LESSONS ON BILLIARDS

IN my last article I called attention to the importance of putting on side in certain cases of losing hazards. It should constantly be borne in mind that there are positions in which with side a losing hazard is absolutely easy, and without side exceedingly difficult, if not impossible.

One very common position is given in our diagram. No. 1 is supposed to be the player's ball, and No. 2 the object "ball. Now the losing hazard into the bottom pocket is in reality an easy stroke, so long as the proper side is put on to take the ball into the pocket as soon as it strikes the shoulder of the pocket.

In playing, therefore, this stroke the player must strike his ball rather sharply on the left-hand side rather below the middle of the ball, which will cause the ball to spin; and after striking No. 2, if sufficient twist or screw is put on to it, it will travel along the dotted line, and on striking the corner of the bottom cushion, the spin on the ball, the direction of which is shown by the curved dotted line with arrow, will cause the ball to go into the pocket.

The next point we will take into consideration is that of cannons; and here it must be remembered that whenever a cannon is played it is necessary that the probable position of the balls after playing should be taken into account.

Now to obtain position after a cannon is generally far more difficult than after either a winning or a losing hazard, as in the two latter cases the very fact of making the stroke fixes exactly the position of one ball. For instance, after a red winning hazard, the position of the red ball is of course the spot, and in the case of a red losing hazard the position of the striker's ball is of course anywhere within the D. In playing for a cannon, what should generally be the object of the striker is to bring the two object balls together.

I will now give a very simple, but at the same time very common instance of a stroke which beginners, and, in fact, amateurs generally, invariably play wrongly. Suppose the two balls to be in the position—vide diagram—of A and B, and suppose the player to be in hand. Now nine players out of ten would spot their ball at C, and play an ordinary half-ball stroke and make a cannon. In this case the direction of the ball A is shown by the plain line terminating at N, and the ball B would be forced up the table, probably above the middle pocket. Suppose, however, the player spots his ball at D, and plays the cannon by gently running through the ball A on to the ball B. In this case the dotted line terminating at M shows the direction of the ball A after being struck. Now if the stroke be played in this manner the two balls are left close together and near the middle pocket, so that.the chance of an easy stroke, or more probably the choice of several easy strokes, is left for the next shot.

One of the most common cannons, and one that probably occurs several times in every game, is that indicated in the diagram by the letters S and H. H is supposed to be the white object ball, and S is the red ball on the spot, The player is supposed to be in hand. Now this stroke well played very often leads to one of the best breaks on the table. Of course the great point to be considered is the position of the balls after the stroke. The; ball must be spotted in baulk so as to make the cannon, an ordinary half-ball stroke. Now by paying careful attention to the strength the three balls will be left all together under the top cushion. The direction that the object ball, the white, will take is shown by the line "drawn from H to the cushion, and which terminates in an, arrow. If the stroke is played gently the red ball will not be moved off the spot very far, and the object ball rebounds off the side cushion and joins the other two balls.

If this stroke be played properly there is almost certain to be a cannon left for the next stroke,- and probably in making this cannon position can be obtained for the spot—i.e., an easy red winning hazard will be left over one of the top pockets. Now considering that this spot break very often to a first-class player means winning the game, the importance of practising this, cannon, so as to play it with right strength, will become at once apparent. I once made over 900 off the balls by means of this spot break.

Beginners are apt to think too highly of all-round cannons, as they are called. I have given an instance of one in the diagram. Suppose the object ball is at K, and the other ball over the left-hand bottom pocket. The best way to make the cannon is to strike the object ball on the left side, and not on the right side, as in this latter case the balls will be very likely to kiss. The dotted line shows the direction the player's ball will take, and it will be observed that as the ball is over the bottom pocket there is a chance not only of making the cannon direct, but also off the bottom cushion and right hand side cushion.

I would, however, warn young players against trusting too much to these sort of cannons; to play a cannon all round the table and at the same time to obtain position is very difficult. The stroke I explained before is far more important, and if played with proper strength is in reality a far better stroke than this all-round cannon. Yet, strange to say, in a match this latter would be applauded and the other passed by without notice.