206.—"Why is it always suggested that it is easier to play with composition balls than with ivory?"
Taking the game all round, we doubt whether the fact is as stated. Although there may be a little more latitude for error with the extra composition throw-off in half-ball play, the run-through shot is rendered proportionately more risky. Even in red ball play the advantage has always seemed to us to be slight, so far as the making of long breaks is concerned, as the player who is so deficient in strength or direction as to get outside the wide latitude of the half-ball, or easy shot, area is not very likely to make long breaks under any conditions.
207.—"Seated in a club room recently I amused myself by noting the ways in which the players at the different tables addressed the ball, and I noted the following distinct and, in many cases, opposite methods. One player just placed his cue almost touching the ball, drew it once back, and delivered the stroke. He played in this way every time. Another, without putting the cue near to the ball at all, swung the cue several times, and in one of the swings—sometimes the third, sometimes the fourth, fifth, or sixth—sent it at the ball. A third gave the cue several preliminary swings and then stopped it dead before making his stroke. Surely all these methods cannot be right, and I should be glad to know which is favoured by the best players?"
There is no general rule and never can be. The same thing occurs in golf, and it is simply a reflection of the personal equation. There are no two billiard professionals even who address the ball alike. John Roberts gets swift but sure alignment and then draws the cue twice back, once for strength and once for the stroke. Stevenson does not unsimilarly, but with a lower pose of the body, and an accentuation of the cue action at its penultimate approach to the ball. Inman seems to be perfecting his aim at each successive swing and is loath to let go until quite assured of his accuracy. On the whole, we think that the best average system is two or three even and gentle swings and then an almost stationary, but slightly "trembling," poise of the cue near to the ball before withdrawing it for the final and decisive swing.
208.—"Although I have played billiards for some years, I am, not even yet sure of the half-ball and other angles. What is the best course to adopt to improve in this respect?"
There are several fixed positions on the table that are, as nearly as possible, half-ball strokes and these should be practised regularly, especially as they afford a varied range of strokes, with the object ball both near and at a distance. Put the red ball on the middle spot of baulk and, striking high, play a gentle half-ball into middle or baulk pocket from back of the D and baulk corner spot respectively. Notice the angle at, say, eighteen inches beyond the object ball in the direct line to the pocket, and adopt this method with all strokes. At this distance all strokes look alike, which is not the case when the full distance to be travelled by the cue ball is taken into account. The other set positions from baulk are 24 inches up the centre of the table for stroke into middle pocket from baulk end spot; centre table spot for stroke into top pocket from position four inches inside baulk end spot; pyramid spot for top pocket from baulk end spot; and billiard spot for top pocket from upper shoulder of middle or top pocket.
209.—"In making a long loser into a top corner pocket from the centre spot I find that I get into the right-hand pocket better by aiming a trifle full and into the left-hand pocket by aiming a trifle fine. Can you kindly explain this"
Your body positioning is probably at fault and you need to stand an inch or so to the right. Try the following plan: Put the cue ball on the baulk centre spot and settle down in your ordinary way for a straight drive up the centre of the table. But before letting the cue go, look down on to the rail to see where your cue is in relation to the spot in the rail. You will probably find it on the left; and we should be interested to hear whether such is the case.
210.—"I should feel much obliged if you would settle the undernoted point in a billiard handicap. A. plays B. 100 up and gives him a 5 break. Both players stand at 99. A. makes a cannon. A. contends that he has won the game, and pleads that it is the usual custom that the player giving the break need not complete it when it does not require the full break to end the game. B. contends that A. must make five before he scores and finishes the game."
Clearly A. should finish his break or not score it.
211.—"Your column 'A Few Cue Tips' is very instructive and interesting to all amateur billiard players. If, one week, you could show us how to make the different shots on the billiard table and as a guide quote the different spots on the table, similar to the last paragraph of the December issue, it would be appreciated. For amateurs it is very difficult to remember how many inches you have to hit the cushion to get a certain position, whereas you could remember to play over one of the spots from a certain point, which seems much easier."
Perhaps the answer to Question No. 209 in the present issue may assist you.
In taking a cushion, either before or after contact, with another ball the thing to do is to get what may be termed an equal angle, i.e., let two imaginary lines drawn from the cue and object balls to the cushion present to the eye the same divergence from the cushion.
212.—"I notice an apparent discrepancy in the article re 'Angles' on page 1 of the December issue, if the figures given are compared with those at top of first column on page 2. I venture to point this out as the subject has interested me for some time."
Many thanks. It was purely an error, and the figures given in the body of the article were the correct ones.