Useful Table Data to Help Improve Your Game of Pool

Cue sports involve a cue ball that needs to be placed into a pocket or basket. That is the general definition. It sounds simple enough, but anyone who has played billiards, pool, or snooker knows that skill is involved – a lot of skill, as a matter of fact, to play the game well with or without a competitor. Those who prefer to play pocket billiards or pool over other cue sports need to know a few things about the game and the table where the game is played.  

On table sizes and playing surfaces  

The proper name for a pool table is “pocket billiards table.” When it comes to standard table size, the ratio that is used by manufacturers is 2:1. The typical rectangular table is a nine-footer, but there are also tables that measure 8.5 feet, 8 feet, and 7 feet. For a 9-ft. table applying the 2:1 ratio, the resulting table measurement is 9 × 4.5 ft. This particular measurement is the one that is recognised as the gold standard by the World Pool-Billiards Association (WPA) as well as the International Olympic Committee (IOC).  In terms of playing surface, the standard playing surface for a nine-footer is set at 100 inches x 50 inches. The playing surface for an eight-foot table typically measures 92”x 46”. In Europe, the typical tables that are used for a game of pool are much smaller, averaging seven feet in length. This size became popular because they fit the available space in the local pub.   A WPA standard, competition level pool table is required to have a slate bed that is at least 1 inch thick. The table needs to be level, and any deviation from proper alignment ought to be no more than 0.01 inches along the table width and 0.02 inches along the length of the surface.  

Relevant pocket data  

A typical modern table for a game of pool comes with six pockets – four corner pockets and two middle or side pockets. The standard now is that the modern pocket billiards table has six pockets, but there was a time when tables used to come out of factory doors with only four pockets.   Tables were traditionally made with leather pockets, webs, and shields. That was in the ‘80s. On the other hand, a modern pool table has pockets that are made of materials such as leather, rubber, or plastic, and are typically formed like a bucket. There are pockets that have cups, but this modification could limit the number of balls that the pockets could accommodate. It is bothersome for some and a waste of time for many to remove the balls from certain pockets just so that other balls may be accommodated. The placement and exact dimensions of the pockets are influenced to a certain extent by how the corners are formed. Some tables have rounded corners whilst others have more square-shaped corners.   It takes practice in order to play a really good game of pool. But it is also important to know about the equipment where the game is being played.   Helena Miller has a pool table at home. She enjoys playing pool with her husband and children when they decide to get into the game. Ms. Miller is a regular columnist in three online magazines.