I always study the room before I pick out a table if there are options or put up my money if there aren't options. Some of the sneakiest safeties are environment aided. One of the more obvious, a bar moved the only nine footer in the area to the front of the room when they had it redone. The huge window area wasn't painted and there was an hour or so in the evenings when the sun was coming across a four lane road and the sidewalks directly in those windows. The opponent might not realize until they bend over to shoot that they are going to be looking directly into a ball of fire! Even if you knew you had to deal with the sun it was a bear.
Doors and climate control registers are always important to know where are at as are just heavy traffic paths where people walk constantly. Against the bar is different than against the far wall.
In short, environment can be as important as in outdoor events and many don't even consider it. My favorite one pocket gaff table had the cushions on one side much harder than the other since a huge blast of air from the climate control blew over one side and directly into and under the cushions on the other side.
I beat some very good road players when they came and hunted me up on my home turf. One of the most subtle environmental catches was a bright sidelight that was nearly equal to the overhead light. That one took me about a month to figure out, the balls appeared to be a hair to the side of where they really were. Made no difference on easy shots but when you had to come with a very tough shot, that lighting issue could cause misses. Most strangers never recognized that and I rarely told anyone.
Rare that environment isn't a factor. First time dealing with an unexpected hostile crowd of thirty or forty people affected my game too. Mostly because it blindsided me but doing a little traveling I went into a place a little early and played the hometown hero. I wasn't prepared for the entire place to cheer my every miss and laugh at me while cheering my opponent on. The crowd, an incredibly gaffy old table, between the two I booked a loser there. I had played in plenty of hostile places, even worse than this one, but it was totally unexpected for every person in the place including the bartenders to stop what they were doing to gather around and attack me.
Environment affects pretty much every game you play, even things like type of light. If you study it, it is a factor you can use to your advantage or it can bite you.
Hu
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