Our Table

Today, I've got some free time between classes and decided to post another blog. Anything to kill the four hours between 2-D design and Calculus.

So....what to share with you? Well as I told you in my first post, I practice my game everyday. I try to play about and hour a day trying everything. I practice my run outs, banks, caroms, masses, anything I can think of. Now at home I play on a very nice eight foot table. I believe its a Connelley table.... claw legs, beautiful. However, as nice as this table is, I HATE it. It got resurfaced about three years ago and with as much as I play on it it makes sense for it to begin to have some...misfortunate roll to it. I understand this but what I don't get is why our felt is so fuzzy. It is a thicker felt and it leaves little fuzz balls, not cool. And, because the felt is thick this makes the table really slow and makes the pockets even tighter.

Part of this I like though. The tight pockets has taught me to always play my shots center pocket, but at angles this can get pretty difficult. So, this table is in a way training me to be better. Also, the slow table forces me to always go for my shots. It eliminates my urge to be cautious and play the good old slow roll because not ony would it not reach its destination but it may roll off course. Which, like at most bar tables, there is table roll and speed takes that out of the equation. There are times you need to slow roll though and those are the times I don't like this table.

Another problem, I have with our table is that on two sides a wall comes into play. A bar box length table would be perfect for the room but the extra foot of table we have means that its time to hike. The rack side of the table is the worst. the ball can be like six-eight inches from the rail and you will still need to hike up your cue due to the wall. The break side isn't so bad though because the only time you have to jack your cue up is when the ball is dead on the rail.

Other than these problems this table is great. My step-dad has talked about switching it out for a table a foot short (7ft bar box), but his problem is that he wants to get something very similar in quality and be able to sell the current table and not have to spend any extra on the new one. Basically an even trade for the tables. Now obviously, everything depreciates so this is not an easy trade to find. The table is probably like eight to ten years old or more but still in excellent condition. But, who knows maybe we will get an opportunity down the road for a smoking deal. You never know. The glass is half full right?

My Pool Life Continued

Okay so, last night I told you all about how my pool game came to be. Tonight however, I think I am going to talk about my preferences with the game. Now I have always thought that I have a good head for the game, and by that I mean that I am able to work out my runs and find the best explanations for problems around the table.

I developed my game around my parent's games. My mom plays a very safe yet strong game. She will go for it if she has the shot but if not its defense all the way. Now, my step-dad is a very gutsy player. He always goes for the shot unless there is no shot, which then of course he will play a safety. Therefore, after watching these two for years and learning from them I have developed more of a hybrid game. I am very gun-ho yet can play a safe when it is more logical.Now, I have seen my step-dad pull off some wicked crazy shots with ease and my mom is definitely an extremely intimidating player, so I hope that through the years I have picked some of these traits up. I think I have. =)

About Me And My Pool Background

Well, Hello,


My name is Luke and I am eighteen years old and new to this blogging world. However, that is not gonna stop me from getting my opinion out there is this fascinating yet frightening world. So, here goes nothing.

I decided to make this blog about Pool...aka Billiards since this is a topic that hits very close to home for me. I started playing pool before I could even see over the table. I was an only child and my mom was a single parent and had to work multiple jobs to sustain our needs. One of those jobs was that she bar tended in our local town. This is where I learned the marvelous game of Pool. I remember being a young kid in the bar during the afternoons and playing pool against the local old guys. I loved it because all I had to do was throw on a little smile and they payed for all the games. And ever since then I haven't stopped playing.

Now, I like to  consider myself a fairly good  pool player due to the fact that I am a state ranked 7 in Arizona. Sure, I have taught myself a ton but I would never be at the skill level I am at if it weren't for the people around me. My mom is my greatest influence, she has been playing in various leagues for some fifteen years now and she is quite the "Pool Shark". All my life I have watched and learned from her. Picking up good and bad habits. My next great influence would be my step-dad, who believe it or not, my mom actually met through a pool league after we moved out here to Arizona. He was the next "Pool Shark" to influence my game. He also taught me some good habits and corrected some bad ones. This man pushed me to new heights. Sometimes he never had to say anything to motivate me. It was just my drive to be better than him. It was my drive to be better than both of them. I have to admit that I am probably one of the most competitive guy on the planet. And where do you think I got it from? Sure enough, my mom and step-dad. Together, no one wants to be round us due to our competitiveness. We drive everyone crazy.

So, with the two of them pushing me to be better than they are i practiced and practiced everyday. Trying every shot you could imagine, I transformed and developed my game into what it is today. So, are you wondering? Did I reach my goal? Am I more superior than they are at the game now? Well, I like to think so. Don't get me wrong though, they still have their nights where they are invincible but most of the time I get them. That may just be my eighteen  year old mentality talking but I think they would agree and the numbers would as well.

Now, whether I am better than them or not, I still owe it all to them. So, mom, dad, if you are reading this thank you for giving me that super competitive drive to beat you. One day I hope to make something of my game and truly be able to show you my gratitude.

Stay tuned for more blogs about Pool =)