A Few Cue Tips

• Straight cue delivery is assisted by getting well down to
  the stroke so that a good deal of cue is seen as well as the
  ball.
• In middle pocket play from baulk side should rarely be
  used. Accurate contacts and fairly high cueing are the
  prime essentials.
• All practice should be on the “slow” side. Try what is
  the maximum effect to be gained by gentle strokes, combined
  with light cueing and proper contacts, instead of by
  “flogging” the balls.
• The jump stroke is not often played in a game, but is
  occasionally useful and by no means difficult. Aim gently
  on the cloth an inch in front of the ball or lay the cue perfectly
  flat on the table.
• Remember that billiards is the only game played with a
  ball in which the stroke cannot be spoiled if properly
  played. Everything is mathematically perfect and this consideration
  should beget confidence.
• The more acutely a ball laden with side strikes a cushion
  the greater is the deflection. Consequently, when an object
  ball intervenes, the contact should be thick to ensure due
  advantage from the side. It is useless to use side when
  the cushion is reached very obliquely.
• Regard every stroke finer than half-ball and every stroke
  fuller than half-ball as a driving stroke. When a cutting
  stroke would send the object ball into an unsuitable position
  play the same distance inside the edge with requisite
  strength and vice-versa. In nine cases out of ten this is
  the true specific.
• When an object ball is struck half-ball both balls travel
  the same distance. When it is struck quarter-ball it
  travels half the distance of the other, and when it is struck
  three-quarter ball it travels twice the distance. With
  fuller, finer, and intermediate contacts the relative lengths
  of travel are proportionate.
• A good knowledge of the number of cushions struck by
  an object ball in the upper half of the table when playing
  from baulk is to be obtained by placing the object ball
  about mid-way between centre and pyramid spot, when
  both balls will probably disappear into the top pockets.
• Obviously, therefore, a placing of the object ball nearer to
  the centre spot would mean a three cushion contact and
  farther from it a two-cushion contact.
• Here are three good practice strokes for gentle and light
  cueing with proper contacts and compensation: (1) Screw
  into baulk pocket from ball just above baulk corner spot,
  leaving object ball for middle pocket play; (2) Put object
  ball against top cushion a foot away from pocket, and play
  through it with top into farther top pocket leaving object
  ball for baulk play into same pocket; (3) With red on spot
  and cue ball tucked under top cushion a foot away from
  corner pocket, play with a gentle swerve stroke into farther
  top pocket, leaving object ball over middle pocket.