the pocket at the smallest part of the pocket or out front in the widest part of the pocket? On normal pockets (like me old Gold Crown has) if you add one extra shim on each side of the pocket they will be about 4.5" at the smallest part of the pocket. You would have to add three extra shims to each side to get them down to about 4.5" at the widest point.
When hearing all this talk about pocket size, I am not sure where you are getting the suggested 4.5" pocket size at. Is it at the back of the pocket at the smallest part of the pocket or out front in the widest part of the pocket? On normal pockets (like me old Gold Crown has) if you add one extra shim on each side of the pocket they will be about 4.5" at the smallest part of the pocket. You would have to add three extra shims to each side to get them down to about 4.5" at the widest point.