The old adage, “Experience is a great teacher,” holds equally true in billiards as in any other of the many occupations of life. There is no royal road to learning, but the student of the present day enjoys vast facilities over his ancestors in the acquirement of every variety of knowledge. Every new fact promulgated aids in the development of additional facts, which, though ever existent, have but just been discovered. Bearing these axioms in mind, we propose to embody in the present article a few hints to billiard players, which will enable the tyro at once to benefit by the information which the proficient has only obtained by years of practice and observation.
Remember that all players have equal rights, and that no gentleman will take any advantage of an antagonist excepting such as he may be fairly entitled to by superiority of judgment or of skill.
Never make any remark or unnecessary noise when your adversary is about to play, but stand away from the table and not opposite the pocket at which he may be playing.
Do not play carelessly, or strike at random, but with some definite object in view; and if no eligible stroke presents itself, endeavour to leave the balls as safe for your opponent as your skill will permit.
Never despair of winning a game; care and caution frequently insure success, even against apparent impossibilities. Fortune may seem to be against you, but remember that in the long run luck will invariably succumb to skill.
Attempt only strokes which seem to be within the compass of your abilities, except the necessities of the case require a deviation from this rule. This, however, is only to be considered a general law, and not by any means imperative.
Effecting the stroke at hand is but a part of the game, and the player should endeavour, in making this shot, to leave the balls in a position where a second count can be secured.
By way of illustration of some of the “points” in the game of billiards, we present below a few diagrams, and the first is that illustrative of the method of taking advantage of the chances for making points. The following is an explanation of abbreviations used in describing diagrams:—
A. stands for above the centre of the ball; B. for below it; R. to the right of it; L. to the left; and D. for diagonal. Q. P. means the strength or quantity of power with which the cue-ball must be struck. We describe as follows: Q. P. No. 1, strength enough to make the ball roll from the string to the lower cushion and back to the head cushion. Q. P. No. 2, from the string to the lower cushion, back to the head cushion, and from that to opposite the centre pocket. To propel it from the string to the opposite cushion, thence back to the head, and from that back to the lower cushion is Q. P. No. 3. Q. P. No. 4, is sufficient force to propel the ball from the string to the lower cushion, back to the head cushion, back to the lower cushion again, and thence half way down the table.
In playing billiards we frequently find the balls in a position where a count can be effected in several different ways. In such cases, it is advisable for the player to take into consideration the probabilities of effecting the stroke, and the position of the balls thereafter. If the stroke be at all doubtful, he should play where he would have the greatest prospect of success, or, in other words, “take the chances.”