The speed of playing surface is a mixed bag. The grey marble I had was a slightly faster/slicker playing surface than the 2 mahogony tables I have currently, which they are grittier/slower (there is also a mahogony at a bar we've played at, same slow surface). Where as the 3 grey marbles and the grey marble table at my buddy's place is extremely slick/fast. I have to say it's a lot easier for them to play on my "slower" mahogony tables than it is for me to play on the slicker surfaced tables...all Tornado coin-ops are fun to play on and each table has it's own variations/characteristics, which I can't arguably say one is better than the other... But for practicing I would say the slick DARK green table surfaces, which are the most challenging for me to play on, are probably the best to learn on. If you are proficient on that table, then you can pretty much work your game on any other tornado table...IMHO.