Pocket Tightness

[Ricky2112]

But big pockets no good really, means you are playing a false game

Is 3 3/4in that Geoff shows in his photo huge or just oversize. Pockets on our new table are the same as Geoffs photo.
I think my table pockets are generous but still missable at my level, it just helps a little with break building allowing the focus on position.
I played on tight tables for years and ended up being a boring nasty player hardly attempting any pots, playing safe all the time. I enjoy the game more now I'm older with poorer eyesight lol but play a more positive game. I think I will improve immensely on our new table set up.

Cheers Ricky

[lesedwards]

Is 3 3/4in that Geoff shows in his photo huge or just oversize. Pockets on our new table are the same as Geoffs photo.
I think my table pockets are generous but still missable at my level, it just helps a little with break building allowing the focus on position.
I played on tight tables for years and ended up being a boring nasty player hardly attempting any pots, playing safe all the time. I enjoy the game more now I'm older with poorer eyesight lol but play a more positive game. I think I will improve immensely on our new table set up.

Cheers Ricky

Go have fun. You will have so much confidence you won't even realize you are potting them dead Center. Every part of your game will improve because you will have the confidence to let your game improve. Cheers

[Leo]

But big pockets no good really, means you are playing a false game

In a way this is actually correct, a 1/4 of an inch bigger pocket size compared to normal 3.5 inch will completely change a persons game, may not sound a lot but it's a hell of a lot. You look at Terry's table with around 4 inch falls which he's opened up for the purpose of the students, surely students who do improve will be asking questions when they attempt to try out their progress on a much smaller pocket table.
Yes bigger pockets will help those lesser players on the table as confidence will play a big part but not sure if it's the proper way to go.

[lesedwards]

In a way this is actually correct, a 1/4 of an inch bigger pocket size compared to normal 3.5 inch will completely change a persons game, may not sound a lot but it's a hell of a lot. You look at Terry's table with around 4 inch falls which he's opened up for the purpose of the students, surely students who do improve will be asking questions when they attempt to try out their progress on a much smaller pocket table.
Yes bigger pockets will help those lesser players on the table as confidence will play a big part but not sure if it's the proper way to go.

No one really knows. But I can tell you from my own experience 3-1/4" was not fun in my Snooker Prison.

[Leo]

No one really knows. But I can tell you from my own experience 3-1/4" was not fun in my Snooker Prison.

Snooker prison lol

[Terry Davidson]

In a way this is actually correct, a 1/4 of an inch bigger pocket size compared to normal 3.5 inch will completely change a persons game, may not sound a lot but it's a hell of a lot. You look at Terry's table with around 4 inch falls which he's opened up for the purpose of the students, surely students who do improve will be asking questions when they attempt to try out their progress on a much smaller pocket table.
Yes bigger pockets will help those lesser players on the table as confidence will play a big part but not sure if it's the proper way to go.

Where did you get that 4" figure Leo? My pockets are about 1/8" larger than the IBSF templates, which is nowhere near 4" at the fall.

Terry

[Leo]

Where did you get that 4" figure Leo? My pockets are about 1/8" larger than the IBSF templates, which is nowhere near 4" at the fall.

Terry

It was on this thread Terry where your pockets look very close 4"
http://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/boa...ht=Pocket+size

[pottr]

Nowhere close to 4 on that one pal.

[Leo]

Nowhere close to 4 on that one pal.

Must be my eyes mate as in the second pic of Terry's pocket that sure look close to 4" to me

[Terry Davidson]

Must be my eyes mate as in the second pic of Terry's pocket that sure look close to 4" to me

Leo, Leo, Leo:

Those pics are from LES EDWARD'S old B&W table after he had the pockets widened but his problem was the fall of the slate was too far back into the pocket. His new BCE table plays great although I've only had about 5 frames on it. (Although it's still slower than mine it's at a good speed).

Because you got me going and I fell for it, I just went down and measured my pockets and using Geoff's rule about measuring at the apex of the fall my pockets are just a hair under 3-3/4" or as I said about 1/8" larger than the IBSF templates I have here and they compare to the WPBSA templates for which I have the drawings for and had the fitter try and match the WPBSA templates.

I have to admit though a few years ago I got a bit pissed at my middle pockets which were tighter than the IBSF templates and tried to make them a bit larger using a sharp knife (I should have sanded them down) and I took a little too much off of them so they are about 1/2" larger than the IBSF templates and about 1/4" larger than the WPBSA templates.

I had wondered why you had previously made the comment about my 'huge' pockets when they didn't seem all that big to me. Mind you, a black off the spot to either of my middle pockets is not an overly difficult shot provided it's at dead weight as anything harder catches the wood and bounces out.

Terry

[Leo]

Leo, Leo, Leo:

Those pics are from LES EDWARD'S old B&W table after he had the pockets widened but his problem was the fall of the slate was too far back into the pocket. His new BCE table plays great although I've only had about 5 frames on it. (Although it's still slower than mine it's at a good speed).

Because you got me going and I fell for it, I just went down and measured my pockets and using Geoff's rule about measuring at the apex of the fall my pockets are just a hair under 3-3/4" or as I said about 1/8" larger than the IBSF templates I have here and they compare to the WPBSA templates for which I have the drawings for and had the fitter try and match the WPBSA templates.

I have to admit though a few years ago I got a bit pissed at my middle pockets which were tighter than the IBSF templates and tried to make them a bit larger using a sharp knife (I should have sanded them down) and I took a little too much off of them so they are about 1/2" larger than the IBSF templates and about 1/4" larger than the WPBSA templates.

I had wondered why you had previously made the comment about my 'huge' pockets when they didn't seem all that big to me. Mind you, a black off the spot to either of my middle pockets is not an overly difficult shot provided it's at dead weight as anything harder catches the wood and bounces out.

Terry

Ahh apologies Terry I just see where Les wrote Terry's pockets on Pic 2 and presumed they were yours.

[Terry Davidson]

Actually Leo, you're right, I looked again at all the pics and the bottom 2 are my table with the lousy rails, but they were taken from a bad angle which doesn't show the fall accurately. My corner pockets are right around WPBSA template but the middle bags are big but it sure gives me and my students a lot of confidence playing those pinks off the spot at pace.

I still say a generous table is the best for those learning and actually I find it does wonders for my own confidence and I don't seem to have any problems when playing on very tight tables, like at our Monte Carlo club where the corner pockets are REALLY tight. I managed 4 x 40+ breaks my last tournament at Monte Carlo.

Terry

[svendh]

I had the pockets on my table in the club widened and enjoy the game a lot more now. I don't care for competition and league matches, just have a few beers with my mates and play some frames. Quality time.