BILLIARDS HINTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22209, 9 September 1935, Page 16

BILLIARDS HINTS

ADVICE TO AMATEURS CORRECT CUE DIMENSIONS IMPORTANCE OF PRACTICE (Specially written for the Herald by Walter Lindrum, world's champion.) It is my earnest desire to improve the standard of amateur billiards and, as the New Zealand amateur championship has just been played in Auckland, I feel that this is an opportune time for mo to give some useful hints for those players who are really keon to improve their play. I wish to bo as explicit as possible and I hope that readers will forgive any criticisms, as such are solely in tho interest of the amateur players, and my wish to improve their methods of play. First of all I shall deal with conditions, as these play a very big part in the advancement of amateur bil liards. The best table in tho world would be quite useless unless one had a perfect set of balls of equal balance and weight, and of standard manufacture. Good table and good balls are still usoless unless the player has a perfect cue. Ten to fifteen years ago the leading professionals used cues weighing from.l3oz. to 15i0z., but tho game to-day is of a much higher standard than "it was fifteen years ago, and the heavy cue of to-day has played a great part in the advancement of play. So the amateur should sec that his cue weighs at least 18oz., and that it is very rigid—not in any way "whippy," as such a cue in playing forcing shots will double up on impact with tho ball. Tho ball should get the shock and not the cue. A rigid cue, preferably of seasoned English ash, and weighing" 18oz., will give the best results. Pay particular attention to tho tip of the cue, the size of which is very important Many amateurs whom I have seen play use a cue which retards their progress, and which has a bad tip of the wrong sizo. The game as played by tho professionals is something of a mystery, but what is right for them must bo right for the amateurs. So here is a real tip. Causes ot Error Tho sizo of a tip should bo exactly eleven millimetres. One of ten millimetres is too small and causes the ball to slip and lots of mis-cues aro made when putting side and screw 011, and the margin of error is much greater in tho striking point. A twelve millimetre tip, as usually used by amateurs, is much too big and causes the cue ball to shoot out when putting on side, that is to say, if you put side on to swing into a ball, it will shoot out the other way and your direction is very much out. When selecting a tip for your cue do not try to economise. Remember' that a good tip lasts a long time and is an important factor in the improvement 01 your game—and only the very best is good enough. Now to proceed with the game and some methods of " break building." In this article I shall deal mainly with open billiards, and in the following articles for the Herald I shall get into tho finer points of'the game, that is, showing how to score freely at the top of the table and some advice on nursery cannons that will prove invaluable in building big breaks in the correct way. The open billiards game consists mainly of losing hazards, and here I shall pass on to you a very useful method of practice that has helped the Lindrum family to the 1000 break standard. Commence your practice with one ball only for 10 minutes, starting ofF from the centre of the baulk line. With each shot send the one ball right up and down the centre of the table, coming back off the top cushion, right over the centre spot. Play this shot a number of times quietly, and then play for five minutes striking the cue ball very hard. If you can come straight up and down the table with the hardest sliot you are well on the way to being able to strike/ your cue ball truly and without side. Monotony Forgotten You are then ready to commence your practice for " open billiards." Practice for an amateur is apt to become very boring. I remember when I used to fractise until my back ached and then would start all over again. It is a great idea, I always found, to keep a book and pencil on the side cushion. In it keep a record of your visits to the table in practice. It will make you really keen to watch your improvement from day to day, and in your keenness the monotony of practice will soon be forgotten. Begin your open play " practice with one ball over each centre pocket and the cue ball in hand. Start your break by going in-off the balls in tho centre pockets, and when you lose position continue your break by cannons and pots, until you can work the balls back again for centre pocket play. Now, here is where the importanoe of your practice really commences. At the conclusion of your break make a note of it in your practice book. Then place the balls over the centre pocket and repeat the .performance. At the end of your practice total up your average for visits to the table. Perhaps on Monday you will average 20 from the break position, and on Tuesday you may average 25. I strongly recommend this method, because I myself, as a young player, found it invaluable.