A Few Cue Tips

• A single leather for the tip is better than a double one, and the new self-sticking tips are the best of all.
• A cue should not have any pronounced spring or whippiness.
• It is not necessary to strike hard in applying side. A gentle stroke with the centre of the cue's point an inch from the table and a quarter of an inch inside the edge of the ball accomplishes wonders. But the cue must go to its work straight and in proper alignment.
• When having a new cloth on your table give instructions that the baulk line, semi-circle, and all the spots be done with chalk only, and provide yourself with straight edge and D marker for subsequent restorations of baulk boundaries.
• Wafer spots interfere with scientific play and when baulk lines are marked with lead pencil the lines show in another place after stretching unless chemically removed.
• New ivory balls are better ordered a little larger than the normal size so as to bear turning down if they become untrue.
• Gentle strengths, so valuable in keeping the balls together, have an additional advantage on tables with the modern fast cushions as the natural angle of rebound is thereby preserved.
• In replying to the opening miss be very careful as to strength. A jenny is often left, or a cushion in-off to the opposite middle pocket or a fairly easy cushion cannon on to the red. It is always rather disconcerting to see one's opening reply scored from.
• If you are winning increase your caution, and if losing your enterprise, but take no unnecessary risks in either case.
• When the red ball is safe and you find a possible screw loser on off the white take it at dead slow strength so as to leave your own ball close over the pocket if you miss.
• Possessing, or having the privilege of playing on, a fast table, does not imply that you are bound to strike hard.
• The chief excellence of a fast table lies in the fact that you can get all desirable results with proportionately less expenditure of energy.
• Strike freely at the red when potting, if doubtful about making the score, and also, under similar circumstances when cannoning from the white to the red. Otherwise you leave an easy score to your opponent. On the other hand gentle attempted potting of the white often leaves your opponent hampered in his reply when the stroke fails.
• When a ball is playable into a baulk pocket from just outside one end of the D the cue ball should be placed near to it and contact made gently (instead of farther away with force) as this leaves the middle pocket position on.
• Great screwing effect with gentle strength is obtainable by raising the cue, but if using running side the aim must be fuller and if using check side finer than normally to allow for the curl of the cue ball before reaching the object ball.