Pocket size for beginners

[tetricky]

There's three and a half, and three and a half, it seems to me....how the hell a ball hit along the rail, still with some momentum, can hit the cushion more than a foot from the pocket and still drop is beyond me. It used to be that if you caught the near cushion, the ball didn't drop. Unless it was just on the jaw, dead weight, and even then it used to rattle.

I haven't seen that for a while, and whatever assurances I might get from people, I still can't help but feel that there's something fishy about it.

Perhaps I'm the only one that thinks fewer frames, played with more 'basketball' like scoring undermines the game. I do though, and i think a move towards ever more accepting pockets, and better table conditions, contribute towards making the game more 'exciting' from a potting perspective, but fundamentally undermines the game as a test of temperament and mental resolve.....and that's where a lot of the drama was.

[barrywhite]

There's three and a half, and three and a half, it seems to me....how the hell a ball hit along the rail, still with some momentum, can hit the cushion more than a foot from the pocket and still drop is beyond me. It used to be that if you caught the near cushion, the ball didn't drop. Unless it was just on the jaw, dead weight, and even then it used to rattle.

I haven't seen that for a while, and whatever assurances I might get from people, I still can't help but feel that there's something fishy about it.

Perhaps I'm the only one that thinks fewer frames, played with more 'basketball' like scoring undermines the game. I do though, and i think a move towards ever more accepting pockets, and better table conditions, contribute towards making the game more 'exciting' from a potting perspective, but fundamentally undermines the game as a test of temperament and mental resolve.....and that's where a lot of the drama was.

It's not just the size of the gap at the pocket fall as you say, it's the cut as well. Some fitters will cut an eliptical rather than something more rounded and less forgiving. We know WS fitters do this, some shots that have gone in are like those on a Riley's Club table.

Hearn, WS and the fans like shorter, faster matches with big breaks and great potting. If that's the way it's going to continue, so be it. I can't help feel that I'm wasting my time on a 3.25'' billiards table with a slowish cloth, for what? Why should I have a harder time than the pros?

[itsnoteasy]

image.jpgOnce you have watched your video Barry , there are others shown on the end screen, one is of Jimmy White doing a 155 break, I have no reason to believe this is not an average club( although they do look generous even to me) but take a look at those bags compared to your video, the difference is so obvious. The last blue it looks like you could get two balls easily into that middle bag, but it may just be the camera angle. I uploaded the shot .

[barrywhite]

[ATTACH]18226[/ATTACH]Once you have watched your video Barry , there are others shown on the end screen, one is of Jimmy White doing a 155 break, I have no reason to believe this is not an average club( although they do look generous even to me) but take a look at those bags compared to your video, the difference is so obvious. The last blue it looks like you could get two balls easily into that middle bag, but it may just be the camera angle. I uploaded the shot .

Pool pocket! You could play big 9-ball on that table. lol

[itsnoteasy]

Strange thing is halfway through the break Jimmy comments that the pockets are playing a bit tight! Pros eh ,couldn't pot on a decent table.


















































I made that up

[dinovirus]

I remember what Minnesota Fats said once about pocket size.

Some guys were about to play a money game and one of them says to Fats, "I'm about to play xxx for cash but I don't wanna play on that old table over there, 'cause the pockets are too big!"

Fats says, "Too big huh? Well just bet a little more, they'll tighten up."

[inevermissblue]

Hello,

Our club in Odense, Denmark recently expanded with two new Wiraka M1 snooker tables, which is really great. Now, to try and attract new members, we are talking about, opening up the pockets on one of our two old Riley tables. The corner pockets are around 8.5cm but they arent cut very friendly, meaning you almost have to be as precise as on our new Wiraka tables. We are talking about installing a piece of wood between the cushion and the slate to widen the pockets, is this way to go about this?

Which size do you recommend for both the corner pockets and the middle pockets, and which method would you recommend.

Thank you for your time.

Tournament size. You can't buy bigger dartboards can you. This is what has damaged the game, manipulation of pocket openings! This needs to stop! Imo.

[tomwalker147]

Does anybody else find that they actually play better on tighter tables with decent cloth? It's more about the condition of the cloth etc than just the pocket size in my opinion.
No point playing on big bags when you have to pelt the cue ball around at 100mph.

[ghost121]

I practise and play on a pro cut, steel block table. I have the choice of two others with standard pockets and never use them. The problem is that all three have Hainsworth Match cloth and it plays very poorly and the club won't pay to heat the pro table, which it badly needs to play properly. When it was heated and had Number 10, it played much better, so I agree with the comment about the cloth. Pocket size makes very little difference to me, the cut of the pocket and the cloth does.

[ace man]

Does anybody else find that they actually play better on tighter tables with decent cloth? It's more about the condition of the cloth etc than just the pocket size in my opinion.
No point playing on big bags when you have to pelt the cue ball around at 100mph.

Absolutely, yes. I think nice conditions makes the player happier and therefore more relaxed, and the end result is that cue action is more relaxed and simply better.
If the table is super slow or dirty, or if the nap is completely worn off with pinball like cushions, it just doesn't feel nice at all. It takes me a lot longer to relax under such conditions. Bigger bags won't help much if you're bit tight.

[philip in china]

I agree. If you are on a good well maintained table, you are probably at a good club etc. and it all helps to maintain focus.

[inevermissblue]

pocket size for beginners???

Take the cushions off!

[Ramon]

Does anybody else find that they actually play better on tighter tables with decent cloth? It's more about the condition of the cloth etc than just the pocket size in my opinion.
No point playing on big bags when you have to pelt the cue ball around at 100mph.

+1

It's also an unconscious reaction of your brain, imo. You get more focused.
Sum of the US pool players try few shots at snooker table, about 10/15 min before the pool match starts.
This way they get more focused and the cueing gets more accurate. Once they swich to the pool table they can pott much better and more accurate.