A Few Cue Tips

• Jennies should almost always be played with only sufficient
  strength to bring the object ball to the middle of the table
  after one cushion contact.
• Always make fine strokes finer than they look, and thick
  strokes thicker. Whenever it is possible to miss the object
  ball and still make the pocket or cannon the finest stroke
  is on.
• When cue and object ball are near together a central
  stroke of the cue has the effect of slight screw at a greater
  distance, whilst top imparted to the cue ball preserves the
  usual angle.
• In making a short and easy pot into a top corner pocket
  either leave the cue ball beside the upper shoulder or transversely
  below the billiard spot. It is easily done with proper
  strength and just a touch of side.
• Never undertake a stroke that you cannot get well behind.
• Your line of sight must be along or parallel with your cue.
• Use the rest whenever the foregoing essential condition can
  not be compassed without it.
• Potting with side is as easy as without side if tackled
  with confidence and with the cue parallel with the line along
  which the cue ball should run. The books say that it is
  more difficult, but they are wrong.
• Avoid all rigidity in playing billiards. If you don’t feel
  comfortable everywhere there is something wrong. There
  should be a feeling of freedom almost amounting to looseness,
  and a firm stance and bridge are quite consistent
  with this feeling.
• When the cue ball is a little below the top shoulder for
  the cross-in-off with the red on the spot, play a trifle fuller
  rather than finer as this brings the red more into the middle
  of the table below the middle pocket. The stroke is simpler
  and surer without check side.
• In potting it is not necessary to look at the pocket. Professionals
  never do this. They get the angle by a glance
  at the ball, which takes in the pocket simultaneously. It
  also reveals automatically the most open part of the pocket,
  and adjusts the angle thereto—an important point.
• One of the most frequent positions in which the balls are
  left is also one of the most useful, but is often mismanaged.
• It is when the object balls are a few inches away from
  a top side cushion and a couple of feet apart. A gentle
  check side stroke (which becomes running side off the
  cushion) aimed half-ball and working in to three-quarter
  ball brings the balls nicely together near the top of the table.
• There are only three profitable methods of practising
  alone. One is to stick to specific and often-needed shots
  until they are conquered; another is to put the balls again
  and again in a favourable position and try to make a
  thought-out break; and the third is to take the white and
  spot balls alternately and play a strenuous and serious game
  with yourself, striving all through to obtain and keep
  position.