A decision that must be early arrived at by the billiard student who aspires to "play the game" is to employ run-throughs or fine strokes as required irrespective of the apparent greater difficulty and uncertainty of the former.
We say "apparent," for it often happens that the run-through, besides being the game and leaving better position (as it usually does) is really easier than the fine—and especially the very fine—stroke.
This is noticeably the case when running through with side on to a cushion for the purpose of making a cannon off such cushion. It may just be possible to bring off the shot by means of a grazing ball well laden with side, but an almost full contact with side is far more likely to be successful from many positions, besides gathering the balls better.
This applies equally when the cue ball has several feet to travel or only a few inches. In near cannon play, however, the fact must be borne in mind that, in order to get the cue ball well through the object ball, plenty of "top" has to be employed, otherwise the cue ball would fail to rotate and would be stunned away from the object ball.
The manner in which the cue is held is highly important in all classes of strokes in which it is desired that the cue ball shall leave the object ball after fullish contact with plenty of life in it. The hold cannot be too light, and when the cue ball is very close indeed to the object ball it is better to release entirely the hold or touch of the forefinger and thumb and simply leave it lying on the fingers so that only its own weight is applied to the ball. There is no danger of the cue moving in the hand when so held, for it must be remembered that it weighs a pound, which effectually prevents it from being moved back in the hand by the ball, whilst its contact with the ball prevents it from slipping forward.
It sometimes happens that there is necessity for keeping the cue ball close alongside a cushion for some distance and this occurs both with very slow and very fast shots, the object ball in each case being practically close to the cushion and the idea being either to run through it into the pocket beyond with either class of shot, or, with the harder stroke, to make a cannon when the cannon ball lies along, or near to, the same cushion.
Suppose, for instance, that the object ball lies close to the right side cushion half-way between the middle and top pocket.
By playing rather slowly with right side from the end spot of the D on the same side of the table, and aiming dead at the centre of the object ball, the cue ball should be made to run through the object ball, cling closely to the cushion, and enter the pocket off the top shoulder. The pocket side imparted to the cue ball, acting in conjunction with the nap of the cloth, makes the cue ball press continuously against the cushion and the still-unexpended side helps it nicely into the pocket. A fastish stroke, even with side, is not nearly so effective nor such good play. It largely neutralizes the effect of the side, which is only operative on the cloth at slow speed, and it may bring the object ball into baulk.
If the idea be to play through a cushioned object ball into a baulk pocket this somewhat similar position must, of course, be differently treated. A slow stroke with pocket side would not be likely to be successful, because the cloth nap would now pull the other way. Therefore the stroke should be played fast, with pocket side and preferably with top. Such a stroke, properly executed, will not only find the pocket, but will carry the object ball in and out of baulk and probably into good position up the table.
The reason why the use of "top" is recommended in this stroke is that top, in itself, is a very useful agency in keeping a ball near to a cushion after contact with an object ball there.