135.—"Is there such a game as 'Declared Billiards?' If so, what are the rules? If my opponent declares 'cannon' and gets it, along with a winning hazard, does he count five or lose one through 'potting the red,' and thus debiting three against his score of two?"
There is no recognised game of "declared billiards" with rules governing it, and the strictness or otherwise of the game depends upon the agreement previously arrived at between the players. In the case that you name we think that, unless an agreement had been arrived at to bar or penalize all flukes, five should be scored.
136.—"In the strokes that come between the natural angle and the right angle are stun, screw, or fine forcing shots the better play?"
Everything depends upon the position that is desired.
Other things being equal, the stroke should be selected that disturbs the balls the least. Gentle screwing is invaluable in this connection. As a rule farcing strokes are reserved for long range in-offs into top corner pockets or for nearer range strokes in the same pockets when played across the table, the idea in both these shots being that the object ball will come to rest somewhere about the middle. Slow side strokes can only be employed when the divergence from the right angle is comparatively slight, and an essential of the stun stroke is that the contact must be quite on the full side in order that the object ball may be well driven and brought back somewhat to the position from which it started.
The finer than half-ball screw stroke is extremely useful, but is not easy to master, because slight differences of contact as well as in the amount of screw side make an enormous difference.
When side is added to the screw the stroke becomes even more complicated and treacherous. Facility and experience come, however, by practice, and the great points to remember are that the nearer the half-ball angle is reached the finer must be the aim.
Uniform strength should be cultivated, otherwise the stroke becomes one in the nature of a forcer, and upsets everything.
137.—"Is there any method of making quite sure whether Balls touch or not? Tested in the ordinary way there seems to be nothing to go by but the density or otherwise of the shadow between the two balls at the touching point."
A narrow strip of thinnish paper laid lightly between the balls should settle the question, but we have not known this to be adopted. We do not, however, see why it should not be, and one added advantage would be that everyone in the room would simultaneously have a demonstration of the actual fact.
138.—"Could you tell me the best book to get on billiards generally? I have had to find out what bit I know by watching cause and effect. Up to the present (after eighteen months) my highest break is 30 (all played for). I have been following out as far as possible the 'tips' given in your monthly, which I must say is an interesting and excellent paper. Also could you spare the space in one of your editions to give an article on the proper care of a billiard table and billiard cues, such as ironing and tipping, etc.? My cue is 15½ ozs. Is that heavy enough?"
We do not think you can improve on the books as advertised in The Billiard Monthly. There was an article on the care of the table in No. 12. For tipping you need the combined file and clamp and self-sticking tips. No cement or wafer is required. The weight of cue you name (15½ ozs.) is quite right.
139.—"When a player at snooker pool misses the black ball (it being the only ball left) is the game at an end, or should play be continued until it is potted? Here we generally give up if the black is missed, or if a player runs in off it."
The game is ended when the black is either missed or gone in off, otherwise the striker's miss might cost him 14 instead of 7.
140.—"I notice that although Diggle has returned an average of 44½ in the professional tournament he has only scored 25 points, whereas Inman with 38½ average has scored 28 points. Does not this tend to show that some revision of the new system of points allotment should be attempted?"
It was never contended that the final scientific appraisement of merit in billiard tournament play was certain to be arrived at by the new departure at Soho Square. Possibly the aggregate proportional points scored by a player might also deserve to be taken into the account. It is well, however, to try the application of one principle at a time, and that some entirely satisfactory scheme will ultimately be devised can hardly be doubted. For in billiards—unlike some other games—each contestant is an entity, and success or failure depends upon his own unaided and unhindered cue. Upon the whole we think there can be little doubt that the new system has worked exceedingly well, especially by its encouragement of sustained consistency and attention to break-building.
141.—"In playing with side is aim taken along the cue or over the centre of the cue ball?"
Over the centre of the cue ball, otherwise the usual aim must be proportionately altered.
In either case, however, the cue must work parallel with the intended course of the cue ball. To shift the tip only is to court hopeless failure. But the first thing of all to do is to get the body dead behind the intended cue ball line. Cook may be seen to do this by working his feet even after getting down to the stroke, but this is not, of course, essential, and is merely a mannerism, of which all players have at least one. We could give a list of these.
142.—"What is the penalty for knocking a ball or balls off the table, and what is the 'procedure adopted."
If the Striker makes a miss and forces his ball off the table by the same stroke, three points are scored by the non-striker. If the striker's- ball hits another ball and, by the same stroke, any or all of the balls be forced from the table, two points are scored to the non-striker.
The stroke cannot be scored from, and the non-striker can either follow on from the position in which the balls are left, or break the balls or direct his opponent to do so.