Black Pool Table Cloth

Most experienced billiard players won't bother with aesthetic changes to the color of their cloth, indicating that they stay away from extremes like black, yellow, maroon, and purple pool table felt. Some have gone as far as to say that dark colored pool table felt like blue and black were simply repulsive, and caused them not to play at their usual level.

Black Pool Table Cloth

With a black pool table felt color, which is much darker than the standard green, has been linked to problems with depth perception.

This means that shots such as the cut shot will be more difficult on a black pool table cloth. When returning to a lighter cloth such as the standard green or tournament blue, the reported depth perception problems were no longer experienced.

One player who tried a black pool table cloth reported issues with that were consistent with other's reports of playing on darker pool table cloth colors.

"I recently shot on a new table with black felt and it was very nice but it wasn't the same;" said the player.

He indicated to Billiards Forum staff editors that the lighting and contrast between object balls was lacking, and that they simply didn't enjoy practicing for as long as they normally would. When we asked it he thought that additional lighting would help, he indicated that this was tested, and did not have any beneficial effect.

"Additional lighting hasn't helped. It just seems that the shooting and the contrast and the shadows are really subdued. I know it's not [just] me."

After trying different lighting for his black pool table cloth, he tested a practice session on his friend's Diamond, which has that new blue cloth, and claims to never having become tired of playing.

Beyond being detrimental to your billiard game, black pool table felt can be extremely difficult to clean. One billiard retailer had a display table with black pool table cloth that was never played on and was only for display purposes. He still had to clean the cloth twice per day just to keep it looking clean and free of dust.

Based on the feedback and reviews of black pool table cloth, it is clear that the serious billiard enthusiast stay away from black cloth, or any other dark color.

Black Pool Table Cloth

Title: Black Pool Table Cloth
Author: billiardsforum (Billiards Forum)
Published: 5/7/2008 10:07:00 PM

Black Pool Table Cloth Comments

Tony Cook from Dixon, CA on 10/3/2011 12:17:17 PM
I recently replaced my navy-blue pool table cloth with the "tournament blue" cloth. I used the champoinship electric blue color tour edition.

After changing the cloth color, sighting the ball is so much better. Particularly on the long cut shots where a dark color ball is up against the rail. I have very good eyes yet with the old dark pool table cloth, the ball's edge would still get lost in the dark.

I completely agree with the analysis and comments in this article. If you are serious about playing pool well, do not get a dark color felt for your pool table. If you are concerned about matching furniture, get a matching pool table cover. Leave the pool table cloth alone.

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