The most common hardwoods used in the construction of pool tables are mahogany, oak, birch and rosewood. The durability of these woods makes them ideal for holding the weight of a slate playing surface, without the risk of warping over time. Not only are these woods extremely hard wearing but the grain and finish of the wood adds to the character of the finished pool table.

Mahogany was particularly prevalent in the pool and snooker industry up until the early 19th century. When polished it displays a deep red brown finish which darkens over time, and straight grain. While it is still regarded as one of the best choices for larger pool tables, intensive deforestation has increased the cost immensely. The same is true to a lesser extent of other hardwoods, and this has led to the introduction of MDF as a cheaper alternative.

The introduction of MDF to the pool table industry created a wealth of cheaper, less durable models which, for the first time, made pool tables affordable to almost anybody. The main reason for the introduction of cheaper, smaller pool tables was for the domestic consumer market. These tables are not hand crafted/finished as their predecessors were, but machine made.

The main benefit of the wider availability of pool tables, which had once been the privilege of the very wealthy, was that the game of pool was brought to a much wider audience. Whereas before you had to join a club, or be old enough to go to a pub to play, people could now enjoy the game in their own home.

The major disadvantages of using a cheaper, manmade composite like MDF are that it is not as durable as a natural hardwood, and must more susceptible to variations in humidity and temperature. In order to maintain the appearance of a ‘real’ pool table, these MDF bed tables are usually finished with a wood effect veneer (typically of mahogany, rosewood or oak) and domestic quality cloth/rubber.

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Bob asked:


Spending an afternoon with your friends, playing a game of pool or snooker is great fun. And if you haven’t done it yet, don’t wait any longer. Get a pool tableand experience it firsthand. You will never get bored and will spend hours with your friends or family playing pool or snooker on this table. It is one of the best ways to relax and spend some quality time.

Once you have decided to buy a pool table, there are a lot of factors that need to be considered. You have to think about the size, design, felt color and obviously the cost of the snooker table.

To make your job easy, I have the perfect solution for you. At BIGshop.com.au you can find some of the best pool tables, and that too, at an affordable price. I recently bought a 7 ft table for my home for just AU$599.95. And guess what, I also got $350 worth of accessories FREE along with this pool/snooker table! I still can’t believe that I’ve struck such a good bargain. (You can also pick an 8 ft table, if you want a slightly bigger one).

This snooker table has a deep green playing surface on a wood grain finish. With its ultra modern chrome corners, the finish is as good as any high-end furniture and it goes well with the décor of our home. Not just homes, the 7 ft pool table can be placed anywhere, even in bars, clubs, or garages.

The icing on the cake is the bonus accessories that you’ll get with these tables. You have everything you need in this bonus set, including 1 pool ball set, 1 snooker ball set, 2 pool cues, 2 bridge sticks, and more. Take home a 7 ft pool/snooker table today and your kids will just love it.



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MJ Marks asked:


My high school years was spent on an Air Force Base in Italy, and many times after school, I would find myself hanging out at the Community Center playing pool with some of the GI’s. I fancied myself a fairly good player because I occasionally got a lucky shot, but in retrospect, I really wasn’t very good at all. At the time, we always played eight-ball, and only associated that game with pool tables, but since then have learned many other games that are a lot of fun to play. So if you are looking for some variety, consider some of the following games:



Nine ball

Three ball

One-pocket

Bank pool

Snooker



Let’s take a closer look at how each of these games are played.

Nine-ball

This game only uses the cue ball and the 1 through 9 balls. The balls are racked in a diamond shape with the one ball in the front and the nine ball in the middle. Though the balls can be pocketed in any order, the cue ball must first make contact with the lowest numbered ball on the pool table. The game is won by sinking the 9 ball, and a match is won by winning a predetermined number of games. When a shot is missed, the next player starts play with the cue ball in the position left by the other player. If a foul was committed, the incoming player can place the cue ball anywhere on the table.

Three-ball

When there is a lack of numerous pool tables, but many players, this is a good game to play. It just uses the cue ball plus three other balls. The object is to sink all three balls in the fewest number of strokes. One player plays until all 3 balls are pocketed, all strokes counted. Then the next player starts, trying to sink all three balls in fewer strikes. Often this game is played in innings, consisting of three or five rounds.

One-pocket

This is a two player game with each player choosing a pocket. The object is to shoot a majority of the balls (8) into your pocket. Fouls occur if you shoot your ball into the wrong pocket on the pool tables. This game often takes more strategy than other billiard games.

Bank pool

This game can be played with either a full rack (15 balls) for a long game, or with nine balls (lately more popular) for a shorter game. You have to sink a ball by banking it off of one of the sides. Shots are normally called. The first player to bank and sink eight balls is the winner (in the shorter game, five balls must be pocketed).

Snooker

Snooker can be played on average sized pool tables. The game requires 15 red balls, and six balls of various colors (1 each of yellow [2], green [3], brown [4], blue [5], pink [6] and black [7]) and a white cue ball. Each red ball is worth 1 point, the color balls are then worth 2 – 7 points as labeled above. The 15 red balls are racked up in the traditional triangle at the beginning of the game. Each colored ball has a set point on the table. The object of the game is to get the most points. First you have to sink a red ball in a pocket, and then any colored ball (remember the point value of each ball is important ). The red ball remains in the pocket, but any colored ball is replaced to its original starting place on the table after it is sunk. You receive points for each ball you sink. When you miss a shot, it is then the other players turn. Once all the red balls are gone, the color balls then have to be sunk in numerical order. The player with the most points, wins. Points can also be earned through fouls (such as sinking balls out of order – like two red ones in a row).

These are most the of the official games that are played on pool tables, though they all have more detailed rules, and many of them offer variations. So, next time you are looking for something to do, head on down to your local pool hall where they have a lot of pool tables, and try something new when you play pool with your friends.



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