The Billiard Player has addressed a letter to a number of representative amateurs as follows:— "Do you think that you could kindly communicate in a few words your opinion on the following question, and your reason for the same?:— "Should there be any hesitation, either in a match or in an ordinary game, in putting down the white when further scoring can be thereby rendered more probable than by saving the white?"
Amongst replies that have been received from representative amateurs are the following, and more will be given next month:—
Mr. Sydenham Dixon, Chairman of the Billiards Association and Control Council:— "The idea that potting the white ball is ' ungentlemanly ' is absolutely ridiculous, and yet is very difficult to kill. There should be no hesitation in doing so, for if a man does it when there is a good opportunity of scoring in other ways, he is playing into his opponent's hands, and lessening his own chance of winning the game."
Mr. A. Stanley Thorn, Secretary of the Billiards Association and Control Council:— "Whenever it is ' the game ' to do so, there should not be the slightest hesitation in putting down the white, the prevalent idea that this is"unsportsmanlike,"although very difficult to eradicate, being utterly without foundation."
"The object of every player should be to score as many points as possible, by all legitimate methods, and nothing should be allowed to interfere with the attainment of this object, either in the course of a match or an ordinary game."
Mr. S. H. Fry, British Amateur Champion, and member of the Billiards Association and Control Council:— "I should have no hesitation in potting the white in a match or important game. In an ordinary friendly game I should not pot the white except to win the game or in exceptional circumstances."
Mr. J. R. Hooper, Amateur Champion of Australia:— "I take it that you mean putting down the white to make a red ball break; if so, I think there should be no hesitation in doing so, as in this way you always run the risk of leaving your opponent a much bigger break than the one you make off the red. This, of course, is entirety different to potting the white solely to play a double baulk."
Mr. W. Herbert Fowler, Member of Billiards Association and Control Council:— "There should be no hesitation about putting down the white at any time."
Mr. G. W. S. Willins, Member of the Billiards Association and Control Council:— "I should never hesitate in a match or ordinary game to do so if it was to my advantage. Take an example like this: Red is on billiard spot, your opponent's ball on edge of either top pocket, by potting white you leave the cross loser off the red, sending it over a middle pocket, and you are in good position for a break off the red ball. If you had played for a cannon you are almost certain to lose the white and leave yourself nothing on. I say again, pot white if it is to your advantage."
Mr. S. C. L. Hatch, Member of the Billiards Association and Control Council:— "The propriety of putting the white down depends on whether anxiety to win overcomes the wish to respect any prejudice the opponent may entertain on this point. To ordinary players winning the game is not usually so important as ' having a good game.' Each likes to see his adversary at his best, and the effect on the opponent's ' moral ' of closing up the game is not generally desired by either player. If it is difficult to save the white and continue the break, whereas to put the white down would open the way to a score off the red, it would be the game to put it down, in my opinion."
Mr. S. S. Christey, Thrice Amateur Champion:— "Always play to win to the best of your ability. To that end pot the white, or the whole blessed lot if necessary."
Mr. J. Graham Symes, Twice Amateur Champion:— "In a match there should be no hesitation in potting the white. In an ordinary game it is not usually done, as it is apt to create bad feeling and to be considered ungentlemanly."
Major H. L. Fleming, Past Amateur Champion:— "The white should always be potted if you think it is to your advantage to do so."
Mr. J. G. Taylor, who made a 210 break in 1913 Amateur Championship:— "Personally I should not hesitate to pot the white if it would be to my advantage to do so."
Mr. R. H. New, Veteran Brighton Amateur:— "If further scoring is probable by saving the white it should not be put down, but if there is the least doubt about scoring it is good policy to put down the white with the object of securing an opening from baulk. Sometimes it is worth losing the white if the red ball is suitably placed for a series of losing hazards."
Mr. J. Seaman, Midlands Snooker Amateur Champion, 1918:— "To pot the white at any time an advantage is secured by so doing is, in my opinion, simply to play the correct game, either in match or friendly billiards. Otherwise the competitive element to a degree is eliminated."
The Billiard Player wants to see the existing prejudice against potting the white abolished, and this will be one of the planks of its future platform. There will be others.
There is one point that has not been fully emphasized by any of our esteemed correspondents, and perhaps it is one that should appeal especially to the ordinary "hundred upper."
If the white be put down, as it sometimes is in such a game, merely to score two more and without a double baulk being made, the antagonist thus treated has the enormous advantage of having the whole area of the D to play from in reply.