250.—"Re touching ball in taking aim, I understand that this must be treated as a stroke. Does this rule apply when the ball is played from baulk? I fancy I saw it given as a foul in a recent match. Also what happens if, after touching the ball in aiming, the player plays the stroke."
If the cue ball is touched with the cue, either when playing from hand or otherwise, it is a stroke. If again touched the stroke is foul and the balls must be spotted for the opponent. If not moved out of baulk the stroke is, of course, also foul, as in giving the initial miss.
251.—"A peculiar incident happened at our club recently. A. had dropped the white and played for a double baulk, leaving the red dangling in the corner pocket. Some seconds later B. played at the double baulk, and whilst his ball was coming down the table the red fell into the pocket. However, he would not have struck the red. What we want to know is, what happens if his ball went into the same pocket, or supposing he struck the white and would have apparently cannoned.?"
A ball which has stopped on the edge of a pocket shall, if it falls in from vibration, be replaced; if it balances momentarily on the edge and falls in it must not be replaced."(Rule 11, B.C.C). In the case quoted the red would be replaced, and we should say that the coup would neither be regarded as a score nor as three away.
We are not certain, however, as there is no rule that we know of covering the incident, nor can we say whether the red would now be played upon by the opponent or the balls be spotted for him. We will refer the point to the Billiards Control Club.
252.—"What is the difference between American and British pocket billiards?"
The principal difference is that the American game approximates more to the English game of pool, cannons and losing hazards being eliminated. There is also the cannon game on pocketless tables, on which also the three-cushion cannon game is much played.
253.—"It is my misfortune to be very nervous when playing billiards against an opponent. In private practice I have none of this feeling of hesitancy and doubt in making strokes. In practice I feel that I can make the strokes, and I make them, whereas in a game I feel that I shall miss the stroke, and I do. Are most players affected in this way, or is my case an exception?"
There may be players who are complete masters of themselves under all occasions, but we believe their number to be comparatively few. Most men, for example, play below their usual game when their opponent is playing with unusual confidence and success. It is under these conditions, too, that the learner always favours the confident player. Our advice to you would be to deliberate more about your strokes when you have the nervous feeling on. Take your time in considering and aiming; get the balls together; and try, by gentle, yet firm, play to keep your game simple. The great thing is to get into an equable frame of mind, and this will never come about by inward fretting and fuming.
254.—"I notice that you are publishing the name of anyone who has made a 100 break on a full-sized table. In a tournament heat I made 87, and in private practice I have, on one occasion, exceeded the 100, but never in public. Is this record eligible? I may say that no one was present when I made the break, although I casually mentioned the fact to one or two of my friends the day after?"
We do not ask for witnesses or make any stipulation beyond that relating to the size of the table. We realise that it is much more difficult to make a 100 break in public than in private, and on a table with easy pockets rather than tight ones. But anyone who plays the game well enough to attain the coveted number under even the most favourable conditions is a comparative rarity, and we want to get as many records of this kind together as we can. We send the paper free for twelve months to anyone giving us the required information.
255.—"I have for surrounds to the billiard table here some thick lino. I have used ordinary floor polish to clean it, but it leaves a very slippery surface. I should feel very grateful if you could inform me through the columns of The Billiard Monthly if you know of anything to prevent this slipperiness. The greater part of the men who visit the billiard room here wear heavy boots, some heavily nailed. They come off the country roads and carry in a lot of dirt."
The floor polish is really the best for keeping the linoleum clean, as by continual use it forms a coat over the surface of the linoleum, and thereby keeps out the dirt. If the linoleum is cleaned with soap and water this will render it non-slipping, but the linoleum will always have a dull surface, and will get dirty much quicker than if the floor polish is used.
256.—"In the May number you state that the half-ball throw-off, though it can be obtained by a slightly thicker than half-ball contact, cannot be obtained by a slightly thinner one. All ordinary half-ball in-offs can be obtained by appreciably fuller and thinner than half-ball strokes. Good players speak of thinnish half-ball strokes as well as fullish half-ball ones."
Our note referred to the exact half-ball throw-off for positional, as distinguished from merely scoring, purposes.
257.—"Is it the case that T. Reece made a break of over 400,000, if so, when and where, and with whom was he playing? Also what did Peall score when he made his big break, playing the spot stroke?"
T. Reece made an unfinished break, by means of the "anchor" stroke in 1907, of 499,135. This was not officially certified, but there is no doubt that it was made, as a referee was present all the time. It was made during a series of days in the saloon of Messrs. Burroughes and Watts, Ltd., with J. Chapman, Birmingham, as opponent.
Peall's record score by means of the spot stroke was made in 1890 and amounted to 3,304, including 400, 172, 150, 123, 120, and 93 consecutive spot strokes.