Serious Pool In Bangkok

[Wolf]

Too many people take life too seriously - used to be like that myself. Same old story as for many of you out there: Got to Bangkok, only intende to stay for a few days and here I sill am after about 3 years. Lots of great (and some not so great) experiences. Well, do I tell anything new? Anyway, it just happened - purely coincidental, of course - that one fine evening I walked in the Bamboo Beerbar at Soi Nana and got confronted with booze, babes and balls (in this particular order, indeed). Fascinating view, those lovely ladies shooting the crap out of many farangs. Happened to me, too, of course. Hardly knew how to hold the cue, let alone how to hi the balls the right way. 20 Baht, 20 Baht, 20 Baht........ God knows I've paid dearly for my lessons, but hey, it was (and is) fun. More and more people getting used to play by the official BCA-rules, instead to these silly "two shots" thai rules, which increases the fun of the game even more. By now my game has improved some - bought my own cue and love the game even better . But it's nice to play at some different locations than the ones I'm used to. New environments, new faces, new challenges.

So what are your favourite poolvenues? Decent tables and so. Nice environment - nice places to hang out. Bangkok area. May I invite you all to help creating a list of those places? I'll kick off:

Sukhumvit

Soi 2 Blue Wave

Soi 3 Bamboo Beerbar

Soi 4 Hillary Bar, Megabreak (former Paradise Disco), Swan Inn

Soi 19 Country Road II

Soi 22 Flyers

So, let's hear your suggestions! Who knows, we might meet, grab a few beers and shoot some pool.

See you and hear you, Jean

[Indo-Siam]

Hi -

Megabreaks at Rajah Hotel square is by far the most serious place - no eye-candy (except bring your own), but first rate infrstraucture (check out the Srdo racking devices - Ithink they have about nine of those babie$).

You didn't metion Brunswick on Soi 4 - a bit farther down than Swan. Thsi is also a place for serious pool - no goofy rules.

Morning and Night - right next to Police box at Soi 4 - is another pool place - of the eye-candy variety.

Newest pool venue - Corleone's on Sukhumvit Soi 8 - two brand new tables.

Cheers!

Indo-Siam

[munchkin]

i miss pool. it was one of my favourite pastimes back in the uk, with friends and drinks in the local pub.

i'm living in a small town in central thailand, and there's no pool here, but there is snooker. not so keen on snooker. tables too big, and i'm too short! and it's too serious, but, as i miss pool so much, i've been along to play a few times with friends. the first time i went was hilarious. the snooker place is in the hotel, so i arrived with friends - all thai, one other girl - and the snooker door was opened for our group as we arrived. the staff stared agog at me and my girl friend. they came over and stuttered, "oh, erm, girls don't play snooker. we've never had girls in here." never mind, i told them, i want to play, my friend will just watch. "but....they never....erm...." they were so confused by the sight of me! and everyone stopped playing to watch, too, which was embarassing. i had to explain i didn't want lessons, i just wanted to play for fun, which was an alien concept. ("how will you win?")

i go every so often, but it's not the same as those fun pool nights back home or when i'm in bangkok. once, in bangkok, i played all night with a group of thais, who played one handed and still beat me!!

[francois]

hey guys, you have to learn how to play snooker, as any big snooker club has a restaurant, serve drinks and are opened 24hrs

more seriously, all over the country you'll find snooker clubs, but pool tables only in areas where people are not so "rich"... to buy big tables or to pay higher price per hour, this means most of remote areas ... a little far from big towns.

when I was living in esarn, lucky me, we had three pool-table in the village, but

only for one reason, big-ones were too expensive

but, in Fang (north Chiang Mai), we had a place with 4 pool-tables, quite nice

you must be unlucky if there is no table around where you live munchkin

did you ask everywhere?

francois

[pongster303]

i heard at the novotel siam square has a pool hall there.. very good tables,both nine balls and eight balls...it s very famous among young rich thais...i guess the price must be pretty steep too...

i don't know....would like to know how it is too..

[munchkin]

hi francois

yeah, i've scoured the whole town, high and low for nearly 2 years and have now given up and am moving south.

interesting idea about the wealth thing coming into it. this is a small town, but has 4 snooker places, yet no pool tables. it's not that rich. i thought thais just preferred snooker. i find most thais i meet play some kind of sport or activity, and do it well. it seems they choose one and take it fairly seriously here, whether it's football, badminton or whatever. in the uk, lots of people do lots of things....all badly! but for fun only. the snooker halls here are kind of serious places. you don't play if you don't play well. at least i'm the only one i've ever seen in there to knock a ball off the table or pocket the white!! they think it's hilarious!

[TRIPxCORE]

Who knows, we might meet, grab a few beers and shoot some pool.

See you and hear you, Jean

I love to play pool. Maybe we can go play sometime. Care to make it interesting and play for a little money? I'm not talking anything big, maybe 50 baht a game or something. Oh, and no beers for me, i'll have a nice ice-cold Coke please.

[thailien8]

I've played pool off and on in Bkk. and Pattaya for a decade. Besides the lopsided tables, both inside and outside various venues, the thing that always drove me crazy was, and is, the 8-ball rules. I got tired of having problems with not understanding just what rules applied in any venue. The main problem has always been with the silly Thai 2-shot rule after a scratch or foul (including when you accidentally knock in the other player's ball). The other bit of stupidity is the "down and back" rule, where you cannot shoot directly at your ball after a scratch if it is above the headstring. Several other minor variations from the standard rules have caused me to abandon games and venues in frustration. A good example is the large pool/live music venue on Soi Cowboy very near Asoke. Posted on a wall there, in English and Thai, is a set of sensible rules. However, they are ignored. Instead, the table attendants enforce the accursed silly rules above.

To play a fair game of 8-ball, all that is really needed is to get rid of the 2-shot rule, and instead play "ball-in-hand" with one shot from anywhere on the table after a foul or scratch. That eliminates a lot of other silliness. The problem is that I know of only two venues in Bkk. where this rule is posted and used: Megabreaks and Brunswick, both on Sukhumvit 4. Megabreaks is by far the classiest place to play pool in Bkk, with excellent tables, rules and service. The problem there is that if you come alone, it can be difficult to pick up a game.

If anyone knows of other venues where "ball-in-hand" is the accepted rule, please post!

[Capricorn]

Anyone who possibly needs a ball in hand rule should seriously think about tying another game, or learning how to play pool for real. Why should you be allowed to move the ball of the table for any reason. I bet you wouldnt move the ball if it stopped somewhere in your favour now would you...Just learn how to hit the ball is a much better option. Pool tables can be bought here cheaply anyway, for those in outlying regions,...anywhere from a half dead table from 10, 000 baht to a good one for 50, 000 baht.

Oh as for a good place to play, the Old Dutch, Corner of Soi Cowboy, Two good tables upstairs, two cable ready TV's, and if no ones around you can do what you want, fashion TV and a movie, whilst deciding where to put the white ball your mate just fouled,...hahhha

Matthew

[Ciaran Mc]

Ball in hand (after a foul stroke only) is the rule used in international and professional pool tournaments. And most of the guys I've seen playing in these don't look like they need to think about why they are playing pool or need to take up another sport. It is the rule prefered by most serious pool players and is much better than the numerous varieties of the "2 shots" rule.

[Moving]

For Wolf, Sounds like you like to play pool as a game...for the fun, often some forget that. I follow this string for another reason, not only to find places where you can enjoy a game of eight ball but also, and I haven't seen it mentioned, without waiting for 20-30 minutes (or often longer) for a table...and then just to have your a-- kicked by the duty-pros who control the tables for the majority of the evening. I normally get tired of watching and begin "wondering" until I find a little beer bar with one of those table with holes in the carpet, slanted at about a 10 degree angle, eight balls but many with the same color, and cue sticks with no tips...but ya know, it's still more fun...good luck and maybe we can shoot a game sometime...coming to BKK 17 Jan

[pongster303]

i played pool, 8 ball,world rules, for a few years in a semi pro leauge in one of you people country.. and i reckon in 8 ball game, world rules.. you only get a ball in hand after foul snooker.. and i think it s fair to get 2 shoots after all fouls and shooting backwards have to be allowed...of course diferent pubs have differents rules so what can you do???

[Wolf]

Well, at least some relevant response! I'd like to thank you all for your input - though it only confirms my idea that there aren't that many places in Bangkok/Thailand to play a decent game of pool. Anyway, I'll keep on getting my share of fun around the table, as that's just what I'm looking for when I play. Be informed that Megabreak, Sukhumvit Soi 4 just set up a league in 3 levels for 8-ball. Unfortunately I'm not able to participate due to lack of time, but it appears to be good fun. Still, I like a good challenge, so if you're up to it, call me at 05-1652123.

See you out there.......

Jean

[thailien8]

On my recent visit to Hillary Bar on Soi 4 Sukhumvit, I was pleased to see that they have hung a sign above one of their tables, stating that this table (only) is reserved for playing with international rules, i.e. ball in hand after a foul or scratch, and calling the pocket for every shot, not only the 8-ball. Hopefully this idea will catch on, and more places and tables will be switching away from the 2-shot rule, making it less of a hassle to play pool.

[thailien8]

Yes, I think serious pool with good rules is slowly starting to catch on in Bkk. A good place to play is Flyers bar on the corner of Sukhumvit and Soi 22. They have 5 good tables, a complete list of international rules posted on the wall in English (unfortunately not in Thai, so the girls who work there and rack the balls, etc. do not know all the rules), and for good measure a couple of small signs prominently posted reminding customers that the penalty for a foul is ball-in-hand, not 2 shots. Also, Woodstock bar in Nana Plaza has 2 tables, the larger of which is pretty good, and great signs about ball-in-hand being the house rule, emphasizing NO 2 SHOTS. I love it. So, together with Megabreaks, Brunswick, Hillary, and even Colorando bar behind Hillary, where the owner Gus favors the real rules, pool players who want to play with less hassle have some good venues to choose from.

[DPlover]

Yes, I think serious pool with good rules is slowly starting to catch on in Bkk. A good place to play is Flyers bar on the corner of Sukhumvit and Soi 22. They have 5 good tables, a complete list of international rules posted on the wall in English (unfortunately not in Thai, so the girls who work there and rack the balls, etc. do not know all the rules), and for good measure a couple of small signs prominently posted reminding customers that the penalty for a foul is ball-in-hand, not 2 shots. Also, Woodstock bar in Nana Plaza has 2 tables, the larger of which is pretty good, and great signs about ball-in-hand being the house rule, emphasizing NO 2 SHOTS. I love it. So, together with Megabreaks, Brunswick, Hillary, and even Colorando bar behind Hillary, where the owner Gus favors the real rules, pool players who want to play with less hassle have some good venues to choose from.

Flyers ?? this is the only place i been to so far but i find that "if the ball fly off the table the game is forfeited quite stupid" but overall i still like that place.

[parryhandy]

i love pool but unfortunately there are no places to play where i am (rural north east) the reason being that to have a pool table in your bar/club and charge for it requires a liscence from the police costing 100000 baht a year.A friend of mine looked into it.There are apparently 4 confiscated pool tables at our local police station stacked up gathering dust.

[chonabot]

Billiards , now theres a game.....

[markt]

Popular in Holland i believe. Zzzzzzzzzz.....................

[chonabot]

Also the national sport of Belgium?

[Spee]

Billiards , now theres a game.....

Now yer talkin' ..... any tables with no pockets in LOS ?

[markt]

Billiards , now theres a game.....

Now yer talkin' ..... any tables with no pockets in LOS ?

Dunno about tables, but there are plenty of farangs in ptty with no pockets.

[tutsiwarrior]

get outta here you guys...if you want to hang around felt tables with macho postures then pool is cool...if you want a game of skill where no one speaks when the next shot comes down then it is billiards... I was a master when I cut school in Bolivia in 1965 to go down the 'taco'...the biggest, meanest arshole in town would'nt fukc with you if you were a good shot...

lets set up a tournament...if my team wins, som tam will be banished from BKK for the duration...if I lose you can flay my hide for lampshades...

[Moving]

i love pool but unfortunately there are no places to play where i am (rural north east) the reason being that to have a pool table in your bar/club and charge for it requires a liscence from the police costing 100000 baht a year.A friend of mine looked into it.There are apparently 4 confiscated pool tables at our local police station stacked up gathering dust.

This is a little disturbing. I have not heard of a "Pool License" and a 100,000 baht annual fee is crazy.

I am getting readyu to move to Pattaya in May and will be buying a small bar...but large enough for at least one pool table...hopefully two. I had not counted on a license/permit at 100,000/year.

[britmaveric]

Play a few BG at billiards-gals are pro(s)!

[chonabot]

Play a few BG at billiards-gals are pro(s)!

By the very definition of the word!

[britmaveric]

Luckily I wasn't wagering or I would have lost a few faire bob. Definitely serious competition, but suppose if I played every night I would be equally as good.

[chonabot]

Years back a gurt big Ladyman named Bob used to be the King/Queen of pool at the Kings Castle , pretty good at arm/arse wrestling by Dr PP's accounts....

[Spee]

....you want a game of skill where no one speaks when the next shot comes down then it is billiards... I was a master when I cut school in Bolivia in 1965 to go down the 'taco'...the biggest, meanest arshole in town would'nt fukc with you if you were a good shot...

Yeah ... I read you loud and clear Tutsi .... billiards in South America is second only to football/soocer in popularity. They love their carombolas, tres bandes or juego libre or fantasie classique. They also respect anyone who has skill at the games or takes them seriously and with good sportsmanship.

I heard a story once where a long time ago, an American player went down to South America for a weeklong tournament. He was met at the airport by a bodyguard and a driver, both of whom never left his side, except for when he went behind his hotel room door to sleep.

But my question still remains ... any tables without pockets in BKK/LOS??

[thailien8]

To my delighted surprise, I found a place in Pattaya where "real pool" is played. There are only two tables, and no air conditioning, but the tables are excellent and the international rules of ball-in-hand (no 2 shots) are posted prominently on the wall, and adhered to by the players. The venue is a little hard to find. It's located on Second Road (Pattaya Sai Song), just south of Tim Bar Beer (big sign) on the same side. There is a sign out front about "Real Pool" and the small venue is about 50 meters back, next to a small group of beer bars. It's open 4 pm to after midnight. You can play by the hour or by the game (20 baht). If there are other places like this in Pattaya, where are they?