8 to 6 on a 9' table vs. on a 7' table

[BillPorter]

I play a guy who gives me 8 to 6. We have about broken even after playing many sessions this way. We always play on a 9' Diamond table. Today they were recovering the 9' tables at the pool hall and my opponent asked if I wanted to play on one of the 7' tables. Since he plays on 7' tables a lot and I never play on them, I figured he would have the best of it on the smaller table, but I agree to play not wanting to go back home without any action.

I am looking for opinions from you One Hole gurus as to whether, every thing else being equal, getting 8 to 6 on a 7' table is about the same game as 8 to 6 on a 9' table. By the way, my opponent and I are both in our 70s.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

 

[straightback]

I play a guy who gives me 8 to 6. We have about broken even after playing many sessions this way. We always play on a 9' Diamond table. Today they were recovering the 9' tables at the pool hall and my opponent asked if I wanted to play on one of the 7' tables. Since he plays on 7' tables a lot and I never play on them, I figured he would have the best of it on the smaller table, but I agree to play not wanting to go back home without any action.

I am looking for opinions from you One Hole gurus as to whether, every thing else being equal, getting 8 to 6 on a 7' table is about the same game as 8 to 6 on a 9' table. By the way, my opponent and I are both in our 70s.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

Additionally, I would be curious to hear how the game is different on a little table. About the only thing I know is that folks sometimes hit the head ball full in the face on the break and try to stick it there.

 

[Renegade_56]

Seems to me the advantage would lean to the better player, since there is much less real estate, therefore placing more premium on cueball control, which you would assume the better player, is better at.

 

[gulfportdoc]

Bill, was the 7-footer a Diamond, or a Valley type? And were you trying to play with a full rack of 15 balls?

~Doc

 

[petie]

Long ago I noticed playing 9 ball that bar boxes made it a much less predictable situation. EVERYBODY shoots straight on a bar box. World class 9 ball on a 9 footer is 10 racks in a row. On a bar box its over 20 racks in a row. Bar boxes will bring out the champion in you (which will scare the champion out of your opponent.) I think you crushed the guy.

 

[BillPorter]

Bill, was the 7-footer a Diamond, or a Valley type? And were you trying to play with a full rack of 15 balls?

~Doc

Doc, it was a Diamond and we played with all 15 balls.

 

[androd]

It's much easier to play position on a 9ft. More crowded on an 8ft.
7ft might be a traffic jam.
Rod.
P.s. Less runs may favor guy going to 6. ?

 

[BillPorter]

Long ago I noticed playing 9 ball that bar boxes made it a much less predictable situation. EVERYBODY shoots straight on a bar box. World class 9 ball on a 9 footer is 10 racks in a row. On a bar box its over 20 racks in a row. Bar boxes will bring out the champion in you (which will scare the champion out of your opponent.) I think you crushed the guy.

We only played five games, but I won all five and he unscrewed his cue. It is rare if ever that I win 4-5 in a row on a nine footer. The shots looked so much easier to me, I never had to use a bridge, and it was pretty easy to block his banking lanes. Bank is his best game and he some times kills me when he's in the zone with his banks. Over all, I found it easier to play him safe.

 

[BillPorter]

It's much easier to play position on a 9ft. More crowded on an 8ft.
7ft might be a traffic jam.
Rod.
P.s. Less runs may favor guy going to 6. ?

I think you're right. He didn't seem to be able to run balls as well as he does on a nine footer while I was a bit more able to run my usual 2-3 balls.

 

[petie]

We only played five games, but I won all five and he unscrewed his cue. It is rare if ever that I win 4-5 in a row on a nine footer. The shots looked so much easier to me, I never had to use a bridge, and it was pretty easy to block his banking lanes. Bank is his best game and he some times kills me when he's in the zone with his banks. Over all, I found it easier to play him safe.

I think one naturally stands up a little straighter or gets his chin a little higher on a small table. I think this is generally good for you.

 

[Frank Almanza]

If I'm the better player and giving up weight I would prefer to play on the bigger table. The main difference I have found is that the banks are too easy even for the lesser player. They will shoot and make too many of them where on the big table they would normally shy away from them if there is a chance of missing and giving the game away.

 

[Frank Almanza]

If I'm the better player and giving up weight I would prefer to play on the bigger table. The main difference I have found is that the banks are too easy even for the lesser player. They will shoot and make too many of them where on the big table they would normally shy away from them if there is a chance of missing and giving the game away.

I'm just a so-so banker normally, but I becomes a Brumback on the bar table.

 

[BillPorter]

I'm just a so-so banker normally, but I becomes a Brumback on the bar table.

I'm no Brumback on the little table, but I did find that the bank shots looked a lot easier. By the way, the next time I played this opponent, he wouldn't play on the 7' table. We broke even playing 8 to 6 on our regular 9' Diamond table.