BILLIARDS

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XL, Issue 10, 7 March 1908, Page 42

BILLIARDS

BY

AN EXPERT

I have received the following letter among the correspondence induced by these weekly billiard articles, which appears to demand the special comment that is asked for. It reads as follows: “I sent on to my brother (an enthusiast at billiards) some of your interesting articles on billiards. This is his reply: ‘They contain nothing we did not know; but what no one teaches is how to strike a ball so that it will run straight—stiff wrist or loose, wrist? Eye an object ball or cue-bail? Cue under chin or under right eye? Body bent or straight? Facing the ball or sideways? Muscles loose or otherwise? All the muscles used or only the forearm, muscles? Play from the shoulders or from the elbow? I could go on ad infinitum, but every book tells you differently. What is the use of the top-of-the-table. game unless you can be certain of making a pot? etc.’ At your leisure would you kindly shed a light on some of the above questions?—Yours truly, As I see things this array of questions on comparatively trivial points betokens a billiardist driven to the verge of desperation by constant failure. Golf has no mosopoly in this direction. The painstaking billiard player can suffer the same demoralising effects of inaccuracy of stroke. His troubles may, however, be lightened if he can gauge the. cause of his failure. Hope will shine out clearly before him as he sets himself to remedy it. Naturally, a knowledge of billiard technique, of the stance at the table, the address to the cue-ball, and that greatest of all factors, cue delivery, is indispensable. I trust I shall not be thought uncomplimentary if I venture to say. that my correspondent is none too well informed in any particular. Moreever, he is suffering from what we have all experienced jn our time —billiard depression, hard to bear, but harder to shake off. In Tespect- to the statement that my ; articles have contained nothing we did not know before', I ant glad billiard lore is so widespread, a fact auguring well for the future of the game. As to “how to strike a ball so that it will go straight,” this is to be done by a stroke anywhere on the strikable, central, vertical face of a ball. It will keep more to the true line at high speed than slowly, as then the nap of the cloth (particularly in playing towards the baulk end) will affeet its direction. Struck outside the central line, a ball will have “side” or bias imparted to it. and a consequent eccentric rotation which will take it cut of the straight line as it loses pace. Stiff wrist or loose - wrist ? This depends upon the nature of the stroke. The most delicate touches, such as very close cannons or the famous cradle-cannons, throw all

the weight of the cue on the wrist, which is, therefore, excessively strained and at a tension. But in every other class of stroke where the arm comes into play the wrist is held loosely. Eye an objectball or cue-ball? This is an open question never yet satisfactorily decided. When the balls are at close quarters, or with anything up to medium-pace stroke, and the truth of stroke may be fairly depended upon, there is no need to take a last, lingering look st your ball preparatory to the stroke. But it is advisable to do so in the top speed forcing shots, plain ball or screw. These are very exacting to one’s sue delivery, and a final look at the cue-head and eue-ball as they make impact is of immense value to the amateur. Cue under chin or right

eye? Under the chin; of course, lying centrally between both eyes. A line drawn from the top of the player's head to the cue should travel midway down his face. Body bent or straight? The player's body should lean well over to the side of the cue-arm. The cue works close to the body, and the arm comes directly under the shoulders. Facing ths ball or sideways? Sideways, undoubtedly, the body assuming a half-turn, with the bridge-arm thrown out rigidly straight. Muscles loose or otherwise? Loose, except in the case of the screw and stun strokes, which ask for heavy-handed deliveries. AH the muscles of the arm used, or only the fore-arm muscles? The fore-arm action will account for all the long repertory of billiard strokes; yet there are good players who bring the upper-arm into their forcing shots, and to good purpose. Play from the shoulder or elbow ? From the elbow down to the wrist, according to the class of stroke, although, as mentioned, the shoulder may be made the seat of povVer in forcing strokes. As to every book giving different instructions, that is one of the drawbacks of billiard literature. I quite agree with the plaintive ’ tone of the final question. “What is the use of the top-of-the-table game unless you can. be certain of making a pot ?” It is, undoubtedly, worse than useless, a mere ploughing of the sands even. Yet the winning hazards are to be mastered, and to be turned to good account. No class of stroke demands more precision than the insertion of a ball, nor a nicer ap-

preciation of what is needed to bring about the happy consummation. Yet, none is more mechanical. This is a subject I must, however, leave for future reference. There is a more ready route to some degree of stroke-accuracy at billiards than is to be attained by any short course of studying position. It will, of course, be rendered doubly effective at the hands of one who has learned to control his movements, and who is able to preserve a rigid and correct pose at the table. This is a fact of which the professionals bear daily testimony. I refer to the technique of the game. All the details of stance and giving the cue life by gradually decreasing swing of the cue to determine the strength of stroke are made with a view to the one great end—the sending of the cue-head on to the awaiting eue-ball. You make your ball your messenger. It carries your wishes, your ideas. No after flourishes of the cue ean alter its course, its speed, or spin. Thus, the spasmodic wavings and writhings so common to witness are mere wasted effort. It is for the player to do all he knows on the stroke, and then let his ball do the rest. Mannerisms are all very well in their way, and often as strong as Nature itself, but they are frequently cultivated at the expense of one's play. Still, good technique will do wonders in the strongest cases of this kind. It is simple in theory, although not always easy to put into practice. The golden secret of accurate strokeplay is to be found in sending the cue on and over the ground on which the cue ball stands. It is known in professional circles as “going through the cueball.” The cue follows on, and so prompts the cue-ball to the last possible moment. On the accompanying diagrams J show six different strokes illustrating the action of the cue-head in treating with them according to the true technique of billiards, which is so conspicuous by its absence in amateur circles. Stroke 1 illustrates a little close cannon

played at tee «<est delicate strength' possible. In doing so the cue-head goo* on after striking the eue-ball and half, way over the ground on which it stooAa movement shown by the dotted lines running into- the centre of the ball. Stroke 2 has the object-balls removed further up the table. Naturally, mote strength is required in the stroke, to effect which the cue-head is sent through and well beyond the cue-ball's position, as the dotted lines represent. Stroke 3 is a medium-pace one above the ball’s centre, a top or speed-accelerating shot. Stroke 4 must be made especial notice of, as it presents a medium-pace screw or recoil effect. It must be particularly noticed here how the eue-head goes through the bail and downwards to the

table. There is no scratching mis§.-cue here or dull stunning of the ball, but a bright, crisp contact below the centre that gives a free backward rotation from the object-ball. Stroke 5 is a mediumpace, plain-ball effort, the cue-head travelling three to four balls’ distance beyond the spot where it encountered the cue-ball. It is good to see the cue-tip resting out on the table, as it should do, at the finish of this most useful stroke. This bespeaks accurate cueing. Finally, there is Stroke 6, representing the forcing shot. Here the cue goes onwards and upwards as shown right through the ball, and as far and freely as the player will let it do. I can recommend these cuehead movements to all classes of players. Moreover, they have never been put forward before.