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American Pool Tables vs. English Billiards Tables

Buying a pool table for your home is a large investment that will cost several thousands of dollars for a quality product. During the decision making process, people often wonder if they should select from American pool tables or choose from the British style of tables, which most people know as billiard pool tables. The differences between the two styles of tables are not great, but before spending that kind of money, it is good to be clear about what distinguishes these two types of pool tables.

The main difference between American tables and the British version is their size and also of the pool balls that are used with them. Some might say that the English tables are actually a smaller cousin of the American tables. The English pool tables were first introduced to the British pubs a little more than forty years ago in the 1960’s. Because of the more compact spaces in most gamerooms and lounges in Europe as opposed to the available space in America, the tables needed to be a bit smaller in order to be able to fit them into the pubs of the day.

The most common standard American pool tables measure in at 9 feet wide by 4.5 feet long. The British tables run smaller with the regulation size being 7 feet long by 3.5 feet wide. There are also two other commonly seen sizes of the British pool billiard tables, which are 6 feet by 3 feet and 8 feet by 4 feet.

Because of the difference in size of the standard American pool tables versus the English tables, some of the pool table accessories are also accordingly sized differently as well. This is important because the amount of playing area is reduced considerably on the English tables which affects the play.

On American tables there is more room for the balls to spread out and this reduces the occurrence of balls “clumping” which can make it more difficult to get a nice clean shot at a pocket. At the same time, with a table that is two feet longer than its English counterpart, there are many more instances of long shots that need to be made. Such longer shots are particularly challenging for beginners and often a game can become very drawn out when players are chasing the last couple balls around the table.

To help ease the problem with space on the felt, the pool balls that are used with the English tables are smaller with a diameter of two inches. This compares to the balls used on American tables which are two-and-a-quarter inches in diameter. Of course, the pockets that are built into the American style tables are comparatively larger as well in order to accommodate the larger size of the pool balls.

Another difference that you will find between playing on American tables as opposed to English pool tables is in the pool cue sticks that are used. The English pool cues use a smaller cue tip which measures eight to nine mm across. The typical cue tips that American pool players are accustomed to using on their cue sticks are 12 to 13 mm.

When it comes right down to it, the biggest difference between American pool tables as compared to their English counterparts is their size. If you have adequate space, then most experienced pool players would suggest that you buy the larger American table. The general rule of thumb is that the bigger the table, the better the game.

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Billiard Tables Offer Variety of Games

In one form or another, billiard tables have been a part of recreational pursuits for centuries. While often called pool tables in some areas of the world, they are a common sight in pubs, bars, taverns and game rooms. Billiard pool tables have also always had a place in private homes, but they are enjoying a surge in popularity these days. These specialty tables can be used to play a wide variety of different billiard-type games and are a great way to gather people around for camaraderie and friendly competition.

One common concern people have when thinking about buying a billiard table is if they have enough space to fit one into a spare room or a family room. While everyone’s idea of the perfect spot to play pool is different, in most cases you will want to have enough room for more than just the table. You must also have ample clearance around it to be able to wield your cue stick effectively. Billiards is a social game, and you should select a space in your home that can accommodate comfortable seating, as well as places to hold food and beverages that people often enjoy while shooting pool.

Most standard American billiard tables measure nine feet by four-and-a-half feet, with a slightly smaller version that is eight feet by four feet, and the most common length for the cue sticks is 57 inches long. To have enough clearance, so that walls and other obstacles won’t interfere with shots, the minimum room size needed would be 14 feet by 18 feet. This would be a “bare minimum” space and does not account for seating and mingling room.

If you just don’t have that much space, you could opt for one of the smaller sized tables. There are billiard pool tables as small as six feet by three feet. In conjunction with a smaller pool table, you could also use shorter cues which are available as short as 36 inches. The combination of these two factors would mean that you could conceivably play pool in a room as small as 9 by 12 feet.

However, there is a drawback to trying to squeeze smaller tables into a room that won’t hold a full size pool table. Once you get used to playing on smaller billiard pool tables and with shorter sticks, you will find it quite challenging to be able to play well on the more common size tables that you will find at bars, pool halls, and in most other homes. In addition, if part of your idea for buying a pool table is to entertain friends and have social gatherings with it as the central activity, then you will find that other people will have trouble adjusting to what many think of as mini pool tables.

Once you have determined the size of the table that will fit into your home, you next need to look at the quality of the materials before you make your decision. Most quality pool tables have a slab of slate underneath the felt. This provides a very stable, even, and good quality surface. The best tables actually have three slabs which can be adjusted independently to assure the ability to properly level the surface.

Since slate is such heavy material, a slate pool table bed can weigh up to 800 pounds. Because of this, the construction of the billiard tables frames must by very sturdy and of high quality to support that weight and assure that the table playing surface is always level. Look for metal-to-metal construction for the joints and solid cross members that are bolted securely.

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