1.—Learn, first of all, to hold the cue very lightly, to swing it on the same plane as the table, and to keep it perfectly straight in action.
(Note: The best place to learn this action is along the middle of one of the rails of the table.)
2.—See that the right foot is under the rail, pointing transversely, and the left a foot or fifteen inches away and pointing, beyond the cue tip, where the object ball would be.
(Note: The cue should be held at such a distance from the end of the butt that when the cue ball is touched the upper part of the arm is horizontal and the forearm perpendicular. This is also affected by the nearness or otherwise of the stance to the cue ball. Inman stands back and holds the cue at the end; Stevenson stands nearer and holds his cue farther down.)
3.—It is important that the chin should be above the cue— although not necessarily near to it—and that the face should be exactly at right angles to the cue and not held sidewise.
(Note: The focus, or apparent angle of the balls, varies with the manner in which the face is addressed. This may be proved by holding up the finger and alternately closing the eyes upon some object at a distance. When the face is straight this object remains central, but when the finger is looked at sidewise and the eyes are alternately opened and shut as before the difference is great, and this fact accounts for much uncertain aiming at billiards.)
4.—The best support for the cue is the joint of the thumb as it rests against the lower part of the forefinger when the hand is arched in inverted V-shape with the finger-tips slightly parted.
(Note: This class of bridge should not be departed from unless really necessary. Any unnecessary change of method at billiards is a mistake.)
5.—Stance, bridge, and cue-swing being now right—although this should not be too hastily assumed—a move may be taken to the foot of the table and the cue ball placed on the centre spot of baulk. Lay the cue on the bottom rail, exactly over the spot to be found there, and across the bridge (which should be made on the D). Now strike the ball dead in the centre, with just sufficient strength to bring it back to the bottom cushion, and take care that the cue tip goes as far beyond the ball as it has been drawn back.
(Note: This is a critical moment in the early study of billiards and sets the note for much that follows. With a correct aim and stance, a lightly-held and straight cue, and an easy, gentle swing of from four to five inches each side of the ball, a perfect stroke at stringing strength should be made.)
6.—Repeat the stroke, slightly increasing the length and momentum of swing, and the result should be three table lengths.
(Note: If the ball does not travel far enough the reason is not always lack of power in the stroke. Life and action may be taken out of the ball by gripping the cue, by giving a thrust or poke instead of a swing, and by hitting the ball either above or below the centre.)
7.— Again repeat the stroke, still further increasing the swing and momentum, and the result should be four table lengths.
(Note: Much, of course, depends upon the cushions and cloth, but the foregoing three strengths (gentle, normal, and forcing) are the three standard strengths at billiards, and when their use has become a habit it is only necessary to apply those strengths on any strange table before beginning to play in order to ascertain whether extra or reduced strength will have to be employed.)
8.—Having now learned accurately to strike and guide a ball with varying strengths, the beginner should next employ the same three strengths at half-ball contact with an object ball, which may be placed in the first instance on the billiard spot, with the cue ball against the upper shoulder of a top corner pocket in readiness for what is known as the "cross loser."
(Note: The half-ball aim is through the centre of the cue ball to the edge of the object ball, and if the cue is pointing dead along this alignment and the stroke is made immediately the glance is transferred from the cue and cue ball to the object ball the score is certain, always provided that the cue delivery is straight and easy. The strength is No. 1, and the red ball will be left in position for middle pocket play.)
9.—The stroke for No. 2 strength is made with the red ball on the pyramid spot and the cue ball on the corner spot of baulk, and the objective is a top corner pocket. The reason for the employment of the extra strength is that the red encounters two cushions before coming to rest, as with the cross loser, in position for middle pocket play.
(Note: To get more perfect position after this stroke it is better to place the cue ball an inch or so inside the baulk corner spot, as this causes the red to take the second cushion a little higher up and brings it out more towards the central line of the table.)
10.—The No. 3 strength stroke is the finest practice stroke on the table, and the beginner may be left with it for this month. Indeed, he could not do better than confine himself to the three strokes given during the whole of April, unless he finds that he can make each six times in succession without failure and also score from the red into the middle pocket after each. For the famous long loser stroke, place the red ball on the centre spot of the table and the cue ball four and a-half inches inside a baulk corner spot. The stroke is again into a top corner pocket, and No. 3 or forcing strength is used because the red ball has to strike three cushions before it comes to rest, like the others, in position for middle pocket play.
(Note: This stroke should be played with plenty of top in order to neutralize the effect of the forcing strength so far as the cue ball is concerned.)