On the stage of major billiard competitions, players carry the honor and dreams. Every shot embodies years of arduous training and anticipation. However, there is a crucial factor often overlooked by the audience, yet it plays a decisive role in players’ performance secretly – the billiard table. The seemingly calm billiard table actually influences the situation of the game from various dimensions.
Flatness is the cornerstone of a billiard table, having a profound impact on players’ performance. Professional competitions require the error of the table surface flatness to be controlled within a very small range. For example, in snooker competitions, the error after the slate is spliced needs to be accurate to an almost demanding degree. Once there is even a slight bump on the table surface, the rolling trajectory of the ball will deviate from the expectation. In a crucial long-distance shot, the carefully calculated force and angle by the player may be in vain due to the unevenness of the table surface. For instance, in an international snooker tournament, a certain player’s long-distance straight shot that seemed sure to succeed was affected by a barely noticeable small depression on the table surface. The ball unexpectedly changed its route during its movement and missed the pocket, causing the situation to turn around instantly. When we purchase a billiard table, we can choose a table with a bluestone surface. The bluestone has high density and good flatness, enabling the ball to roll more smoothly and stably.
Flatness is the cornerstone of a billiard table, having a profound impact on players’ performance. Professional competitions require the error of the table surface flatness to be controlled within a very small range. For example, in snooker competitions, the error after the slate is spliced needs to be accurate to an almost demanding degree. Once there is even a slight bump on the table surface, the rolling trajectory of the ball will deviate from the expectation. In a crucial long-distance shot, the carefully calculated force and angle by the player may be in vain due to the unevenness of the table surface. For instance, in an international snooker tournament, a certain player’s long-distance straight shot that seemed sure to succeed was affected by a barely noticeable small depression on the table surface. The ball unexpectedly changed its route during its movement and missed the pocket, causing the situation to turn around instantly. When we purchase a billiard table, we can choose a table with a bluestone surface. The bluestone has high density and good flatness, enabling the ball to roll more smoothly and stably.
The billiard cloth, as the medium for the ball to contact the table surface, directly affects the ball speed and direction. High-quality billiard cloth has fine and neat fluff, allowing the ball to roll steadily. But as the game progresses, the billiard cloth will be worn due to frequent shots, and the direction of the倒伏 of the fluff will vary. The friction force on the ball in the areas of the “with the nap” and “against the nap” is different, resulting in differences in the ball speed at different positions. In British billiard competitions, players have extremely high requirements for the precision of the cue ball’s走位 (positioning). A slight change in the ball speed may prevent the cue ball from reaching the ideal position and disrupt the carefully designed tactical layout. Some players will frequently observe the condition of the billiard cloth during the game and constantly adjust the hitting force and rotation according to the change in the ball speed. Even so, it is still difficult to completely offset the impact of the wear of the billiard cloth.
The cushion, the guardian of the boundary of the billiard table, its elasticity and consistency are the key for players to control the rebound of the cue ball. The standard cushion rubber strip needs to have a specific rebound rate at room temperature to ensure that the rebound angle of the ball conforms to the principles of mechanics. If the elasticity of the cushion is uneven, when hitting the cue ball to make it collide with the cushion, the rebound angle will be out of control. For example, in Chinese billiard competitions, players use the cue ball to touch the cushion multiple times for positioning and solving the ball. If the elasticity of the cushion is abnormal, the cue ball may deviate from the expected route, not only failing to hit the target ball but also leaving an excellent opportunity for the opponent. Ding Junhui once complained during a game that the cushion of the billiard table had too much elasticity, making it difficult to control the ball, which shows the importance of the cushion to players’ performance.
The size and pocket specification of the billiard table cannot be ignored either. International competitions have strict regulations on the size of the billiard table. From the length and width of the table surface to the size of the pocket, all have been precisely calculated. Even a slight deviation in size will disrupt the sense of distance and angle formed by the player through long-term training. In American billiard competitions, the smaller pocket size increases the difficulty of scoring. Players need to control the hitting angle and force more precisely. Once the pocket of the billiard table does not meet the standard, being either too large or too small, it will affect the player’s judgment of the scoring probability. At a crucial moment, it may cause the player’s confidence in hitting the ball to be frustrated and the technical movements to be distorted.
The billiard table in major competitions is by no means just a platform for placing the balls. It is a stage for players to showcase their skills and an invisible referee that affects the outcome of the game. From the flatness of the table surface, the state of the billiard cloth, the elasticity of the cushion to the size specification, every detail is like the flapping of a butterfly’s wings, triggering a chain reaction in the grand picture of the game, influencing the fate of the players and determining the ownership of the championship. Spike Billiard Table Manufacturer has 23 years of production experience in the billiard industry. The billiard tables are in line with international standards and achieve a professional-level playing feel, making them the first choice for billiard halls and clubs. We use Grade A Jiujiang bluestone and imported oak to make the billiard tables. The high-quality materials make the billiard tables sturdy and durable, winning unanimous praise from customers. As a source manufacturer with direct supply, we look forward to cooperating with you. https://www.tiktok.com/@spk.billiard?_t=8qRRRnXP4N8&_r=1
