Working Out New Strokes by Diagrams

American Billiard-Player's Original Idea.

HUNDREDS of New Yorkers have been watching the daily practice of the youthful champion, Willie Hoppe, in the various billiard rooms since his return from Europe. Few of them know that the young billiard wonder spends the early hours of each day figuring out new combinations and studying the theory of the game. A reporter called on him and was surprised to see him seated at a roll-top desk, with pad in front of him, a tiny pencil where the cue usually is, and papers strewn about him. "I suppose you wonder why I practise with paper and pencil instead of with cue and ball," he said. "As a matter of fact, this is my favourite diversion when not at the billiard table. Some of my happiest combinations have come to me while I have been seated, just as I am now. I was just working out some three-cushion cannon shots. The queer part of my work now is that the balls seem as live to me while I draw them on this paper as they do when I am at the table, and I seldom find that I have gone far astray in my calculation when I attempt to make the shots."

"As a steady pastime three-cushion cannon billiards does not wear as well as the baulk line game, though the devotees of the former are no less assiduous in playing it than are the baulk-line enthusiasts in their game. Three-cushion cannons is by no means an altogether haphazard game in which the player slams away and takes his chances of counting. It partakes more of a freak nature than baulk line or ordinary cushion cannon or straight rail, but it has its system when played by experts. It does not contain the variety that baulk line does, being without ball-to-ball counting and position play, and with little recourse to draw massee shots, but is productive of more unusual effects." Picking up the diagrams reproduced here he continued: "These are shots I have figured out ahead, with all their angles. The natural shots in three- cushion billiards are easy for the expert as is a six-inch draw for the baulk line expert, but often unnatural angles have to be described by the cue-ball, and that's where the twist comes in. Good three-cushion players must not only be able to execute well, but must know the various intricate cushions, and must have good eyesight and the physical ability to use a great deal of force. There are a number of round-the-table shots in the three cushions game, and it requires a subtle knowledge of force and the effects of contact of ball and cushion to avoid kisses, which are a constant menace in around the table multiple cushion play. In these diagrams, A represents the cue-ball, B the first object-ball, and C the second object-ball. The arrows show the course of the cue-ball."

"Fig. 1 shows a shot of curious design. It has all the appearances of a scratch, but the player calls the shot. Left or reverse twist is applied to the cue-ball, which is struck about a quarter above the centre. The flight from one end rail to the other and back to C is the unusual feature of the shot. Ordinarily the player would play off C first, go to the right-hand rail, then to the end rail, and over to the other side rail. A more logical shot than this one would be to go from the end rail over to the opposite side rail, and thence around the table."

"Fig. 2 is a shot made with right twist. The cueball slides off to the end rail, thence to the side rail, and then back to the end rail that it has just left. The twist accounts for the freak angle."

"Fig. 3 shows a good shot; it is a long bank, played with right twist. The cue-ball hits the side rail first, darts up to the first object-ball, takes a nip off the cushion, scoots back to the side rail, and pushes gently against the second object-ball - a shot of bold conception."

"Fig. 4 represents another bank shot, one in which the cue- ball strikes three cushions before encountering either object-ball - A must be landed on B and C simultaneously with perfect execution. A left twist was part of the medium for the consummation of the shot."

"Fig. 5 is a count of magnificent distances and a four-cushion hand, made with very little twist to the left of the centre of the ball."

"Figs. 6 and 7 are both shots of grotesque construction - both, too, are very difficult shots. Fig. 6 is a whimsical count, right-hand twist is needed and much force. In Fig. 7 the cue-ball slices off B very thinly, reverse twist is applied to the top of the ball, and a quick, sharp stroke brought into operation. This shot is to be used when the shooter does not wish to play a natural shot, that is, go off the right-hand side of B with right twist and over to the other corner of the table."

"The bank shot shown in Fig. 8 is not such a rare contribution, but is exceedingly meritorious when the cue-ball is under the cushion. The player has to shoot over the rail, putting left twist to the top of the ball, and using lots of force to bring the cue-ball round after banking into B."

"Fig. 9 is a sensational effort. The cue-ball goes to the far diagonal corner, kisses back of Fig- 8, which is crotched in the corner, and takes four cushions before it crashes into the second object-ball. It is a scratch, because, the shot is called, tremendous force applied below the centre of the cue-ball and a dash of right twist are mixed together."

"Fig. 10 is a drop shot, it is less showy than difficult. A slow draw, with only a little English on the left-hand side, and a shot requiring counteracting forces, so to speak."

"Fig. 11 illustrates an oddly designed bank shot, right twist to the top of the ball, applied with full force, is used."

"French makes the shot down in Fig. 12, one of the sort that makes onlookers shout in appreciation. The cue-ball flies around the table after striking B, and B in the meantime kisses C over the side rail. The dotted line depicts the course taken by C, and the cue- ball collides with C at the point shown by the dotted circle. Left twist is used about a quarter above the centre."

"The shot in Fig. 13 is a delicate effort, and calls for the finest sort of calculation. A and B are all but frozen. To get on the left twist that would put the cue-ball in the proper path after striking a cushion, and yet administer sufficient force to traverse 'the rest of the journey, is a big tax on the skill."

"The follow shot shown in Fig. 14 requires a bit of right twist to get in its work after striking the first cushion, and a free use of force."