Table Condition at This Years Grand Prix

[RGCirencester]

Just interested to know other people's opinions or if I'm just going mad.

Does anyone else think the tables look a bit slower than we are used to? And to me the pockets look quite forgiving.

[spike]

Personally i have noticed (little difference) with both tables playing any slower than say compared to last season.would be interesting though to hear what other players have to say about table conditions.

I agree with you about the pockets as they do seem to be (slightly) more generous than normal. Dennis Taylor happened to mention this when commentating the Selby/Doherty match, but also said that the middle pockets seem to be more tighter than normal going by what some players have said to him..

[bongo]

When I watch the snooker today I will see if I notice anything but I think they are playing nicely.

[Odrl]

I was once again unpleasantly surprised by the tables. Two shots in particular. Higgins played a tricky red in the left corner, it hit the near jaw and didn't even wobble. It should not have gone in at all. Then Marco Fu played a red to the left baulk pocket. It hit the near jaw and went it. Nothing I haven't seen before, but no way the Shanghai Masters tables would have taken that red. My first impression is that it's about as bad as last season's Masters, but not quite as bad as the WC.

About the speed... I got the opposite impression. Especially when players hit the pack with moderate pace, and the balls go all over the place. Seems absurdly fast.

I can't believe we are once again having this discussion. Someone isn't doing their job properly. And the problem seems to be only in the BBC events.

[MasterBreak147]

Then Marco Fu played a red to the left baulk pocket. It hit the near jaw

Yes i seen this shot by marco and i was amazed it went in too infact i had to rewind it and look again lol billie big bags

[Matt_2745]

The most generous table I've seen recently was the one in the Premier League for Hendry/Trump, some of the balls going in there were absolutely ridiculous.

[Migtsf]

About the speed... I got the opposite impression. Especially when players hit the pack with moderate pace, and the balls go all over the place. Seems absurdly fast.

I got the same impression while watching the Higgins match. The cue ball seemed to be traveling more than expected and players going out of position for the next shot frequently.

[spike]

I got the same impression while watching the Higgins match. The cue ball seemed to be traveling more than expected and players going out of position for the next shot frequently.

It was mentioned by the 'Great WT' in commentary the reason for that could've been because of a (light white).

[AntMac147]

I went to watch the Higgins - Joyce match and a couple shots that Mark played, he seemed to hardly hit the white and it was spinning back really fast, they seemed fast to me.

[cueman]

The most generous table I've seen recently was the one in the Premier League for Hendry/Trump, some of the balls going in there were absolutely ridiculous.

Yes, I do think people need to look at the PL matches before making any comparisons about the tables used in ranking tournaments.

IMO the tables are pretty much the same as normal, sometimes the conditions in the arena make the pockets take balls better than others. If the arena is warm then the rubber tends to soften slightly which can mean the balls go in easier of the jaws but make no mistake, these tables are tighter than anything you will have played on before, trust me!

I do wish people would stop talking about tables though, its not as if it matters in any way. Its the same for all players and we don't want to see the game become a tedious tactical affair where players confidence gets damaged as scoring becomes too difficult. Put it this way, if the tables are as easy as you make out then surely the likes of Hendry, O'Sullivan and all the up and coming youngsters should be having many tons this week but I bet its not the case.

[Odrl]

I do wish people would stop talking about tables though, its not as if it matters in any way. Its the same for all players and we don't want to see the game become a tedious tactical affair where players confidence gets damaged as scoring becomes too difficult. Put it this way, if the tables are as easy as you make out then surely the likes of Hendry, O'Sullivan and all the up and coming youngsters should be having many tons this week but I bet its not the case.

Well, the WC record was smashed this year, and the Masters had players apparently playing out of their skin, with one visit stuff in most matches. I have no problem watching such snooker, it's great stuff when players play like that for real. But if everything is going in because the pockets take ridiculous balls, it takes all the magic out of the game.

The Shanghai Masters had proper tables. The balls that should've stayed out did stay out. And it wasn't any more tactical than usual. Sure, the scoring was difficult - for the players that weren't playing well. As it should be. Murphy and O'Sullivan scored just fine.

[cueman]

Well FYI the tables used at the Shanghai masters are the same used for all ranking events this season, STAR tables! These tables are supplied to WSA for use in all tournaments and thus are dismantled and erected for all of the ranking events on the circuit.

As I said in my earlier post, conditions in the arena and camera angle used can make conditions easier/harder or appear to do so but in reality we are talking about minute differences, these players are bloody good so I think its a bit disrespectful to make out that the only reason these players are on TV or playing well is because the conditions are so easy.

However if you really do think things are so easy then get yourself on the PIOS tour, qualify for the MT and lets see you lot do better!

[montoya10]

Well, the WC record was smashed this year, and the Masters had players apparently playing out of their skin, with one visit stuff in most matches. I have no problem watching such snooker, it's great stuff when players play like that for real. But if everything is going in because the pockets take ridiculous balls, it takes all the magic out of the game.

The Shanghai Masters had proper tables. The balls that should've stayed out did stay out. And it wasn't any more tactical than usual. Sure, the scoring was difficult - for the players that weren't playing well. As it should be. Murphy and O'Sullivan scored just fine.

Correct me if I'm getting it wrong, but didn't O'Sullivan score just two centuries through the whole event

I don't think tables are a real matter for the game. If they are generous, then they are for all players, and if they are not, that's just fine.I also love tactical play if it doesn't get too long as much as I love big breaks. But, I also sniffed a sounding change in the pockets, but not just in a season. Back in 2000 or 2004, I have seen countless missed off-the-spot colours or relatively easy reds. These days, good positional play and clean cueing motion nearly results in a frame-winning break and I doubt this proves the class of the whole field. Anyway, getting the century break record smashed was good, although this did not make the Worlds the best ever

[Odrl]

Correct me if I'm getting it wrong, but didn't O'Sullivan score just two centuries through the whole event

Well yes. He wasn't at his absolute best in the tournament, and it would be silly if he scored 10 centuries. And that's exactly my point.

He played his best snooker of the week in the QF against Ding, where he made 4 half-centuries in the 5 frames he won, and against Liang in the final, where he made 8 in the 10 frames he won. I'd call that good scoring.

As I said in my earlier post, conditions in the arena and camera angle used can make conditions easier/harder or appear to do so but in reality we are talking about minute differences, these players are bloody good so I think its a bit disrespectful to make out that the only reason these players are on TV or playing well is because the conditions are so easy.

Of course, the best players are the best in any conditions, and the winner of the event is the player that played the best. So there's nothing undeserved about that.

But I won't be convinced that we're talking about minute differences in table conditions. There are very noticable differences from tournament to tournament. And if you take the two extremes, the Chinese events and last season's WC, the difference is huge.

[noel]

The cushions?

Matthews Stevens' response...




=o|

Noel