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The Billiard Monthly : August, 1911
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.