J.B. (Glasgow).—The B.C.C. rule is that—"If the striker makes a miss or a foul stroke, or strikes a wrong ball, and by the same stroke 'snookers' his opponent, the next player may have any ball or balls taken up to enable him to play direct on the nearest ball that is playable, and shall score any points that he makes."
Ajax (Aldershot).—Sorry, but I cannot give the regiment of the Captain Crawley who wrote so much about billiards a good many years ago. The fact is not mentioned in a book of his I have before me as I write.
Lady Enthusiast.—Pleased to hear you liked the article on the lady players which appeared in our last issue, and hope you will be successful in your endeavour to play over the strokes shown in the diagrams. As regards handicaps and other competitions for lady players, the various ladies' clubs have handicaps every season, but there are no open events exclusively for the fair sex.
Curious (Manchester).—There is no official record break— "all off the white," as you express it, and I am distinctly of opinion that the fifty points you saw scored in a break off the white ball was a most unusual occurrence. No first-class player would attempt to exploit the white ball alone to this extent. He would strive without wasting a stroke to bring the white into position for a cannon, or, failing this, would play for safety, usually by pocketing the white and leaving a double baulk.
Beginner (Maidstone).—You are quite right in assuming there must be a reason why a winning hazard is more difficult than a losing hazard. The reason is that by imparting side, top, screw, or extra force to the cue-ball, it is often possible to score a losing hazard by a variety of contacts with the object ball. But there is only one point on the object ball which must be struck if it is to be pocketed. Again, without entering into the old argument about imparting side to the object ball, it is safe to assert that no player can impart enough side to the object ball to help it into a pocket. Therefore, the margin of permissible error is less in the winning than the losing hazard. The winning hazard is, therefore, harder to execute than the loser.
London Scot (Teddington).—Billiard leagues flourish amazingly up North and in the Midlands. But for some inexplicable reason they do not appeal to players in London and the South.
Towards the end of last season I saw some mention of a Billiard League for London, but so far as I am aware, nothing came of the proposal.
Querist (Waltham).—It is generally believed that the game of Snooker's Pool derived its title from a Colonel Snooker, who is credited with inventing it. But, although I have tried, I have never been able to trace any authentic record of this Colonel Snooker, and I am inclined to doubt his existence, although I think there can be little doubt that the game was invented in the Army, probably in India.