A Few Cue Tips
- A good practice forcing in-off is from near the middle
baulk spot off the red on the pyramid into a top pocket. A
free and straight swing of the cue with high cueing is what
is needed.
- The necessity of sending the cue tip right through the cue
ball is often (and rightly) urged, but the taking of the cue
well back in making the stroke is almost equally important.
The rule is that the cue ball should be regarded as the centre
of the swing.
- A common billiard error is the use of side in what should
be plain screw strokes. The only cases in which side is
needed are when a pocket is blind and when the cannon
is completed off a cushion. With open pockets and direct
cannons side in making screw strokes is worse than useless.
- Remember that when cue and object ball are both in
baulk, the effort should be made to direct the ball not pocketed
to the neighbourhood of a middle pocket. This can
be easily done after a little study of contacts and strengths,
with the occasional use of side or other compensation.
- Profitable cannon practice may be obtained by attempting
to take the second ball inside, outside, and dead centre,
whilst at the same time directing the first ball in the desired
direction. The elder Roberts used to say that he would
rather miss the cannon altogether than play it wrongly.
- There is only one worse thing than tediously slow play,
and that is thoughtless hurrying. Good players may seem
to hurry their game, but if you watch their eyes you will
perceive that they are taking all likely eventualities into
account at the same time.
- Cultivate persistently the extra strength thick contacts
for position in place of the much more risky gentle ones.
- It is often much better to send the object ball to a cushion
and back again than to endeavour to control it within a few
inches. But the line of travel, to and fro, must, of course,
be accurately gauged beforehand.
- Play for position, but do not try to get ideal position in
one stroke when you can work up to it in two or several
strokes. Keep the score going with in-offs until a favourable
cannon opportunity presents itself. On the other hand,
be prepared to take a little risk with an in-off rather than
make a cannon leaving nothing definite.
- Try to dissipate the idea that anything is good enough
in billiardsthat the use of the rest does not matter, that
mixing ivory with composition play does not matter, that
careful body positioning and aim do not matterin short
that nothing matters. Instead of anything being good
enough for billiards, nothing, to the minutest detail, can
be too good.
- Never strike an object ball in making in-offs or cannons
until you have forecasted its approximate line of travel. It
is here that one great secret of break-making lies, as well
as the antidote for balls lost in pockets or baulk, left safe
under cushions, or spoiling position by kissing. Also, never
pot a ball before deciding where the cue ball ought to come
to rest.