BILLIARDS

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6992, 19 August 1929, Page 4

BILLIARDS

SETTING UP POSITION FOR A DROP CANNON-11, By RISO LEVI Author of “Billiards: The Strokes of the Game," and “Billiards For the Million." [Copyright] Diagram 11 illustrates a position which offers a simple ball-to-ball cannon from the D, or alternatively a top-pocket in-off. The ordinary player naturally plays the cannon here, as this is a certainty, and the long in-off is a doubtful shot for him. Many very fair players, however, also play the cannon here, although they are quite aware that they are playing the wrong game. They fight shy of the

long in-off when the cannon is so easy. The in-off may be missed, is the thought which passes through their minds, and the cannon is a certainty, and it is quite possible that the cannon may leave something to continue with. The cannon could, of course, be played by a first class cueman in such a way as would leave a scoring position for the next stroke, but it is anything but easy to get any predetermined position from it —even a first-class player would frequently go wrong with it. If the positions of the object balls were reversed, the case would be entirely different, for, by a cannon of nicely regulated strength, the red could be placed quite close to the corner pocket.

The correct stroke to play is the long in-off illustrated ou the diagram, A good-strength stroke sets up position for a drop cannon. This cannon will still be on-from the left end of the D—if the object white comes to rest a foot short of the end of the intersected line on the diagram. If on the other hand, it travels a foot beyond the end of this line, position will be set up, for an in-off into the left top pocket. Nevertheless, although there is some latitude for error in strength without position being lost, a nice stroke has to be played, otherwise the after-position will be bad. Too slow or too fast a stroke, when playing this in-off to set up position for a drop cannon, is often fatal. An in-off into a baulk pocket is frequently the means of setting up a drop cannon position. Diagram 12 illustrates such a stroke. Here, the in-off is intended to be so simple that it can be made by different contacts, each of which will give the object ball a different line of travel. In the ordinary way an in-off of this nature is generally played to leave position for a centre-pocket inoff, and even here, with the red where it is, the stroke which leaves an easy centre-pocket in-off is quite all right, because position for a drop cannon

can be set up by this centre pocket stroke, or if not by this, by the next. Nevertheless, when the red is in a bad position the capable player always seeks to get it into play as soon as possible. Occasionally he plays several in-offs before setting up the desired position, because it is unsound play to attempt to do this by one difficult though quite possible stroke, when two or three easy in-offs will allow him to do it by quite a simple stroke. [When, however, he

can set up the drop-cannon position quite easily by the first stroke, he does not play unnecessary shots before getting the red into play. In the position shown on the diagram an in-off which causes the object ball to travel up to the top of the table, and to a point behind the spot, sets up an ideal position. Even if you are by no means a good player, you will find that this positional stroke will present no difficulty to you if you try it a few times. The 23 inches line of the D gives a good deal of latitude as to the varying lines of travel which may be given the object white, if the strength of the stroke is at all good, and when you have mastered this positional shot you will appreciate the difference between playing an in-off with some well-defined object in view, and playing it in some more or less aimless kind of way. NEXT ARTICLE: "POTTING THE WHITE”