The Best Choice in Billiards and Pool Tables

Selecting Billiards and Pool Tables Figuring out whether or not you want to buy a billiards table is a decision that you should research before you actually make the purchase. There’s no really good reason to purchase a cheap, virtually unusable table. Doing so will severely limit the personal enjoyment you get from your table [...]

The Best Pool Cues

Evaluating Pool Cues You can play on the best billiards and pool tables in the world but you’re never going to have a world class gaming experience, and you’re never going to play anywhere near a world class level, if you play with the wrong pool cues. It’s arguable that aside from your skill there’s [...]

Important Pool Table Accessories

Pool Table Accessories The right pool table accessories can elevate your game’s performance while simultaneously, greatly increasing the enjoyment you get from using your billiards and pool tables. These accessories range from items that are absolutely essential, such as pool cues and balls, to items that are very useful, such as cue racks and quality [...]

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Billiards and Pool Tables

The Best Choice in Billiards and Pool Tables

Filed under Billiards and Pool Tables by on October 6, 2011 at 3:35 pm {no comments}

Selecting Billiards and Pool Tables

Figuring out whether or not you want to buy a billiards table is a decision that you should research before you actually make the purchase. There’s no really good reason to purchase a cheap, virtually unusable table. Doing so will severely limit the personal enjoyment you get from your table and practicing on such a table isn’t going to do anything good for your game at your favorite pool hall. When purchasing billiards and pool tables you need to put the time, effort, and yes “money” into your table to make sure you get one that’s worth the investment. Here are a few criteria you should scan through before heading out to buy your own pool table.

The very first thing you need to take into consideration is the size of billiards or pool tables you want to buy. A lot of people decide they’re going to buy a certain table without actually knowing if they have enough room in their home for the table to fit. The standard size of a billiards table is 9 feet, which is the size you see played on by the pros and the size you’re probably accustomed to playing on at your local pool hall. Measure out the space you’ve dedicated to your new pool table before you go ahead and make the purchase to ensure you actually have enough space to indulge your desire. Check our room size guideline for more information.

When measuring out the space for your new billiards and pool tables, remember that you don’t just need enough room to fit a 9 foot table, you also need enough room to actually play on it! You’re not going to be very happy with your investment if you’re knocking holes in your walls with every game you play or if you’re so cramped that you can’t even fully extend your cue. Mark off the exact space you plan on setting your 9 foot table in and then make sure you have at least a few extra feet in every direction. A three to four foot buffer surrounding your pool table should be enough however, ultimately the more playing space you can provide the better.

One final note about space, if you don’t have enough space in your room for a 9 foot table, that doesn’t mean you should automatically downgrade to a 7 foot table. For most casual players there’s nothing wrong with a 7 foot table and most people would agree that having a smaller table in their home is better than having no table at all. The angles will all work the same as on a larger table and you’ll still improve your game and enjoy playing. However… if you are very, very serious about playing pool and you play games for stakes you care about outside of your house then you should find a way to get a proper 9 footer to practice with.

After determining what size pool table you need and what size table you can actually fit comfortably into your house you need to start thinking about the quality of table you’re looking to purchase. Lower quality tables are going to make use of lower quality materials less expertly assembled. For example, lower quality tables will use flimsier, lighter wood than proper, official oak billiards and pool tables. The felt will also be easier to scratch and won’t roll the balls the same way as high quality felt. Billiards and pool tables made from lower quality materials not only look cheaper and less attractive from day one, but they are also more prone to taking on scratches and other noticeable surface damages than pool tables made from higher quality material. Check out our buyers guide for more information regarding materials used during construction of your table.

Even if you don’t really care about how your table looks you should care about how they feel to play on, and the better the quality of table you purchase the more enjoyable your playing sessions will be. Everyone who loves pool has played on a junk table made from relatively light and flimsy wood before and they’ve noticed the difference. It’s easy to forget how much direct physical contact a player makes with the table until that table is swaying and buckling below you. Everyone who loves pool has also played with a low quality table that has a curve or slant to it, something which will ruin your game if you start making unconscious adjustments and accommodations for it. While there’s no need to discount the aesthetic concerns involved in buying low quality billiards and pool tables, it’s ultimately the result of sturdy construction that makes a high quality table such a great investment.

Once again playing on any billiards table is better than playing on no table, but make sure you aren’t sabotaging the subtleties of your game to save a few bucks.

Price is one of the biggest considerations that everyone has to take into account when looking at buying a new table. It’s safe to say that everyone ultimately wants to purchase the highest quality table that they can afford on the market, made from solid oak and professionally sized. However, in the real world we all know that price is a consideration when selecting your table. In fact many people will consider price the first and last consideration they mull over when purchasing their new table.

You certainly need to take price seriously as you don’t want to spend money you don’t have just to get a new table into your home. However, price shouldn’t be the first thing you think about when picking out your pool table either. You should follow the order of considerations outlined here. You should start by figuring out what size table you can fit into the designated space within your home and whether there’s any way at all you can comfortably get a 9 footer in there. After that you should think long and hard about the quality of materials and construction of the table you really want in your home to practice and enjoy. Only after you arrive at a very good idea of the exact table you want and need for your home should you start to worry about price.

If you have the money to purchase your dream table right away then by all means go for it. You’ll be happy you did! If you don’t then you’ll simply need to make some compromises. For some people that compromise means purchasing a smaller, lower quality table. For other people that compromise means buying a table in a month or two after they’ve been able to put together the extra money they need. While I’m not in a position to tell you what you should or shouldn’t do with your time and money, I do suggest you spring for the best and most official pool tables you can find, even if that means waiting a little longer than you initially imagined.

Buying a pool table is a big step to take and it’s one you should feel excited about, not anxious. By keeping these important guidelines in mind you’ll be able to feel the excitement of this great investment without worrying that you’re somehow going about it all wrong. Check our buyers guide here for specifications.

Don’t ruin this massively fun and worthwhile investment by deliberating for another minute. Shopping for quality billiards and pool tables is alot of fun and you will enjoy the purchase for years to come.

PoolCue

The Best Pool Cues

Filed under Pool Cues by on October 6, 2011 at 10:36 am {no comments}

Evaluating Pool Cues

Pool Cues and pool table accessoriesYou can play on the best billiards and pool tables in the world but you’re never going to have a world class gaming experience, and you’re never going to play anywhere near a world class level, if you play with the wrong pool cues. It’s arguable that aside from your skill there’s nothing more important to the overall success or failure of your game than picking the correct pool cue for you. Everyone’s playing on the same pool table and everyone is playing with the same pool balls. If you are out playing with friends or on your league then, everyone likely has a roughly equivalent level of skill. However, not everyone’s playing with the same pool cue. Read on and learn a few points to keep in mind when selecting the right pool cue to compliment your game.

To start with let’s go over a really common scenario and one that many avid pool players find themselves in again and again. You go to a bar or hall and you need to weave through the billiards tables to find the best cue left in the rack. Even on a busy night you’re going to have some options to choose from, so how do you pick out the cue that will bring you the most success on the pool tables?

The first indicator of quality you’re going to look at is the tip of each cue you evaluate. If you see any imperfections in the tip of the cue then put it back immediately. You aren’t always going to find a cue with a pristine tip in the normal billiards hall, especially if the owners don’t take the best care of their equipment, but you always want to work with the best tip you can find. Any cracks or bends or noticeable chips in a tip can cause innumerable subtle problems with your game out on the pool table. If you find a seemingly well preserved cue in your billiards hall that’s none-the-less flattened with age & use then you need to put it back. Pick out the cue with the best tip you can find, and then move on with your evaluations.

The next mark of quality you should look for in a cue is weight. You should never step up to the billiards and pool tables with a cue that feels heavy in your hand. It doesn’t matter if the pool cue feels like it’s made of lead or if it simply feels a little bulky and hefty beneath your fingers, if your cue is anything more than weightless you won’t be able to handle it properly. The lighter a pool cue feels in your hand, the better you’ll be able to handle it on the pool tables, the better games you’ll shoot.

You also want to make sure your cue isn’t too long or too short. This is a slight point of contention among avid pool players because some prefer longer cues and some prefer shorter cues however, there’s a good rule of thumb that will help you out in a pinch. All you need to do is stand your body up straight and then stand your chosen pool cue up straight in front of you with its base planted on the floor and without any noticeable lean going on. Most people do well with pool cues that reach up to about their chin and not an inch more or less. This is a simple matter of proportions and measuring out your cue in this manner will usually insure it matches your wingspan perfectly.

Finally you just want to make sure your cue is nice and straight. Don’t eyeball it as subtle bends and warps can be difficult to spot on your own. Bring the cue over pool table, lie it flat on the table and roll it back and forth. If it rolls nice, even and smooth then it’s straight enough for your purposes. If it wobbles around when rolling along the table then search for a straighter cue.

Unsurprisingly these are the same criteria you should use to evaluate pool cues you might buy on your own away from your local billiards and pool tables halls. Make sure the cue is straight and has a flawless tip, two issues that shouldn’t be a problem if you’re buying a good quality cue that’s new and not used. Make sure the cue measures out to just about chin level when standing straight up and get the lightest cue you can find. Ordering a pool cue from a pool table accessories store online isn’t too difficult, as long as you have a decent idea of how high your chin is and you have a good understanding of the pool cue weight you work best with.

Picking the right pool cue is often the difference between success or failure out on the billiards and pool tables, so take the time to make sure you get the cue that’s right for you.

Important Pool Table Accessories

Filed under Pool Table Accessories by on October 6, 2011 at 9:34 am {no comments}

Pool Table Accessories

Pool Table AccessoriesThe right pool table accessories can elevate your game’s performance while simultaneously, greatly increasing the enjoyment you get from using your billiards and pool tables. These accessories range from items that are absolutely essential, such as pool cues and balls, to items that are very useful, such as cue racks and quality stylish pool lights. Let’s take a minute to look at the range of pool table accessories you have to choose from and why each is so important.

It’s questionable whether you can even call a pool cue an “accessory” as there’s no way to play the game without a pair! Still, they count as an accessory because billiards and pool tables generally don’t come with them and you need to buy them separately. We’ve written about picking out the right pool cue for you in another posting however, as a quick primer remember the four points you need to keep in mind when buying the right stick for you – straightness, length, weight and tip quality.

As far as pool cues go they have something of an accessory of their own- their tips. It’s a wise decision to have as many replacement pool cue tips as you can at all times. If you play often you’ll find that you’re constantly bending, cracking or otherwise ruining your pool cue’s tips. Even if you’re careful with them your tips will dull down and flatten over time. Always have replacement pool cue tips near your billiards room and make sure to restock when you’re running low because you never know when you’ll need one.

Another accessory that is more of a necessity is a pool cue rack. Having your own rack hanging from the wall by your pool table is the best possible way to store your cues when you’re not using them. A lot of people with home billiards and pool tables choose to store their racks against the wall, either leaning them vertically or lying them down on the ground horizontally. This is a mistake that can cause damage to both the cue itself and its tip. Pool cue racks are designed to provide the best possible means of keeping your pool cues safe and in pristine condition when not in use on your pool table and buying one should be considered a necessity, not a mark of vanity.

On the other hand having a pool cue case can skirt the line between vanity and necessity. If you travel with your personal pool cues often and it’s important that you play with your own cue then having a pool cue case is a wise investment. If you don’t need to travel with your pool cue for example, if you just play friendly games at local bars and halls on amateur billiards and pool tables, then there’s no reason to cart your cue around in its own case. The more serious you are about the game the more you’ll need one, but consider this a latter-day investment after you get the above necessities in order.

Additional accessories to line up that aren’t total necessities however, which are nice to have include chalk boards and pool lights. Chalk boards offer a great system for keeping track of games and wins. While we’re on the subject of chalk always make sure you have plenty of cue chalk stored near your pool tables. Keep regular writing chalk on your boards. Pool lights can make a difference in how you play the game due to the thorough lighting they provide, though they aren’t absolutely necessary.

At heart you only need a few basic items to play pool. You need billiards and pool tables to play on and you need billiards balls to play with and you need pool cues (with chalk) to hit them with. That’s it. But that doesn’t mean all the accessories aren’t important to increase the enjoyment you get out of playing pool. If you’re like the vast majority of pool enthusiasts you aren’t playing the game to pay the bills, you’re playing because you find the game fun and because it makes you feel good. There’s nothing wrong with this, and as such there’s nothing wrong with getting all the accessories you need to have as much fun and feel as cool as possible! If someone tells you buying a pool light for a home set up is a waste of money then ignore them and get those lights anyway if they make you happy.

The right pool accessories will make your billiards and pool tables worth playing on, so make sure you get all the items you need and want and in the best condition possible. There are few things more enjoyable then a nice billiards table sitting in fully decked out rooms.