17.—"In the rules of Pool it is laid down that if the striker's ball is touching the object ball he cannot miss. Thus, in a game of Snooker Pool if the white and a red ball are in contact, the player can play away from the red and, although he does not move the red ball, he incurs no penalty. Suppose that the last player leaves the white ball in contact with the black, the next player being easily able to strike a red ball (as he must first do) without moving the black, does it count 7 against him that the white was touching the black when he played? To make the rule apply consistently it would seem that it must."
When a red or coloured ball lies touching the cue ball it is unplayable and, if moved in striking, must be replaced together with any other ball or balls that may have been struck. Any score made by the stroke is not counted and the stroke must be repeated. Otherwise play takes the normal course.
18.—"When side is applied to a ball does it not follow that the aim must be deflected to an equal extent?"
Aim must never be deflected. The cue must always be parallel with the line that the cue ball should pursue. Save for the influence of the nap of the cloth on a slowly-moving cue ball, the ball always goes towards where the cue is pointing whether centrally struck or not. If aim be taken along the cue any removal of the cue from the central vertical line must, of course, be allowed for in the aim, but if aim be always taken—as it should be—over the centre of the cue ball it does not matter where the cue ball is struck so long as the cue is working parallel with the central line. Try this along the baulk line. First aim dead centre, looking along the cue, and the ball will return to the cue. Then aim with side, looking over the centre of the ball to the end of the line, and the ball will go perfectly straight along the line, but will return at an angle.
19.—"I find that when applying side to the cue ball there is a tendency on the part of the cue to make a curving movement after the stroke to the left or right, as the case may be. Is it possible to keep the cue direction perfectly straight after a stroke with side?"
It is both possible and extremely important. In fact, a curving finish is only permissible in forcing strokes and for the purpose of avoiding the push in close run-through cannons, and in both these cases the curve is an upward one. The through it to another of the spots, aiming as much above and below the end of the baulk line as your cue is removed from the centre of the ball, but on the opposite side of the line. Your cue should then come to rest on the second spot.
20.—"What would The Billiard Monthly advise in the following circumstances? I am playing in an amateur handicap and place the ball on one of the baulk spots and drive the cue best way to get over the bad habit—for such it really is—is to have thus far held my own, but I am a nervous and sensitive player, which my 'friends' know, and one or two of them, when opponents, have tried to put me off my game in various subtle ways, which, whilst being obvious, were not such as I could take actual exception to. Ought I to protest or simply ignore it?"
So much depends upon the nature of what is done that it is difficult to say. Anything done in the line of aim ought not, of course, to be tolerated, but indirect actions, noises, and remarks, are frequently as annoying. It is really much better to set your teeth and determine to win, as any protest and its results would probably upset you still more. Or you might, in a particularly bad case, try a pleasant and cheerful: "I know you don't mean it, but would you mind not doing, etc., etc., as it rather puts me off my game." After this your opponent, if a gentleman, will give you no further trouble.
21.—"I like your way of endeavouring to simplify the various strokes obtainable on the billiard table and bring them under a few general principles. But I think you will agree that double baulk strokes stand a little by themselves in this respect."
By no means. A double stroke is neither more nor less, wherever occurring, than an ordinary potting stroke, including doubling.
Elaborate diagrams—or any diagrams—are unnecessary in this connection, and the stroke is certainly not so difficult as a cushion cannon stroke leaving desired position. The only two questions arising are: (1) where to strike the object ball and the cue ball, and (2) what strength to employ. Say, for instance, that the red is lying a little out of baulk slightly away from a side cushion and the cue ball somewhere up the centre of the table. A line is taken with the eye from the baulk corner pocket farthest from the red, and it is at once seen that a fine contact behind the red will carry it to the pocket. Nothing now remains to be done but to aim for this contact with the necessary side and strength to cause the cue ball to gently follow the red off the cushion, leaving the corner pocket pot or in-off for next stroke if not disturbed by opponent. The same principle applies to every part of the table, a baulk pocket being always the objective for the red ball.
22.—"You would confer a favour by answering the following question. In practising what is termed the Gray stroke I soon find myself going for the top corner pockets and am frequently pulled up by finding both balls disappear into those pockets. What is the best way to avoid this?"
When the red ball is a few inches above the centre spot the six score is always on, and it is best avoided by playing an eighth fuller than half-ball. The loss of the white is similarly avoided. The play is into the less open pocket, when the object ball is a little off the central line and with half-ball play, this side of the table is also preferable for position purposes, as it brings the object ball more to the centre. But all this sort of thing may be made to regulate itself with half-ball strokes by the simple plan of glancing at a point half an inch inside the edge of the object ball, whose course must always be along a line drawn through it from this point on its surface.