Pool Cues, More Than Just a Pretty Stick
Written by George Pennwood   
Saturday, 20 March 2010 07:48
Pool cues vary depending which country you are in. English pool cues for example have small tips of 8 or 9 mm, whereas American pool cues have tip sizes of 12 -13 mm. Other differences between pool cues come in the shafts. English pool cues have a small taper from tip to the but while American pool cues often have straight shafts with no taper until halfway down the shaft. This is to accommodate the different styles of playing the game. English pool players adopt the "snooker" style of addressing and hitting the cue ball, whilst the American style players like to wrap their forefinger around the shaft forming a ring around it hence the straight shaft so the finger does not have to open up as the cue is moved through it.
by GeorgePennwood


Pool cues vary depending which country you are in. English pool cues for example have small tips of 8 or 9 mm, whereas American pool cues have tip sizes of 12 -13 mm. Other differences between pool cues come in the shafts. English pool cues have a small taper from tip to the but while American pool cues often have straight shafts with no taper until halfway down the shaft. This is to accommodate the different styles of playing the game. English pool players adopt the "snooker" style of addressing and hitting the cue ball, whilst the American style players like to wrap their forefinger around the shaft forming a ring around it hence the straight shaft so the finger does not have to open up as the cue is moved through it.

Also pool tables can cost anything from $60 for the small kids tables to $1000's for the exotic Italian tables and the main difference is the playing surface, either wood or MDF and slate. The wooden topped tables are usually the toy versions although there are some very nice wood topped tables that can come in 7 ft sizes, quite adequate for an adult game and very much cheaper than the slate bed versions.

In contrast Carom billiard cues used in playing Carambole, which is a form of billiards originating in France, use shorter fatter cues reflecting the fact the balls used in carom are quite a bit bigger than either American or English pool. The balls are 2 7/16 in size being bigger even than the American game which uses 2 1/4 inch diameter balls and the English game which use a mere 2 inch size balls.

Another option is the hard case, made from wood or aluminium; they too give excellent protection for your cue and are just fine if you only have a normal cue without the extra break off cues etc. They are made from wood, covered in fabric or leather, or metal, usually aluminium, with different sized compartments inside for your cue and extension.

The games played on pool tables vary depending on which country you are in from the French which play on Carom pool tables which don't have any pockets! They play a form of billiards on these tables where you score points for hitting the object ball or your opponent's ball or both. The more common tables do have pockets and the games on these are 8 ball which perversely is played with 15 balls with the object being to pocket the number 8 ball and 9 ball pool which IS played with 9 balls formed up into a diamond shape for break off.

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Looking to find the best deal on used pool tables, then visit the site to find the best advice on mini pool table for you. Article source: George Pennwood's articles on www.ezinearticles.com.