Billiards

by William Broadfoot

Example A.—Balls 2 and 3 are on the line P Q and touch each other. Ball 1 may be on any part of the table from which ball 2 may be struck save the small corner cut off by the line R S perpendicular to Q P, and if played on ball 2 with sufficient strength ball 3 will run into the left bottom pocket. It is hardly possible to miss the winning hazard, and hence, whenever two balls touch and are so aligned, a very easy stroke is presented if ball 1 be suitably placed; for, no matter how badly it may be played on ball 2, ball 3 must of necessity travel to the pocket.

So far the matter is simple enough; but the next example, B, at once introduces difficulties which it is proposed to observe and notice rather than attempt to explain. A glance at the diagram will show that in this case G H, the alignment through the centres of balls 2 and 3, does not terminate in the pocket, but falls slightly without; hence, if the plant were played in the ordinary way, ball 3 would impinge near the shoulder at H. In the first place, let ball 1 be removed from the table, and let the problem be to play ball 2 with the cue so as to put ball 3 into the pocket. If this stroke be presented without explanation, nine men out of ten or more will attack ball 2 from the baulk side, playing towards the top of the table. The more they do this the further up the table will ball 3 strike the cushion; but let the player go round and place his cue on the alignment shown so as to strike ball 2 on its side towards the top of the table—that is with right side—a medium No. 1 stroke, when, wonderful to relate, ball 3 will travel to the pocket in the most docile manner. That having been established to the satisfaction of the player, let him replace ball 1 on the table anywhere as shown—that is, in any of the positions marked 1 or in any intermediate position. For the stroke as now set up, play ball 1 one-half left, No. 1 strength, on ball 2 half-ball or fuller to the right; again ball 3 will roll obediently to the pocket. If by an error of judgment ball 2 be played on to the left, ball 3 will strike the cushion above the point H.

Diagram XII.

Example C is merely an amplification of the same stroke. Ball 2 is conveniently placed in front of the pocket, and ball 3 is placed touching it first on the line P R, when the straight plant is to the left of the pocket, and next on the line P S, when it is to the right; ball 1 being somewhere as shown, an exact position for it being of no consequence. Now, when ball 3 is on the line P R, to the left of the pocket, play ball 1 on the left side of ball 2; when it is on the line P S, to the right of the pocket, play to the right of ball 2; in both cases the winning hazard will be triumphantly made.

These strokes are capable of ready demonstration on a table, but the laws which govern them are not certainly known. The results seem to point partly to transmitted side, but that is scarcely sufficient to account for so considerable a deviation from the straight plant, specially if it be considered that such side can hardly be detected by the unassisted human eye. Very likely, when once it is understood, the explanation will seem simple enough; at present, so far as is known, the result has not been accounted for in a satisfactory manner.

Example D is worth mentioning and worthy of practice; like most other strokes, it can be far more satisfactorily explained on the table by a man who can play it than by the most careful description on paper; yet, as in spot play and possibly in other circumstances it may be useful, an attempt to convey an idea of the stroke will be made. Ball 2 is on the spot; ball 1, too near it for any ordinary stroke with fair chance of success, but not necessarily touching, is first on the line T U, the straight plant being therefore on the point U. Now, if the cue be aligned as shown on the right side of ball 1, pointing towards X, and a medium No. 1 strength be delivered, ball 2 will be deflected into the pocket. Conversely, when ball 1 is on the line V W, close to ball 2, the cue must be aligned on a point Y below W, and a stroke on the left side of ball 1 will, as before, result in sending ball 2 to the pocket. The principle is apparently the same in all oblique plants, if those may be so called whose path is not the prolongation of the straight line through the centres of the two balls.

In Example C ball 3, and in Example D ball 1, are not drawn, in order to avoid complicating the diagram; their positions are indicated by the figures.

The subject of screw strokes was fully considered in last chapter, and practice was recommended with the view of facilitating the acquirement of the stroke rather than of illustrating its application to the game; hence it is now appropriate to give some useful examples.

Diagram XIII. Example A.—Balls 1, 2, and 3 as shown. This stroke may be played in many ways, depending on where it is desired to leave the balls. If ball 2 is to be brought back, play ball 1 one-quarter low about No. 2 strength nearly full on ball 2, which will travel to and return from cushion 1; ball 1, having parted with its velocity, will return slowly to ball 3, and the three balls should be left together. It might be desirable to play the stroke in a totally different manner if, for example, 2 were the adversary’s ball. In this case it would suffice to send ball 2 up the table towards spot, and cannon on ball 3 so as to leave a winning hazard in the left bottom pocket. To do this the strength communicated to ball 2 must be diminished, and this may be effected by playing finer on that ball and by using more screw in compensation.