Green or Blue Pool Table Cloth

Once you have accepted the reality that blue billiard table cloth and green billiard table cloth are generally the best, and most optimal colors for pool table cloth, you will need to decide between the two.

Green or Blue Pool Table Cloth

I prefer blue over green. Blue goes better with the other colors in the color wheel than green does. This is an important observation when deciding on which color will contrast properly with the object balls, and when trying to implement the cloth color with your home billiard room decor.

I've played on green, red, blue, black, gray, and tan, but the majority of my play has been on green pool table cloth, not blue. In terms of pure playability, I prefer to play on blue pool table cloth first, with green being my second choice. Being a traditionalist though, I still have a special place in my heart for green pool table cloth.

I liked the way tour blue looked in pictures, so I played a few hours on table with tour blue cloth and it felt like I was getting eye strain, no matter what everybody says. It also seemed to have a cold feeling. Since I have winter weather surrounding my home billiard room for a large part of the year, I decided to go with green pool table cloth.

Tour blue seems easy on the eyes, especially when paired with Diamond lighting. Numerous studies have been conducted and have revealed that the hue of blue used in the Tour Blue Simonis cloth is the best color for the eyes. These studies have also been done with tennis courts in the pro tour, which have always been traditionally green also. These courts are now using Tour Blue because of the excellent visibility, reduced eye strain, and increased contrast it provides. These benefits make it easier for players to see the balls. Also, have you ever noticed the default colors on the startup screen of the Windows operating system? Yes, light blue. Apparently, Microsoft's study was actually considered with this cloth color selection.

Tour Blue is a slightly deeper shade than Electric Blue, and looks quite good on television and in photos. One reviewer indicated that he found it just slightly better than green in that it was "slightly better to play on and significantly better to view matches on. [It is] very easy on the eyes."

Blue cloth and a wood colored table will generally look terrible together because of how the colors clash. Unless you have a Black Crown pool table, which has black rails and silver trim, the blue pool table cloth versus green will look poor. The green pool table cloth, however, looks quite good with wood tables such as pool tables from the Gold Crown series. Although some will think this is a matter of opinion or personal taste, but there aren't likely many folks out there who thinks clashing color schemes look good. If you are concerned with overall aesthetics, go with green if your table is wood. If your table is black or white, then you can consider one of the blue shades.

The simonis "Tour Blue" has been reported to produce a very good contrast between the cloth and the balls. The "Electric Blue" and "Tour Blue" are very similar, but there is a slight difference in the shades. Powder Blue Simonis 860 has been hailed as the perfect cross between blue and gray cloth. It is not as bright as the tournament blue pool table cloth, which many feel is slightly too bright under Diamond lighting, nor is it as rich looking as the electric blue pool table cloth. It also hides blue chalk quite well too. It was at one time the pool table cloth color used in the Mosconi Cup and the World Championships of billiards.

At the other end of the brightness debate, some say that although it may seem too bright, it really isn't, as far as your eyes are concerned.

"I've been playing a lot on a table covered with Tournament Blue. It's quite bright and you might think too bright at first glance, but the fact is, it's really easy on the eyes and after playing for hours at a time, I notice very little eyestrain."

This reviewer also noted that their use of Diamond lighting helped to foster a superb environment. In the end, this player says that "despite [his] love of traditional green cloth, the techno blue Tournament Blue is a better choice."

In the end and after looking hundreds of reviews, we found that approximately 40% preferred the blue because it seemed brighter and easier on the eyes. Those who preferred green, which represent about 60% of reviewers, prefer it simply because of tradition, and because of aesthetics when applied to a wood table.

There are some traditionalists out there who adamantly support green-only pool table cloth and baulk at the idea of blue cloth. With quips indicating "that color was not decided upon [because] somebody pulled that color out of [their] butt..." we can see that the traditionalists feel an obligation to stick with the green color cloth that has historically been the color of choice for pool tables.

"Personally although I like a traditional green there is something to be said for a cloth color that is not close to the color of any of the balls, especially if the table lighting is less than perfect" says one reviewer. We would ask that reviewer what they thought about the 6 ball. Another billiard player points out the fact that "there is one big advantage to the green; it's traditional." This player goes on to explain that "many of us grew up on the green pool table felt, and there is just something about it that draws many of us back to the traditional green." He also points out to all of the chalk color matching fanatics out there that traditionally, everyone has used blue chalk on green pool table cloth. He asks "why do people suggest using matching chalk on cloth colors other than green?"

A few folks weighing in on the topic find both green pool table cloth and blue pool table cloth to be very similar.

"I'll never look at either color as making the difference in how I played. I say you go with whichever color you prefer" says one billiard player."

Another player indicates the similarities, but if forced to choose, says; "you cant go wrong with either, but I think you will like the blue."

Aesthetic preferences aside, one can make a scientific choice by examine the psychological and physiological effects of color. When you consider how the brain interprets color, blue pool table cloth is the best choice. Blue has a soothing affect and will lower your blood pressure. The closer you move towards blue in the spectrum, the more of a soothing effect you'll get. Green is very close to blue on the spectrum, but is still not the same as blue.

Here are some reasons related to both psychological and physiological effects of color that suggest blue (tournament blue specifically) is the better color over green:

Based on sales, the most favored consumer color preference is blue.
As a shade of the color of the sky, the sea, and one of the colors of the flag, blue universally symbolizes security.
The color of blue has been shown to steady one's emotions, which is essential in a billiard tournament.
Studies have shown that higher energies like communication and creativity are enhanced under blue lighting.
Blue is color that is associated with the following states of being, all of which are benifical to the billiard player; calmness, tranquility, constancy, patience, and perseverance.
Even personality descriptions have linked to the color blue in studies. Some traits include dignity, poise, rationale, relaxation, and balance
Since the most common and generally best performing color of chalk used is blue, you'll keep your cloth looking cleaner with like-colored chalk.
Tournament Blue Simonis 860 is designed for maximum contrast, which makes it easier for the players to see the balls.
Tournament Blue Simonis 860 is designed for minimum fatigue of the eyes, allowing you to play pool for longer periods of time.
Tournament Blue Simonis 860 is designed to be the best color for use under bright filming lights of televised tournaments.

Beyond this list, there are the comments of a colorblind pool hall owner in an online billiard community about his recent color choice dilemma. He couldn't decide between green pool table cloth and blue pool table cloth, so her hired a color expert firm called Pantone to make the decision. He gave them the instructions to tell him what color to use so that players could see the balls more clearly, incur less eye fatigue, and to have their shots appear well on broadcast television for recorded and live matches. He stressed that these were the only factors to be considered. This means that decor was not considered at all in the decision. Their final decision was to recommend the Tour Blue pool table cloth. Anecdotally, about 6 months later the United States Tennis Association changed their court color to blue from green, saying the players could see the ball better. Although it is a slightly different shade of blue, the premise is the same.

There are tons of comments out there on the various color choices so rather than prolong this article with more explanations, I've decided to simply quote the many folks who have weighed in on the blue pool table cloth versus green pool table cloth debate.

"I feel like I see the balls better on the Electric Blue pool table cloth. I think it looks better also, especially where the lighting might be a little sketchy. I think you can see angles a little better on blue cloth than on green cloth."
I have always been partial to the traditional green myself, however a funny thing happened this past year. Breakers, owned by cue maker Paul Mottey, had "European" blue Simonis installed on their Diamond tables. Upon experiencing the cloth I was highly impressed. This soft blue was provided terrific contrast for the balls. I really love this blue. I like it much more than the tan cloth that some places use and even a touch more than the green.
I finally decided on the Powder Blue Simonis 860, and still have it on my home billiard table. I made the right choice, I believe.
[What] if you get a blue table, then say six months or a year later you go to a pool hall. Would you play the same with green cloth? If you think you would have trouble adjusting, I would consider that [and go with green].
I played the Derby City Classic this year and loved the blue cloth. When I returned home, I immediately had my nine foot Diamond pro re-clothed with the DCC blue 860 Simonis cloth. I would never go back to green. Diamond recommends you use green chalk instead of blue.
Your customers will like it, I'm sure.

In the end it seems that blue is more recommended than green, and when green is in fact recommended, it is for a non-performance reason of aesthetics. In the end, if you are concerned with aesthetics when choosing between blue pool table cloth and green pool table cloth, you can take a cloth sample home and compare it next to the rail on your table to be sure it is what you are expecting.