BILLIARD NOTES.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 11, 28 May 1920, Page 5

BILLIARD NOTES.

BRINGING THE WHITE OUT OF BAULK. When a player is bali in hand it is always far worse to have the red in baulk than the white, for whereas the red can only be brought into play again by means of a cannon — except, of conrse, by first potting the white, or by the uncertain method of playing at a cushion out of baulk — there is always the possibility of bringing the white out of baulk and into the field of play by means of an in-off, after having gained position for this as the result of potting the red in either of the centre or top pockets. At first the red may not be favourably situated for a pot, but a few in-offs will often bring it into a desirable location — generally for a pot into one of the centre pockets. Of course, it will often happen that the white is so situated in baulk that it would be very diificult to bring it into play again by means of an in-off, yet, at the samo time, it will just as frequently happen that its location will be a iavourable one for this method of play. Two quite simple positions for bringing the white into play when ball in hand. When the red is over the centre of the top pocket it is qnite easy for a mere novice to pot it in such a way as to leave his own ball for an in-off from the white afterwards. Should the red be rigiit over the centre pocket, it can be pottcd in such a manner as to cause the cue ball to come to rest either above or below the pocket. This can be effected by placing the cue-ball in different parts of the D, and aiming either nearly full at the red, or else hitting the red on that part of it j which is nearest to tho lower angle of the pocket. The only thing a novice has to

take care of when the red is right evfv the pocket is that he does not make a six shot, the very stroke that most bai players would play for. GETTING POSITION BY A STAB POT. Two further positions for potting His red and remaining correctly placed for an in-off from the white. In these instances the red ball is so situated that the very spot it occupies would be a gcod position for the striker's ball from which to attacL the whito. The red ball must therefore be potted in the centre pocket in •such a manner that the cue-ball remains as nearly as possible on the spot previously occupied by the red. In order to effect this, the cne ball should be hit half way between the centre and the bottony, but with less strength than is necessary to screw back. When the red is near Ihe baulk-line, -the stroke can be played fairly gently, but when the red is some distance away ihe cue-ball must be hit quite smartly, otherwise the effect caused by the low hitting will be more or less lost by the time the red is hit, and the cue-ball, instead of sbopping dead, will run on.