PLATE XVIII.
EAST COMPOUND ANGLES.
Illustrating the angular gathering stroke—Effecting carom from the various positions of object-balls 1, 2, 3, and 4, on ball 5, and gathering all in corner near carom-ball.
From ball 1.—Cue-ball ¼ above, 1
16 left, object-ball ⅝ left; stroke, “ordinary.” The course of the cue-ball is marked by the heavy line, that of the object-ball by the dotted line.
From ball 2.—Cue-ball ¼ above, ⅛ left, object-ball ½ left; stroke, “ordinary.”
From ball 3.—Cue-ball ¼ above, ¼ left, object-ball ⅜ left; stroke, “ordinary.”
From ball 4.—Cue-ball ¼ above, ½ left, object-ball ¼ left; stroke, ½ greater than “medium.”
The natural line of departure from the object-ball, if the cue-ball be struck centre at a ⅝ ball as stated, would be on the first cushion, to the right of the heavy line indicated, or at spot c; this, of course, would govern the point of contact with the second cushion, and result in missing the carom. The use of the twist, however, gives it the direction calculated more or less acute than natural.
The twist given the cue-ball is imparted, to some extent, to the object-ball in impact, causing it to take the proper angles to gather as desired. By some writers and theorists this statement is disputed, but repeated experiments have shown it to be a fact beyond question.
The caroms illustrated could be effected by striking the cue-ball centre, and contacting the object-ball nearer full; but in order to bring this object-ball into position for next stroke, the twist is applied, and the natural angle is sacrificed for a false one, in order to control the object-ball.