When no reasonably likely score is on it is the game to pot the white when by so doing a double baulk or subsequent score can be made and these scores may be a pot or in-off, either from play or after following the white into a pocket from hand.
Sometimes it is also good policy to gently pot the white when it is on the verge of a pocket instead of making a cannon which would lose the white and imperil the next score. A good game is sometimes also left with the red by gently potting the white with the intervening red and then going in off the red and bringing it into play.