American-style pool pocket openings have wide straight-cut openings. This is the standard pool table style for tournament 8-ball & 9-ball. Pocket openings are measured from tip to tip of the opposite cushion noses where direction changes into the pocket. This is called the mouth. The corner pocket mouth is 4 7/8” to 5 1/8” and the side pocket mouth is 5 3/8” to 5 5/8”. The cushion rubber used on a tournament pool table is a V-shaped cushion rubber; the point of the “V” is the tip of the cushion nose. The balls used on a tournament pool table should be 2 ¼” diameter.

Snooker Pocket Openings

Snooker-style or British-style pool pocket openings have rounded profile pocket opening. The pocket openings are smaller and the table is slightly more challenging to play on. The corner pocket mouth is 3 3/8” to 3 5/8” and the side pocket mouth is 4 1/16” to 4 5/16”. This style is good for players that would enjoy playing snooker as well as pool on their 7’, 8’ or 9’ pool table. This is the standard table style for 10’ and 12’ tournament snooker tables. The cushion rubber used on a snooker table is an “L” shaped rubber with a cushion nose that has a 3/8” tall flat surface. The balls used on a tournament pool table should be 2 1/16” diameter.