A Few Cue Tips

• Half-an-inch from the centre of the ball is the best average point of contact for the cue tip in side, top, and screw strokes.
• Always take the angle through the centre of the cue ball to the extreme circumference (i.e., one inch vertically from the table) of the object ball.
• It is better to tap the cue tip with a file when it becomes shiny instead of sandpapering it. There is danger of wearing the tip away unevenly with sandpaper.
• When the cannon ball is close to a pocket, spot to knock it against the shoulder or cushion. Sometimes a smartish stroke is useful as this accentuates the bump.
• A bent cue may be straightened after being heated through in hot sand. This is the way in which walking sticks are straightened and the handles of them bent.
• It is difficult in some lights to know whether the balls are touching or' not. If they are really touching a small strip of paper should not fall by its own weight between them.
• The mere weight of the cue lying in a loop formed by the thumb and forefinger and lightly swung is sufficient to send the ball two lengths of the table. Then why grasp it or force the stroke?
• Be keen in your play but never anxious. Keenness often wins a game but anxiety never. Play easily and naturally.
• If you are not feeling comfortable and enjoying the game there is something about you that needs control.
• When playing into a pocket from hand the loss of the object ball in baulk may often be prevented and good position secured by spotting wider, the result of which will be fewer contacts with cushions by the object ball.
• It you begin to feel tired during a game it is a sure sign that matters are not going well with you. Try stirring the balls up, safety play, or anything under such circumstances rather than allow yourself to become dispirited. To lose confidence is to lose the game.
• The more amateurs deliberately forsake the top of the table position the more points will they make there. When two strokes offer, one returning to the open game and the other not yielding a certainty of continuance at the spot, the former should unhesitatingly be taken.
• When raising the cue and intending to strike half-ball, aim fuller with running side and finer with check side. This stroke is sometimes compulsory, as with the cue ball against a cushion, and sometimes expedient as when substituting extreme slow screw for force and so controlling the object ball better.
• To decide whether you should look at the cue or object ball last place the red ball on the billiard spot and the cue ball on the centre baulk spot and aim to cut the red ball into the top corner pocket. If you are much more successful with one method than with the other, the argument in its favour will be considerable.