258.—"One position that I greatly dislike, although a frequent one, is when the white ball is something like midway between the middle spot and the pyramid spot and a losing hazard from hand is required into a top corner pocket. Very frequently I lose the white in making this shot. Is there any general rule for avoiding the same?"
The position is that known as the breeches stroke, and the cue ball placing far this stroke—with the object ball halfway between the spots mentioned—is four inches from the centre baulk spot. We should advise you first to practise the double stroke until you can do it pretty regularly.
Next try to make the losing hazard only, by playing a little fuller or finer and spotting the cue ball accordingly. Finally move the object ball a little higher or lower than its former position and anywhere around it. You will find that by playing a little finer when it is lower and a little fuller when it is a trifle higher you will usually save the white and also leave the white nicely placed, after its rebound from the side or top cushion respectively.
259.—"With the corner in-off from the spotted red from a position a little wide of the centre of the middle pocket, is the medium forcer or a slow stroke with side considered the better stroke?"
Assuming a normally-fast table, and if merely an easy following in-off is required, we should say that the freer stroke is the more desirable and it is certainly much the easier.
If, however, the slower stroke with side be chosen, care must be taken to aim almost full on the red, otherwise the object ball will be cut to one side, or the stroke may even be missed. The best position to get the red back to in either case is twenty-four inches out of baulk on the centre line, and a free (without forcing) or a slow (with side) stroke will accomplish this on a proper table.
260.—"You advise central striking whenever sufficient way can be got on the ball. Take the case of the long top pocket in-off to bring the red in position for centre pocket play. Any good player strikes his ball well above the centre; also for most centre pocket in-offs. I have seen Gray make a 1,000 break without once striking his ball anywhere except well above the centre."
By "sufficient way" we mean sufficient for all purposes.
The only useful object in high striking is to get this extra rotation on the cue ball.
261.—"A stroke that puzzles me a good deal is one in which the two object balls are in line against a cushion and the cue ball is some little distance behind one of these and three or four inches away from the cushion. I usually get a kiss, although I try to play finely enough. What is the remedy?"
Either a faster fine stroke or a thick run-through, according to the subsequent position desired. The faster a thin stroke is played the more quickly it gets past the object ball, which it momentarily embeds in the cushion. When the full run-through is chosen a little running side may be used and the aim taken almost dead straight.
262.—"From time to time I have noticed references in The Billiard Monthly to the 'half-ball pot,' but do not quite follow what this is. The half-ball in-off I know, but what is the halfball pot?"
It is the same thing and you make the pot every time you accomplish the half-ball in-off or cannon accurately.
In other words, the object ball takes a certain course after its half-ball contact with the cue ball, and this imaginary line of departure represents the half-ball pot. If, therefore, you imagine that you are playing for the half-ball throw-off and note where your ball would strike the object ball in such a case, and if, furthermore, you find that that point is exactly opposite the desired pocket, you know that the half-ball pot is before you. This position occurs when both balls are in play, but the stroke is more frequently played from hand, as the cue ball can then be adjusted to the exact requirements. The stroke is also a good one to keep in the eye when potting at finer or fuller than half-ball contact at any part of the table, as the cueist can thereby determine at a glance not only whether a driving or cutting stroke is required in order to pot the red, but, to a large extent, the amount of fulness or fineness that is required.
263.—"Is it better to have more than one finger in contact with the cue, or to allow two or more fingers to touch it?"
Opinions differ on this point, but all opinions agree that the cue should not be pinched or gripped in any way. When the cue rests on the fingers it does so in such a way that the fingers may be likened to a sling and the cue to the stone. We suggest that you try both ways, and note by means of which method you make fifty the more freely and accurately. We have lately devised a cue which is square and fluted at the butt and which we think might be advantageously employed by beginners, whose besetting sin is to clutch the cue. This cannot be done with the square fluted end, which can only be held by means of the thumb and finger tips.
264.—"Will you please inform me where I can get the cylindrical cue I saw advertised recently in The Billiard Monthly?"
The cylindrical cue is obtainable from Burroughes and Watts, Ltd., 19, Soho Square, London, W.
265.—"I should like to suggest that there be an amateur county championship and that the winners of each county should play one another. We cannot all afford to belong to London clubs and spend a week or two for the sake of handicaps and championships. I myself have never played in a handicap, and should very much like to know how to go to work to play in same. Also if one wished to play for the championship what would one have to do and where would one have to play? My own best break is 187, and I have made 113, 110, 103, 71, 49, 35 and 11 unfinished in 500 up."
We suggest that you raise the interesting points mentioned by you in a letter to the Billiards Control Club, Great Windmill Street, W.