Fig. 5.—Cannons.
[Here] are a few examples of cannons made from the cushion, without the use of the side-stroke. They only indicate the infinite variety that can be made.
Fig. 6.—Winning Hazards.
Some rather difficult, but useful, winning hazards are shown in [fig. 6]. The stroke A is termed the “spot stroke.” This stroke is sometimes made a score or more times in succession by a good player. It is one of the best of winning hazards. It requires a nearly full ball of moderate strength, and to repeat it from one side to the other you should slightly divide your own ball by putting on a little side (see D e in [fig. 3]); and you will find your ball in the right position to repeat the stroke. Sometimes it may be made by a slow hoist, which causes the ball to come back to the starting-point; or the ball may be stopped a little behind the object ball, and thus make a succession of hazards from the same pocket. The champion billiard-player, Roberts, makes tremendous breaks from the “spot stroke.” Get a good player to show the variety of ways in which it can be made, and practise it. Here are a few examples of the effect of dividing the object ball. Strokes 1 to 14 are made from the baulk into the top end pockets by dividing the object ball from a nearly full ball, as in 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, to an eighth in 1 and 9. Stroke 5 represents a half ball vulgarly called a pair of breeches. Stroke 11 should be made to hug the cushion. Strokes 15 and 16 must be played gently with a half ball, and 17 with a quarter ball. Strokes 18 to 33 show a variety of cuts made by striking the ball in the direction shown by the line between the white ball and the red.
Now for a few losing hazards. They require a little different treatment. [Here] are a few.