Top of the Cue

Stalybridge Snooker League

noreply@blogger.com (The Admin) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 11:52:00 +0000

The Stalybridge and District Sunday Schools Billiards Snooker And Whist League [Stalybridge Snooker League] started in 1910 and the games played were only billiards and whist, which were thought to be appropriate for Young Men’s Societies. Snooker became popular in the 1970s so the league added this extra dimension and changed its name to incorporate the new format.

The current league management has a President, Chairman, League Secretary, Handicap Secretary and Webmaster/Press Secretary. The forum also includes 1 member from each team [normally the captain or vice captain]. We have regular monthly management meetings throughout the season and the season starts with our AGM.

The current venues include social clubs in Ashton, Stalybridge and Mossley along with a snooker club in Stalybridge - a situation which is completely different from the original church rooms when the league started.

The League roll of honour for season 2007 /2008 shows Sportsman SV as snooker /billiards league champions and St Georges B as whist league champions. Mossley B won the knockout card cup and Mossley A won the knockout snooker / billiards competition. Complete details of these and the other individual trophy winners are on our main website, along with photographs from our presentation night.

Because of the league origins, there are many interesting facts about the league which can be seen on the website but perhaps the most talked about are:

1/ We always used to serve refreshments during our matches and one player [Jack Bredbury] was famous for making a full urn of tea for every match.
2/ In one particular venue the match would be stopped between 9.30 and 10.00 for prayers to be said by the local priest.

With regard to our league competitions as well as the normal league and knockout competitions we have two special trophies, The Sportsmanship Award and The George Fletcher Memorial Trophy [this is named after one of our late members]. The George Fletcher Cup is our equivalent of the charity shield at football and the Sportsmanship Award is given for general attitude to the game and the league members.
The league has been going for almost 100 years and is looking to continue well past this landmark.

Radical Games

noreply@blogger.com (The Admin) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 08:33:00 +0000

Radical Games are based in Cape Town, South Africa. The company was established in 2001 and since then they have been producing some of the best pool tables and snooker tables available in the area.

Radical Games do not mass produce their pool tables in order to maintain their high level of build quality. To keep their hand in these guys also specialise in restoring/moving pool and snooker tables, so if you need a hand transporting a games table then look no further.

Radical Games supply and deliver to the Cape Town City Bowl, as well as Johannesburg (Now called Gauteng). For any deliveries outside these areas you'll need to give them a call.

So if you're in the Cape Town area, and looking for a genuinely unique pool table, snooker table or games room equipment, then look no further!

Cueing Technique in Billiards, Pool & Snooker

noreply@blogger.com (The Admin) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 09:56:00 +0000

So you think that playing pool or snooker is easy? You just pick up the stick, lean over a bit and fire it at the white ball right?

WRONG.

Just like a golf swing, cueing in pool, snooker and all table billiard games is a finely tuned art, and one that it takes endless hours of practice to perfect.

What’s This Cueing Lark All About Guv’nor?

The primary aim of cueing is to control exactly where the cueball goes once struck. When you have mastered this, you can start to build you game, and see the path to victory.

While this may sound easy there are a surprising number of things that can go wrong during your shot, so (being the kind soul I am) I have compiled a list of the key things to remember and practice to become a pro:

1. Stance: The most basic and important one of all. While there is no strict stance for pool, there are some fundamental elements to get right.

You should hold the cue with your ‘shooting’ arm lightly, just behind its balance point. You should place your other hand on the table, forming the ‘bridge’. The shaft of the cue then rests between your thumb and first finger. Lastly, your head should be held over the top of the cue, so you are looking straight down it to the tip.

- Balance Point
The point on the cue at which you can balance it on one of two fingers. All cues are weighted (standardly to 18oz) which will become more important as you get better.

- Bridge
The bridge is the shape made with your none cueing hand to rest the shaft of the cue on

Cueing in pool or snooker does not require much body movement; it’s all from the elbow/shoulder. As such the most important part if feeling comfortable with the points mentioned above.

2. Shooting: When you play a shot, it’s tempting to stop the cue at the point it impacts upon the ball. This will only result in a weak dribbler, or an unholy mess. The correct way to play any shot is to play ‘through’ the ball, to ensure you hit the cueball with maximum speed and accuracy. Imagine you’re Bruce Lee punching through a brick wall. Just remember not to tear the cloth…

- Keep Your Elbow Straight!
An obvious one you might think, but when cueing you must pay attention to this. A tiny wobble in your elbow travels down the cue and translates you a mighty waver at the cue tip. This results in a miscue and looking like a fool in front of EVERYONE.

- Use The Elbow
All the power in your shot comes from your elbow, and using the weight of the cue itself. A smooth, straight cueing action will result in more powerful, accurate shots than trying to hammer it out without thinking.

- Control Your Power
Not every shot has to be a white bullet; in fact very few do on a 6ft or 7ft pool table. Snooker calls for a different approach and cue weight here but in pool less it more. Too much power can result in you destroying the lay of the balls, and therefore your path to victory.

So there you have it, the basics of cueing in pool, snooker and billiards. Check back for future posts on technique and how to become a world class billiards player!

Hot Shots

noreply@blogger.com (The Admin) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:04:00 +0000

If you happen to be Canadian (or even if you're not) and you're in the market for a pool table, then check these guys out.

Hot Shots supply a full range of pool tables and accessories, foosball tables, darts, poker tables and table tennis. It's basically everything you need to furnish your home games room (or open your own bar!).

Products include:

Olhausen Pool Tables (including the awesome 'Jack Daniels' and 'John Deere' editions
Pool Table lighting, accessories & cloth
Billiard balls
Darts equipment
Foosball tables
Poker equipment
Table Tennis
Arcade Games

Though based in Ontario, Hot Shots are also happy to quote for shipping into the U.S. and worldwide, so if you see something you like then get in touch. For locals you can also go check out these products in the flesh at the showroom, located at:

Hot Shots Billiards & Darts
3150 Ridgeway Drive, Unit #25
Mississauga, Ontario
L5L 5R5

If you can't find the games table you are after here, then man, you are picky!

Hot Shots

Game Tables USA

noreply@blogger.com (The Admin) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 10:53:00 +0000

If you are one of our US visitors looking to purchase a pool table, then you won't go far wrong with Game Tables USA.

These guys have a massive range of games tables to suit any home or budget, including pool tables, pool table equipment, air hockey tables, foosball tables, basketball games, shuffleboard - the list goes on!

Game Tables USA also supply a huge range of outdoor tables, so if you want to enjoy a bit of sun and a quick game of pool then you can go right ahead. These guys ship all over the continent, so it's worth a look wherever you are.

Game Tables USA - The Complete Internet Source for Indoor and Outdoor Game Tables.

Amazing Pool Trick Shots

noreply@blogger.com (The Admin) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:45:00 +0000

So you think you're a pool pro? You are nothing compared to these trick shooting masters!

We have compiled for your viewing pleasure some of the most amazing pool trick shots in creation. You may be right, they probably do have too much time on their hands but I guarantee you will be impressed none the less!

5. Multi Table Domino Snake

This is a classic pool trick, mainly involving the humble domino, but it would be a crime to miss it from any pool trick shot list - it is pretty damn amazing.

4. Pool Tricks

Another classic five minute compilation of some pool trick shots. Hang on, shouldn't he be studying?

3. Eric Yow - Trickshot Madness

We couldn't have a trickshot list without having the master of masse, Eric Yow. This 5 minute compilation will have you running to the nearest pool table and ripping the cloth to pieces trying to re-create these amazing trick shots.

2. Painful Trick Shot

You'll be amazed in a different way at this beauty - remember, next time your friend says 'stand here and hold these' say NO!

1. Fast Larry's Two Table Trick Shot

Sure, you can pull all kinds of fancy tricks on one table, but crowning the list is Fast Larry, with some pin point accurate trick shot action - over two pool tables!

Questions About Pool Tables

noreply@blogger.com (The Admin) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:18:00 +0000

Good Afternoon One and All,

It's another grey, muggy, slightly damp summer's day and time for another post. In the interests of keeping the information we put up here on the blog as relevant and useful to you as possible, we want to to know what you want to know!

So if you're thinking of buying a pool table, what are key things you need to know?

Maybe you've got a more specific question about pool tables and you haven't found the answer elsewhere?

Or maybe you're just interested - whatever the reason give us an email to the usual address (customerservice [@] topofthecue.com) with 'Blog Question' in the subject.

We'll have a root through and answer the best ones!

Tricues - A Review

noreply@blogger.com (The Admin) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 13:49:00 +0000

It's been all quiet on the pool front for a while, however here at Top of the Cue HQ we have been playing away to get to grips with the new Tricues (now available on site).

The Tricue

The cue we were sent over, model 5058 is well finished. It features a dark wood four point veneer on the butt, with a yellow/black decal. The cue is finished to 18oz and is very well weighted, giving you much more control over your shots. It also features a nice dark grain on the shaft, and a 9.5mm tip. A solid brass centre joint and rubber butt disc round it off. The triangular section of the shaft is smooth and unobtrusive, sitting nicely in your bridging hand or rest. We also got sent a rather fine red soft case to keep it shiny and new.

All considered it's a very well made cue for the money, weighted well and finished to a very high standard.

So will it improve your game?

As amateurs (at best) in the world of pool, we found the Tricue a bit strange at first. Being used to a circular cue shaft it feels a little strange on the bridge hand until you get your grip sorted.

After a couple of games getting used to it we found it did make a bit of a difference. It definitely sits better in the 'V' between forefinger and thumb, but it does mean if you twist the cue slightly when shooting you will miscue. This may cause you problems if you do it intentionally, but we agreed it was mainly down to a rather unprofessional cueing style by one of the players.

The weight of the cue helps you getting used to the new design, and if the rest of the range are finished as professionally as this it won't be long before you forget this is any different to an normal cue. Except when you win of course. The only issue we found is that if you bridge very close to the tip of the cue, you find your bridge hand sliding between the triangular section and standard round end. I can only see this being a problem for people playing on smaller tables without a lot of bridge room however, and I'm sure there will be future Tricues to handle this as well.

It's difficult to say whether this new design will be accepted by the professional snooker and pool community, however if it can improve our monkeying around on the TOTC pool table I'd imagine a seasoned pro would be able to work wonders with it...

All in all Tricues are a welcome addition to the Top of the Cue stable, and we would highly recommend giving one a go.

Get yourself a Tricue for gawds sake!

Tricues - Is a triangle better than a circle?

noreply@blogger.com (The Admin) — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 11:21:00 +0000

We are constantly hunting for new products to play with and pass on to you, our lovely readers/customers - and this week has been no exception.

So without any further ado, we present the Tricue:

'What are Tricues?' I hear you cry, well...

The Tricue differs from your traditional pool cue or snooker cue because around one third of it is triangular. The cue has rounded edges to make the action just as smooth as a regular pool or snooker cue, but the flat sides provide much steadier contact with your bridge hand/rest.

The exact description from the Tricues site is: "The first 8cm of the cue (from the tip) is round section. The next 47-48cm of the cue has the patented Tricues triangular cross-section. The cue then returns to the standard round section to the butt."

While this cue is predominantly aimed at the snooker player, it can just as easily be transferred to the pool table as well. The current range of products is made up six two piece cues, and four three piece (three quarter split) cues ranging from around £40.00 up.

We are currently waiting for these to come into stock, so keep checking back as they are due in any day. We've also got one coming to the office so we will be giving it a thorough road test on the Top of the Cue pool table.

In the meantime if you want something a little more traditional, then check out our current range of pool cues and snooker cues - we've got plenty more where those came from!

Snooker 2008 World Championship Table!

noreply@blogger.com (The Admin) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:32:00 +0000

I'm so excited I think a bit of wee came out!

The actual snooker table used in the 2008 Snooker World Championship at the Crucible is up for sale. This table is signed by the two finalists, Stephen Maguire and the Rocket himself, Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Look there it is sneaking into the bottom of the photo! And that's just a teaser of how awesome it will look in the flesh...

For more information click here now - and you will touching the cloth (so to speak) that has graced the hands of champions!

Billiards Forum

noreply@blogger.com (The Admin) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 09:10:00 +0000

You must all have been in this situation: Out in the pub having a pint of lager/bitter/flirtini and enjoying a game of pool, eveyone's having a great time. Conversation runs away with itself and you're in the two pint zone until BAM.

Someone fouls. Do you carry on the two shots? Do you get two on the black? Was I red or yellow?

All of a sudden that jovial evening out with the la's can turn into a veritable nightmare of arguing and recrimination.

Well fear no more friends, because now you can ask a seasoned pro at the Billiards Forum.

It's not just pool either. We regularly visit to keep all encompassing rule knowledge up to date in variations of pool, snooker and other billiard games.

No one can argue with a printed copy of the rules!

MDF (Medium Density Fibreboard) Pool Tables

noreply@blogger.com (The Admin) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 08:28:00 +0000

Morning all,

I hope the weekend was enjoyable and sunshine filled where ever you are.

This morning I have been expanding my pool table manufacturing knowledge following a question on the post
MDF Bed vs Slate Bed Pool Tables:

Q How exactly is the mdf treated so that it does not warp?

A The two main elements to the 'anti warp' treatment for MDF pool table beds are:

(1) High temperature/pressure used to manufacture the wood
(2) Acrylic or primer coating to seal it after cutting

MDF is a manufactured wood, that is constructed by breaking down softwood into fibres, combining them with wax and resin, and binding the mix together into panels. By using a combination of high pressure and high temperatures the mix is sealed into panels with are exremely durable and strong.

When used in pool tables, once the MDF panels have been cut to size they are then sealed with an acrylic or primer solution. This waterproofs the panel to increase it's resistance to humidity before the cloth is applied. It also ensures that any cut/sanded edges will be as resistant at the top/bottom surface.

So MDF is partially treated against warping as it is made, and is further protected by sealing during the product manufacturing process. This makes it a durable, affordable alternative to slate as a pool table bed.

I hope that answers your question!

More information on MDF can be found here.

Advertise for the Greater Good - The Myanmar Cyclone Appeal

noreply@blogger.com (The Admin) — Fri, 30 May 2008 09:19:00 +0000

As that illuminating title suggests, our friends at Distilled are running a PPC competition aiming to bring together capitalism and humanitarian action into, er, capitarianism?

The aim is to raise money to aid the victims of the Myanmar cyclone (Cyclone Nargis), with the twofold benefits of helping people rebuild their lives, and some nifty SEO related prizes if you win. Distilled will be footing the campaign bill, however donations are welcome to continue to raise awareness and aid.

You can find details of the competition here.

So here is the TOTC entry:

Myanmar Cyclone Appeal
Help victims of Cyclone Nargis in
Burma - Donate Now

This Time Next Year Rodney...

noreply@blogger.com (The Admin) — Wed, 28 May 2008 11:22:00 +0000

The World Snooker Championships got me thinking - when I make my millions and live in a huge mansion, and have a butler to bring me tea in the morning, this is the snooker table that will grace my games room:

Riley Aristocrat Tournament Champion Snooker Table

This is the daddy of snooker tables, whose playing surface has been graced by the likes of Ronnie O'Sullivan, Peter Ebdon, Jimmy White, Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis and many many more.

It's made from solid mahogany, with a 5 piece slate bed. The cushions are made from Northern rubber, mounted onto a steel block to provide the best response. The table is standardly covered with West of England 100% wool (tournament weight) and the table comes with a full set of matching cues/accessories, and a set of Aramith tournament champion snooker balls.

You literally couldn't wish for a better table, and they are still used in all major snooker tournaments and opens across the world.

Should be lucky enough to have the room for one, have a clickyclicky here!

Or you can have an equally impressive Oak version with matching accessories.

You also get the pleasure of a pro installation by Riley's very own fitters, so the only excuse you've got for missing the pocket is not enough practice...

Real Life Pool Adventures

noreply@blogger.com (The Admin) — Wed, 28 May 2008 11:01:00 +0000

If you're a pool geek like I am, the next best thing to window shopping for pool tables is reading about people playing pool.

My two current favourite pool blogs (other than my own of course) are:

OMGWTF
The one who opened my eyes to the massive sexism of many American pool players, and the voyeuristic delights of massive photos of food!

Ace's Pool Blog
For the gentleman's view on pool and, well anything else that takes his fancy...

Back in sunny England, if you're sick of arguing about whether two shots carry on, or whether you can play up the table after a foul, you might want to check out the essential reading at the English Pool Association website. This is the definitive write up of 8 Ball League rules (in the EPA) - take heed!

BCE Folding Pool Table FP-6

noreply@blogger.com (The Admin) — Wed, 21 May 2008 14:38:00 +0000

This is the first of our 'product profiles' which we hope will give you a bit more information about the best sellers and the undiscovered gems.

If you have any questions this exhaustive write up hasn't answered, then give Customer Services a call on 0870 050 9250.

6ft Folding Pool Table FP-6

This is one of our most popular folding pool tables, and uses a cantilever leg design to fold up vertically when not in use.

Table Spec:

Build from re-inforced MDF
Castors on stand leg to allow easy storage
Concealed net drop pockets
Dimensions: 183 x 99 x 79cm

Supplied With:

2 x cues
1 x triangle
1 x chalk pack
1 x set of 1" 7/8 (48mm) red/yellow pool balls

Delivery Time:

7 working days

This is the ideal pool table for those who love the game, but are a bit short on space. If you want to find out more, click here!

All About Pool Tables

noreply@blogger.com (The Admin) — Wed, 21 May 2008 14:07:00 +0000

Pool tables have remained the same fundamentally in appearance and construction for many years. Though the methods for manufacturing them have changed over time, the only major variation that has developed is between English and American tables. Despite the lack of structural change however, there have been big changes in the materials, the accuracy of construction and the quality of the components which have helped produce generations of skilled pool, snooker and billiards players across the world.

Pool has become the most popular game from the ‘billiards’ family. There are two main groups of games within this family: ‘Carom Billiards’ and ‘Pocket Billiards’. Carom billiards is a game played on a table with no pockets, and Pocket Billiards encompasses any game played on a billiards table with pockets, including pool, snooker, bar billiards and anything in between.

This was the beginning of the game we know today, and cemented the design of pool tables. A pool table is constructed of three main parts:

Base Frame: the main body of the table, comprising of the cabinet and legs. If the table is coin-operated the mechanism will be inserted into this part
Slate Bed: a large piece (or for bigger tables several pieces) of ground slate which forms the playing surface of the pool table
Rail Assembly: the cushions, pockets, gully boots and table top are all form the rail assembly

Modern technology means that we can now factor in many things which our pool predecessors could not. These include the wood used to build the table, how the slate is ground to achieve the most level surface, the wool used in the cloth, the quality of cushion rubber and even the materials the balls are made from. The World Pool-Billiard Association (W.P.A.), and in England the English Pool Association (E.P.A.) have stringent standards which must be met for competitions.

The base frame of pool tables is normally constructed from a hard wood (such as Oak or Mahogany) to provide a solid base for the slate bed to rest on. The cabinet is usually made from four panels, inner supports and held firm by the four legs. Traditionally legs were hand carved or ‘turned’ using a lathe, though this design is now more predominantly featured on snooker tables. A lot of modern manufacturers produce tables built from MDF instead. While this reduces the cost of the tables (many are sold into the domestic market, rather than clubs/pubs) this cheaper wood does not have the long life of a solid hardwood pool table.

The slate beds are now all machine ground, and many are exported from Italy. The quality of the slate itself, and the tools used to grind it are key to producing a flat playing surface. The tiniest variations is surface height can affect the movement of the balls and therefore the player’s enjoyment of the game. Most slates are now diamond ground to ensure a smooth, high quality finish. In the UK there is at least one company using laser measurement, who claim to be able to improve the surface even further. As with the base frame, modern manufacturers have produced cheaper tables with MDF beds for the domestic market. These tables do not have the long life of a slate bed, which is unaffected by humidity or temperature, and can be prone to warping or breaking if they are not properly cared for.

The rail assembly is made up of a number of different components. The wooden ‘rails’ are typically made from the same hard wood as the table, and often feature details in a complimentary metal such as brass, copper or chrome. These metal details are finishing parts such as ‘corner bosses’, angle spots or trim. Modern cushions are made predominantly from Northern Rubber (or similar). The cushions themselves comprise of the rubber inner section, which is covered by the cloth, and a ‘block’ which they are attached to. On pool tables the cushion blocks are wood, however on competition snooker tables the blocks are made from steel to provide greater ‘response’ from the cushions.

The inner parts of the pockets (gully boots, pocket itself, ball return etc) are typically constructed from hard plastic or hardened rubber. Hardened rubber is the preferred choice, as it both reduces noise when balls are potted and minimises wear to the surface of the balls are they move through the table.

The cloth is one of the last things to go on the pool table, and is also one of the most important. Modern cloth is typically 100% wool, and there are two main types:

1. Worsted or Speedball Cloth (used mainly on American pool tables)

2. Napped or Directional Cloth (used mainly on English pool tables)

The difference between the two is the ‘nap’, the direction the thread all ‘points’. If you imagine stroking a dog, all it’s fur grows in the same direction. Stroking against the dogs fur is harder than with it, and this principle applies to playing on napped cloth. The nap runs from the baulk end (the end you place the cue ball at to break at the start of a game) of the table down.

Worsted cloth gives a faster game, because there is less resistance from the cloth. American pool tables range from 7 – 9 feet (9ft being the official competition size), and have larger balls, so the worsted cloth provides a much better game. English pool tables range from 6 – 8 feet (7ft being the official competition size) and have smaller balls, so napped the game dynamic is quite different.

Finally, the construction of the balls also affects play, and now that you know the fundamentals of pool tables it is important to understand the effect balls have upon them. Most modern pool balls range in size from 1” ½ to 2” ½ and the weight varies depending on the size. They are typically constructed from a polymer resin, and come in two different varieties:

English League Balls (7 red, 7 yellows, 1 black ball and a cue ball)
American League Balls (7 spots numbered 1-7, 7 stripes numbered 9-15, 1 black number 8, 1 cue ball)

The most famous name in billiard balls is a Belgian company called Aramith. They make the official snooker tournament balls and pool tournament balls, as well as many others. Aramith make their billiard balls from a phenolic resin to produce much harder, higher quality balls. This reduces friction wear on the cloth (striking a cue ball can accelerate it from 0 – 30mph in a matter of seconds) because the surface is smoother, and also improves play. The weighting of a set of billiard balls is extremely important as well, to ensure that they all behave the same when struck, thus ensuring a fair game.

That is what all this development is for – a perfectly finished pool table and a perfectly finished set of pool balls provides you with the environment for the perfect game of pool.

Now all you need is a bit of practice…

MDF Bed vs Slate Bed Pool Tables

noreply@blogger.com (The Admin) — Tue, 20 May 2008 15:30:00 +0000

One question we are often asked here at TOTC is why someone should buy a slate bed pool table over an MDF bed. There are pros and cons for both, and several differences other than just the price, so take a look at this handy key facts list before you break out the plastic:

MDF Bed Pool Tables
These tables are designed for home use, and range in price from around £80.00 up to £550.00.

Key Facts:

Perfect for any aspiring pool player to cut their teeth on
Cheaper than a slate bed table of equivalent size
Most MDF playing surfaces are deep anti warp treated
Folding/Foldaway versions are available
Can be moved more easily than a slate bed table
If you're short on space, they go down to 4'6"

Slate Bed Pool Tables
Originally only available to clubs and the very rich, slate bed tables are now also sold to the domestic market. Price range is usually between £650.00 up to £4000.00.

Key Facts:

If looked after, they will last for many years
Slate is impervious to temperature and humidity, so once flat, it'll stay flat
Available in solid hardwoods or reinforced MDF
Range of cloth (napped or worsted) in any colour
Parts can be maintained/replaced if necessary by professional fitters
Milliken Artscape cloth available - add you own image to your table!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

noreply@blogger.com (The Admin) — Tue, 20 May 2008 15:02:00 +0000

So you're thinking about buying a pool table, but you've got some questions - you're in the right place!

Q: Who are Top of the Cue?

A: Top of the Cue is an online pool table and snooker table specialist. We sell tables direct from a range of UK manufacturers/distributers as well as some European manufacturers as well. We supply a range of pool tables, snooker tables, cues, balls, accessories, air hockey tables, table football tables and table tennis tables.

Q:

Welcome to the Top of the Cue Blog!

noreply@blogger.com (The Admin) — Tue, 20 May 2008 10:04:00 +0000

Here you will find essential information on our pool tables and snooker tables, as well as other key considerations before buying such as:

Room size
Table dimensions
The difference between slate bed and MDF bed tables
The difference between folding pool tables and foldaway pool tables
Information on our suppliers

As well as a wealth of other informative insights into billiards in general. So if you want to buy a pool table, or if you're just a billiards geek like us, then come have a butchers...