AboutPool_Teacher Expertise I have wide ranging knowledge of all the cue sports, with the exception of snooker. I can answer most questions related to playing any of the standard games such as straight pool (14.1 continuous) eight-ball, nine-ball, one-pocket and 3 cushion billiards and the variations on these games. Questions welcomed regarding technique, strategy and rules, history of the sport, pool cues and tables in general, trick shots, the mental game, practice, practice drills, pool/billiards publications, and so on. I do not answer specific questions on what brand of pool table or cue to buy or related issues. I am a player and my expertise is not product comparison.
Experience I have been a dedicated player of pool and 3-cushion Billiards for many years. I have given lessons professionally and have run and participated in too many tournaments to name, including professional events such as the U.S. Open. I am also a cue collector and student of all aspects of the game.
Question I have a Brunswick Heirloom pool table that has a playing surface of 8ft 4in. Would that be considered an 8ft or 9ft table?
thanks
Answer Hi Darin.
You have a 9 foot table given the playing area length you've provided of 100 inches (8' 4"=100"). Many people are confused by this. A "9 foot table" or "8 foot table" rarely actually measures 9' or 8' from the outside dimensions of the table. Instead it is a rough statistic of typical size. Some manufacturers use a wider outside frame and some shallower, so the dimensions change. As you've correctly predicted, by contrast, the playing surface dimensions are standardized (and should always be a perfect rectangle). What we call a 9 foot table has a playing surface that measures 50 inches x 100 inches. 8 footers have a playing surface measuring 44 inches x 88 inches, and there's also "oversize" 8 foot tables measuring 46" x 92". Bar boxes (7 footers) measure 38" x 76". Hope that helps.
