Top of the Cue

New Video Release of the Unique G4 Glass Pool Table

2010-09-28T09:15:00.000+01:00

Another Great example of the fantastic Design Work from Nottage Design.

We have already seen the fantastic G1 Glass Table now take a look at the G4, slightly less in your face in terms of its design, but still incredibly amazing and fun to play on.

O'Sullivans 147

2010-09-21T12:06:00.000+01:00

On the third day of World Snooker’s World Open at the SECC in Glasgow, the final last 64 match between Ronnie O’Sullivan and Mark King ended with a win and 147 record-breaker for O’Sullivan.

O’Sullivan’s tenth televised 147 broke his previous tie with Scotland’s Stephen Hendry and obtained his thursday meeting with Jimmy White. The 3-0 scoreline had been promptly reached in the fast-paced best-of-five new ranking event, with inconceivable second and third frames.

Both players had miscueing and positional shots that went awry in frame two; King was left dumbfounded by unintentional kicks while O’Sullivan’s frustration at having to play a snooker off the green with colours remaining in a tight scoreline got taken out on the table with both the green and brown being scattered about.

Finally, the frame ended without King getting the Snooker he needed as forced to pot pink hanging over the top right hand pocket with the black up the right center as left by O’Sullivan. King had an early chance to start off frame three, but got another kick with the cue ball on a red in the top end of the table. O’Sullivan’s own foretold 147 was attained reluctantly as referee Jan Verhaas confirmed during the attempt there would not be a maxium break prize.

Alan McManus got his place into the last 16 with a 3-2 win over Matthew Stevens, while Liu Song made the most of his ranking event opportunity due to a player slot provided from John Higgins’ suspension, beating Joe Jogia 3-1 with a 107 break in frame four. Jamie Cope got the best of Dave Harold 3-2, though Harold’s progress after whitewashing Shawn Murphy on day one went unrewarded in this last 32 matchup.

Hendy Slates new ranking system

2010-09-15T12:11:00.000+01:00

Stephen Hendry has criticised the new ranking system, which sees the list revised four times a year rather than at the end of the season.

The seedings for the UK Championship and Wembley Masters will be determined after the second European Players Tour Championship event in Bruges in October.

Hendry is currently 11th in the official rankings but is going through a poor run of form and is sweating on his place in the elite group.

He told 110sport.tv, the website of his management group: "A number of top 16 players are looking over their shoulders and it is worrying that a bad patch could have major consequences. I am not moaning because I am down there just now – I just don’t think its right that it isn’t based over a whole season and a lot of players have worked very hard to get into the top 16 in the first place.

Over the season each of these players will hit a run of form but if they have a bad patch at the start of the season they could be in trouble."

“Another bad run and I could find myself missing out on the Masters at Wembley. It is a very punishing system.”

Indeed it is. It has already cost Liang Wenbo his top 16 place after just a few months - or rather he has, by not winning enough matches.

The idea of the new list is to reward success and no longer protect players who can't win a match.

Many players love it because it gives them the chance to scale the heights but others, like Hendry, are worried because it puts extra pressure on them at a time they are struggling for form.

There are arguments on both sides but I think it's better that a player who wins a tournament receives an immediate benefit from that success.

There have been top 16 players in the past who haven't won a match all season but have still been seeded through to the Crucible while ranking tournament winners have had to qualify.

Top 16 players have also kept their places by winning no more than a handful of matches all year.

Hendry, of course, is more entitled than most to express a view on this but it is surely a reflection on his own current plight.

When he was the undisputed king of snooker, I doubt he could have cared less what the ranking system was.

He would have been at the top regardless

Some Interesting Trick Shots to try and have a go at!!

2010-09-14T15:02:00.000+01:00

Carter Takes Away Chinese Title

2010-09-14T14:30:00.001+01:00

Allister Carter claimed the second ‘major’ ranking tournament win of his career with a 10-7 final victory over Scotland’s Jamie Burnett at the Roewe sponsored Shanghai Masters.

The match will certainly not be remembered as a ‘classic’ but that won’t bother the Essex-man, who is up to number two on the provisional world ranking list. It was nip and tuck through the early stages with neither player looking as they were prepared to risk losing the title in trying to win it. Long bouts of safety ensued with close finishes to many of the frames.

Although ranked 33 places below his opponent at the start of the season, Burnett has accumulated plenty of experience in his 18-year professional career, and the Scot’s tactical play kept in the match as he prevented Carter from hitting anywhere near top gear.

After grabbing a crucial one frame lead from the afternoon session, Carter won the first of the evening’s possible ten frames and looked certain to extend the lead to three in the next. After potting the penultimate red with the required colours all in open play, he missed a ‘Willie Thorne’ blue to the left centre pocket, allowing Burnett to close the gap once again.

The next four frames were shared before the Carter produced only his fifth break of over 50 in the match to move within one frame before rounding off the win in the next and adding a second title to his Welsh Open win in 2008.

Higgnins unable to play until Feb 2011

2010-09-10T12:19:00.000+01:00

John Higgins may not return to the circuit until next February despite his suspension ending in November.

It was widely assumed Higgins would be back for the UK Championship in December following the result of the tribunal convened as a result of a newspaper sting in which he was alleged to have agreed to lose frames for money.

The match fixing and bribery charges against Higgins were withdrawn and he was found guilty of failing to report an approach to match fix and bringing the game into disrepute.

He received a six month suspension, back dated to May since when he's been unable to play professionally, and was fined £75,000.

But Higgins has missed the closing date for entries for all tournaments until the Welsh Open in February.

The entry deadlines passed in July and the WPBSA will have to decide whether or not to grant him an exception.

He will be still be suspended when the entry dates close for the remaining Players Tour Championship events.

Higgins has already lost his no.1 spot in the world rankings and would be left with just the Welsh Open, China Open and World Championship to play in this season.

The suspension will have cost him the chance to play in four ranking tournaments, the Masters, the Premier League, 12 PTCs and the PTC grand finals, a total of 19 tournaments.

Some will argue that as his suspension ends in November Higgins should be allowed to play from that point.

Others will say he has already been treated leniently for what could have been a career ending offence.

John Higgins NOT Charged

2010-09-08T15:24:00.002+01:00

John Higgins did not face charges of match fixing and bribery after they were withdrawn by the WPBSA.

He was found in breach of two lesser rules: 'intentionally giving the impression to others that they were agreeing to act in breach of the Betting Rules' and 'failing to disclose promptly to the Association full details of an approach or invitation to act in breach of the Betting Rules.'

In his summary, Ian Mill QC, presiding for Sports Resolutions UK, said:

'Mr Higgins has admitted acting in breach of Rules 3.1.5.1 and 3.1.4.4 (Charges 3 and 4).
The Association has withdrawn Charges 1 and 2.

The Association has explained that this withdrawal resulted from an acceptance, following an investigation which all concerned have correctly characterised as very thorough and fair, that Mr Higgins had truthfully accounted for his words and actions at the meeting in Kiev on 30 April, selected extracts from which subsequently were widely publicised.

In short, his account (which has remained consistent throughout) was as follows. Mr Higgins found himself in that meeting having only just beforehand been warned by Mr Mooney that there was a possibility (nothing more) that the subject of throwing frames might arise as part of the overall business discussions that were about to commence.

Without any opportunity for mature reflection Mr Higgins, who is by nature someone who seeks to avoid confrontation or unpleasantness, decided to play along with the discussion when the topic did indeed arise. He also found the atmosphere in the meeting somewhat intimidating. His focus was entirely on bringing the meeting to an end as soon as possible and getting on a plane home. He would never throw, and had no intention at that meeting of throwing any frame, of snooker for reward.

I have no doubt that the Association was right to conclude that this account by Mr Higgins was a truthful one.'

Of Higgins's conduct and in deciding on the appropriate punishment, Mill said:

'Mr Higgins was put in a highly invidious position by Mr Mooney, who was entirely responsible for Mr Higgins’ presence in Kiev and, in particular, at the meeting there on 30 April. Mr Higgins can be criticised for the way in which he chose to respond to the situation in which he found himself.

However, I do not consider, in the circumstances that any very serious sanction should follow from his admitted breach of the Rule referred to in Charge 3. More serious is his failure to comply with his obligations under Rule 3.1.4.4 (Charge 4). There was an opportunity, albeit a relatively limited one, for him to have reported the Kiev incident to the Association prior to the News of the World story breaking.

He should have taken the opportunity to do so. Very fairly, Mr Higgins has also stated that he is unclear whether he would have reported the incident had the publicity not occurred. Mr Higgins did not, of course, know that the businessman at the Kiev meeting were undercover journalists. On the basis that they intended what they said, it was obviously a matter of the greatest importance to the integrity of the sport of snooker that those intentions were immediately reported.

Mr Higgins’ failure in this respect was extremely foolish. In mitigation, Mr Clancy SC on his behalf reminded me of his client’s exemplary record both in terms of achievement and conduct, and of his role as an ambassador for the sport. I very much bear these matters in mind. But I also consider that with such a status come particular responsibilities to other players in the game, to the Association, to its sponsors and to the viewing public to ensure that the Association’s Rules bearing on the peculiarly sensitive subject of gambling and corruption are strictly adhered to. Taken with the other Charge which he has admitted, it seems to me that his conduct in failing to report the incident immediately warrants a short suspension from his membership of the Association and from the playing rights that his membership affords him. In my judgment, the proper length of such suspension is one of 6 months. Since he was suspended by the Association pending the outcome of the investigations on 2 May 2010, the period of his suspension will end at midnight on 1 November 2010.

I also consider that Mr Higgins should suffer a financial sanction. Having considered the gravity of the admitted rule breaches and heard from Mr Clancy as to his client’s financial circumstances, I consider that he should pay a fine of £75,000 and make a contribution to the Association’s costs of £10,000. Paragraph 10.2 of the Association’s Disciplinary Rules requires any fine to be paid within 28 days. In the circumstances, I do not consider it reasonable or appropriate that Mr Higgins should have to pay such an amount within this short period. I consider that a period of 90 days is appropriate. On behalf of the Association, Mr Bourns has accepted that it is open to me so to order.'

Custom Pool Tables

2010-09-07T11:48:00.000+01:00

Are we beyond the era of customizations? here at TOTC we don’t think so. If you look at the custom pool tables that are on offer, you will know that we've got a point. Some say that those who are extra rich are the blessed, but looking at the custom pool tables and the fact that they can even be bought second hand sometimes, dismisses the claim up to a certain extent.

So what is the big deal about owning a custom pool table? Well, for those who can afford to have a custom pool table at home, it will add to the whole glamour and glory while giving you a piece of equipment for you to play around with. For those who own restaurants and other leisure businesses, custom pool tables will become one tool which will attract customers.

Now the next question is, ‘how custom are these custom pool tables?’ Of course, this is something that can vary depending on the budget you have. Custom pool table makers now customize the pool tables to your requirements as you please, given you can spend on it. Did you know that they even sell transparent custom pool tables? the Nottage G1 Well, how players keep their concentration in tact while playing on a transparent custom pool table may be a worthwhile question to ask, but when it comes to the cool look it adds to your surroundings, the transparent ones really add class to your life.
The felt color is another thing that can be easily customized according to your liking. So when most people talk about custom pool tables, they talk about a customized felt color. But that is not all; custom pool tables usually come in different sizes and designs as well.

If you would like to have a chat about owning or customising a table come and chat with us at TOTC why not utilise our online chat tool and speak with one of our experienced team.

Nottage Design Exclusive

2010-09-02T11:44:00.000+01:00

Great News

Topofthecue have been granted the exclusive rights to distribute the Nottage Design Pool Tables in the UK.

Brilliant Designs and Fantastic Playability.

Nottage Design is based in Adelaide, Australia and are dedicated to producing the most innovative designer game room and lifestyle products available. We design, manufacture and assemble entirely in Australia using quality suppliers.

Craig Nottage and Edgar Polanco share the vision of creating the ultimate modern lifestyle products. Craig Nottage is the designer and inventor of the patented glass top pool table and has operated the company for 4 years. Edgar Polanco brings his business and marketing skills to assist Nottage Design in selling their products to a large worldwide but exclusive market.

Who we work with:
Interior designers and architects to create a perfect synergy with our products in their interior, whether it be a private or commercial project.

We also sell direct to consumers and are equipped to arrange all necessary logistics and installation.

Hotels, restaurants and other public venues who wish to impress their clientele.

Topofthecue and Nottage Design prides themselves on:

Creating the most revolutionary and innovative lifestyle products

Manufacturing quality products and exporting to a worldwide market

Providing excellent customer service and accommodating customers needs wherever possible

Doing everything possible to make sure you enjoy the products you purchase from us.

Topofthecue and Cue Light

2010-08-23T17:26:00.000+01:00

Hi Guys,

Great news, Topofthecue are setting up a relationship with the providers of the Obscura Cue Light System

Take a look at this unbelieveable system

Interactive Pool Table System
Transform any pool table into a digitally-enhanced video experience. High-definition imagery responds in real-time to every shot. User-selectable themes yield infinite possibilities.

Features:

•3 modes: Fluid, Fire and Reveal
•User definable reveal image
•Gesture UI appears when racked

Specifications:

•High resolution 1920 x 1080
•60fps (frames per second) performance
•High brightness projector
•Low maintenance
•Automatic self-calibration

Want some more details get in contact!!!

Pool Instruction: CueTips - An Important lesson to Improve our Pocketing Skills

2010-08-20T16:37:00.000+01:00

Keeping your cue level is one of the most-overlooked fundamentals, but you can see it strongly held by the pros.

By NYC Grind Contributor, Mark Finkelstein

Players are from many different places, but one thing they all have in common was that they rarely played with a level stick. I know you might be thinking that you know this and your stick is level, but I challenge you to practice for a day paying particular attention to how level your stick really is.

Now when you are shooting draw or stop shots, your stick will point down a little, but for those long cut shots that most people tend to miss, having a really level stick, increases your percentage a lot. Try it, you might like it.

What happens if you are hitting down on the cue ball is that it jumps in the air. Dr. Dave has some great high speed video of this. In fact, he jumps over 4 pennies with a level stroke!!

When the cue ball is airborne, it tends to over cut the shot. In fact, I learned this from Stefano Pelinga. When you aim at jacked up shots, always aim a little fuller because the airborne cue ball tends to over cut the shot.

Here is a good practice exercise for those long cut shots that are easy to miss. Reset the cue ball after every shot, use no English, and roll the cue ball. This is the kind of practice that will win you games.

Remember, one key to consistently pocketing these shots is using a level cue stick and not over-hitting the shot. Roll the cue ball.

Let’s look at one example from a nine ball rack to see how this skill applies to a real game.

Here is your situation–It is hill hill and you are at the table:

You could play the six with low left and come back, but most players either scratch or come too far, leaving a tough cut on the 7 and a difficult position play to the 8.

Rolling the six and the 7 gets you a perfect angle on the 8 to get to the 9. The advantages of this are you are not hitting the balls hard, and using speed and angles to play position. If you don’t believe me, try playing the six with low left on a Diamond table and keep track of your percentage!

So remember this when you are playing on tough tables, level stick and rolling ball. Good luck

Topofthecue

What to look for when buying a Pool Table

2010-08-17T15:25:00.000+01:00

Hi Everybody,

Here at Topofthecue we thought you would like to know what makes a good Pool Table, so here is a few points and tips to help you out. If you have any more questions, feel free to use our live Customer Support on our website.

Key things to look for in a pool table:

The slate making up the bed of the table should be 1 inch or more thick. Because slate is so heavy it is essential that the frame is solid--give the table a soft hip check--if it perceptibly moves, RUN!

There should only be two seams in the slate--that is, the slate should be made up of only three sections. Run your hand across the slate from one end of the table to the other. If you can easily feel the seams between the slate, that's bad, you should check whether the three pieces of slate are all level with respect to each other. This may sound like a crude system but it actually tells you a lot - the heavier the table the more likely it is of better quality. Weight reflects the quality, design and materials that went into the construction. For instance thick hardwoods are usually employed in better tables and of course they weigh more. A better built table has center beams that run the length of the table and interlock with the cross members. This stabilizes the slate and cabinet of the table.

Remember that the frame is supporting as much as 500 pounds of material. The entire weight of a pool table rests on its legs. Because of this, solid leg construction is essential. Most tables have four individual legs or two "pedestal" legs. If looking at pedestal legs, they should be framed with solid wood, not particle board or plywood. If looking at a table with individual legs, make sure they seem sturdy as hell and check the manner in which they are attached to the table.

The rails of the table should be made of solid wood, and the rubber attached should be grade "A" (rubber comes in grades A, B and C) have at least three bolts holding it onto the wood rail and be canvas backed. With regard to pockets, feel the material they are made from. Hard plastic will crack. They should be either leather or made of some type of giving, rubber-like plastic.

The cloth should be a napless weave. The best of these, in my opinion, is Simonis cloth. You can now get a multitude of colours and prints. Of course most manufacturers have low-end, middle level and high-end products and the more expensive are generally better in quality. You also pay slightly more for a tunnel system as opposed to a drop pocket system.

As for specific brands: Riley, Peradon, BCE, Brunswick, Diamond, Olhausen and Connelly all make quality products. I would stay away from no name manufacturers, and I don't know much about foreign made pool tables, except that I can tell you that Kim Steel tables play beautifully (Spanish manufacturer I believe).

Keep an eye out for morew useful tips from topofthecue.com or check out our blog. Cheers The Topofthecue Team

Top Earners

2010-07-23T11:58:00.002+01:00

Below is a list of the earnings of the snooker players in the top 16. I think it will be interesting to look again at this in a few years to see how much the players are better off under Hearn. The earnings don’t take into consideration the high bracket tax the players will have to pay or earnings they may earn from sponsors. This list is there career earnings.

John Higgins £4,833,480.00
Neil Robertson £498,995.00
Ronnie O’Sullivan £6,056,010.00
Allister Carter £922,380.00
Ding Junhui £500,725.00
Stephen Maguire £818,450.00
Shaun Murphy £1,052,845.00
Mark Williams £3,735,380.00
Mark Selby £798,975.00
Mark Allen £218,260.00
Stephen Hendry £8,637,360.00
Ryan Day £449,105.00
Graeme Dott £1,253,215.00
Marco Fu £990,290.00
Mark King £871,935.00
Liang Wenbo £78,910.00

Below I’ve divided the career earnings by the number of years the players have been playing to give an estimated average figure of the players yearly earnings before tax.

John Higgins £268,526.67
Neil Robertson £41,582.92
Ronnie O’Sullivan £336,445.00
Allister Carter £65,884.29
Ding Junhui £71,532.14
Stephen Maguire £68,204.17
Shaun Murphy £87,737.08
Mark Williams £207,521.11
Mark Selby £72,634.09
Mark Allen £43,652.00
Stephen Hendry £345,494.40
Ryan Day £40,827.73
Graeme Dott £78,325.94
Marco Fu £82,524.17
Mark King £45,891.32
Liang Wenbo £15,782.00

World Championships at The Crucible are boring says Ronnie

2010-07-23T10:24:00.002+01:00

Have you seen the comments made by Ronnie O'Sullivan in the papers this morning? Saying the World Championships at The Crucible is boring, and that Hearn's new '20-20 Cricket Style' tournament, hoping to be televised on ITV is the way forward.

Pool Tables Fast (USA)

2010-07-23T10:17:00.001+01:00

We have just made an association with Pool Tables Fast over in the USA.

They Sell all things Pool, including more unusual tables like 'Bumper Billiards' an old style pub game for rooms with restriced space.

They have a great facility to have a live chat with one of thier specialists, who can offer advise on sales as well as general customer service, are great idea.

With free shipping on all of thier tables they are a force to be rekoned with.

Visit them at Pool Tables Fast

TOTC

Topofthe Cue Blogs back up and running

2010-07-23T09:53:00.001+01:00

Hi Guys after quite a period of time, the Topofthecue Blog is now back up and running correctly.

Feel free to get in touch and let me know your thoughts and stories.

Stalybridge Snooker League

2008-09-09T12:52:00.000+01:00

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

2008-08-13T09:33:00.002+01:00

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

2008-07-24T10:56:00.005+01:00

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

2008-07-23T10:04:00.003+01:00

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

2008-07-17T11:53:00.007+01:00

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

2008-07-15T11:45:00.007+01:00

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

2008-07-09T14:18:00.007+01:00

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

2008-07-01T14:49:00.009+01:00

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?

2008-06-05T12:21:00.004+01:00

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!

2008-06-03T12:32:00.010+01:00

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

2008-06-02T10:10:00.005+01:00

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

2008-06-02T09:28:00.006+01:00

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

2008-05-30T10:19:00.008+01:00

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...

2008-05-28T12:22:00.008+01:00

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

2008-05-28T12:01:00.005+01:00

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

2008-05-21T15:38:00.006+01:00

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

2008-05-21T15:07:00.003+01:00

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

2008-05-20T16:30:00.008+01:00

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)

2008-05-20T16:02:00.004+01:00

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!

2008-05-20T11:04:00.007+01:00

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...