Imagine that you have finally bought that new pool table you’ve wanted for so long. You bring it home, set it up, and after a few weeks discover a stain or rip on the felt. How did this happen? It could have been prevented if you’d just invested in a pool table covers along with the table. Using a pool table cover is essential, especially if you live with other people or have a family. Chances are that they (especially children) won’t understand the importance of keeping the pool table in great condition, and no matter how you lecture they won’t truly understand. Chances are that someone will use your pool table as a coaster for their drink or be horsing around near the table and damage the felt. To prevent this from becoming a problem, regularly cover the surface whenever it is not in use. Get a good, waterproof cover to guard surfaces from spills, scratches, and other misuses when you’re not around. The initial cost of a pool table cover is well worth the ability to protect your table from damage when it is in your home.
Pool Table Covers for Home Use
June 8th, 2009Taking Good Care of Your Pool Table
June 7th, 2009Your pool table at home is probably one of your most prized possessions, and something your friends all wish they had. To keep the jewel of your home in top condition, proper care of your pool table is necessary. First, establish rules for using the pool table when you first purchase it, especially if you’ve got children or teens in the house that will be using it. Absolutely no getting up and crawling around on the pool table, which small children will want to do for some reason. No drinks or anything else should be allowed to sit on the pool table. Even when it’s not being used for billiards, you shouldn’t use the table for some other purpose. When the felt starts to look less than smooth, it’s probably time to consider new felt. Run period inspections of your table, including the pockets and the underside of the table, to catch any problems before they become big ones. With proper maintenance, your billiards table will last for a long time and be able to provide you with a great game whenever you want one.
Shopping for a Pool Cue
June 6th, 2009If you love the game of billiards, then you simply must invest in pool cues of your own. Getting your own cue means that you’ll always have a high-quality cue with you and never be stuck with a crappy house cue again. It also signals to others that you’re serious about that game and engender you immediate respect among your friends and acquaintances. It can be a little bit of an investment initially to buy a good pool cue. Expect to spend at least $100, plus the cost of a decent protective hard case to carry your cue. But your initial investment will pay off and you’ll be glad you bought your own pool cues when you use it at the pool hall. Get a wooden cue rather than aluminum or some other material, and shop around for a design that you really love. A hard case is a necessity for protecting your pool cue and making it last a long time. You can choose from either the standard box-style case with a hinged opening, or you can get a cylindrical case that is more compact and light. Either one is good, it’s just up to your personal preferences.
Trick Shot Basics
October 6th, 2008A trick shot in pool is a shot that is played in which something amazing or seemingly impossible happens with the billiard balls and sometimes other props. Trick shots are played mostly on pool tables but sometimes are preformed on snooker tables as well. Professional pool players as well as amateurs who specialize in trick shots often take part in organized competitions known as artistic pool which allows them to show off their trick shot skills by performing standard trick shots as well as making up new ones. To perform these tricks requires planning your shot.
The object of the game of pool and the object of trick pool shots are essentially the same; to pocket balls (or make them end up in the destination you choose) by controlling the direction of the cue ball and how it hits the other balls. Unlike the game of pool, however, trick shots allow you to set up the layout of the balls before you take your shot. This makes for some very interesting and challenging shots involving ball placement.
You need a good understanding of the basic pool physics as well as a steady hand and a good stroke to excel in the game of billiards as well as with trick shots. You also need a lot of patience and a willingness to learn if you want to become good at trick pool shots.
Trick shots usually use a cue ball, one or more billiard balls, and a cue stick like other billiard games. Some trick shots also require props unlike other billiard games which may include drinking glasses, bottles, baskets, ball racks, coins, cue chalk, money, and other items that may or may not be related to pool.
The props used for trick shots and in artistic pool function to make the shot more difficulty, add aesthetic value, or to give the shooter a place to aim or final destination for the ball. Specialized cue sticks are available for performing particular types of shots such as jump shots and massés which many artistic billiards pros use. Many people love to watch players execute trick shots and some people make a career of performing these amazing feats with billiard balls.