Equipment Specifications

BCA EQUIPMENT SPECS POOL TABLE SIZES:

3 1/2′ x 7′, 4′ x 8′, and 4 1/2′ x 9′ with the Playing Area measuring twice as long as it’s width(± 1/8″) from the cloth covered nose of the cushion rubber to the opposite cushion rubber. 4 1/2′ x 9′ tables with a Play Area of 50″ x 100″ is the recognized size for professional tournament play. TABLE BED HEIGHT:
The table bed’s playing surface, when measured from the bottom of the table leg, should be 29 1/4″ minimum to 31″ maximum. POCKET OPENING & MEASUREMENT (From the cloth covered rails):
Pocket openings are measured from tip to tip of the opposite cushion noses where direction changes into the pocket. This is called the mouth of the pocket.

  • Vertical Pocket Angle: 12o minimum to 15o maximum.
  • Side Pocket: Mouth is between 5 3/8″ minimum to 5 5/8″ maximum
  • The angle of the corner pocket entrance on each side of the pocket is 142o (±1o). Corner Pocket: Mouth is between 4 7/8″ minimum to 5 1/8″ maximum
  • The angle of the side pocket entrance on each side of the pocket is 103o (± 2o). Drop Point Slate Radius 1/8″ radius min. to 1/4″ radius max.
  • Shelf: The shelf is measured from the center of an imaginary line that goes from one side of the mouth to the other side, where the nose of the cushion changes direction to the center of the vertical cut of the slate pocket radius.
  • Corner Pocket:
    • 1 5/8″ minimum to 1 7/8″ maximum
    • Side Pocket: 0″ minimum to 3/8″ maximum
  • Drop Point Slate Radius: The pocket radius measured from the vertical cut of the slate itself to the playing surface.

PLAYING BED SURFACE:The play surface must be able, either by its own strength or a combination of its strength and that of the pool table base frame, of maintaining an overall flatness within ± .020″across the length and ± .010″ along the width. Also, this surface should have an extra deflection not to exceed .030″ when loaded with a concentrated static force of 200 pounds at the center. All slate joints must be in the same plane within .005″ after having been leveled and shimmed. The play bed must be covered with a billiard fabric, the majority of which is made from wool, with the proper tension to avoid unwanted ball roll-off. It is also recommended that professional tournament size tables have a three pieces of slate with a minimum thickness of 1″ and a wooden frame of at least 3/4″ attached to the back of the slate. The BCA will sanction tournament play on home and coin operated tables with one-piece slate providing the Play Area’s requirements are met. All playing surfaces must be solidly secured to base frame with bolts or screws.

CUSHIONS:

Cushions should react so that they conform under controlled conditions to the three different cushion angles prescribed in the “diamond” (or site) system showing on the diagram on page 161 of Billiards: The Official Rules and Records Book to ± 1 ball width. The correct speed of the table cushions should be such that placement of a ball on the head spot of the table, shooting through the foot spot of the table, using center ball English, with a level cue and firm stroke, the ball should travel a minimum of 4 to 4 1/2 lengths of the table without jumping.

POOL BALL SPECS:

  • Molded and finished in a perfect sphere with the following diameter and weight:
  • Billiard Balls
    • *Diameter tolerance of (plus or minus) .005″
    • Weight: 5 1/2 to 6 oz. *Diameter: 2 1/4″

POOL CUE SPECS:A Player may bring a maximum of 3 cues to a match.

  • Width of tip: there is no minimum / 14 mm maximum
  • Length: 40 inches minimum / there is no maximum
  • Weight: there is no minimum / 25 oz. maximum

The cue tip cannot be made from a material that can scratch or damage the addressed ball. The cue tip on any stick must be composed of a piece of specially processed leather or other fibrous or pliable material that extends the natural line of the shaft end of the cue and contacts the cue ball when any shot is executed. The ferrule, if of a metal material, may not be more than 1 inch long.

All of this information can be found at the BCA website