BILLIARD NOTES.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 16, 2 July 1920, Page 5

BILLIARD NOTES.

POTTING THE RED TO LEAVE AN IN-OFF FROM THE WHITE. Two of the innumerable ways that positiou can be gained by means of potting the red into one of the baulk pockets. Running side on the cue-hall, will, when the red has to be potted by a fullish stroke, be of great assistance in taking the ball into a favourable position for an in-off from the angled white. The portion of ihe upper part of the table — just referred to — which must be avoided by the cue-ball when the object white is located on the lower angle of a centre pocket. The reason that the in-off cannot he playecl from these enclosed spaces is that, owing to the side cushion being in the way, it is impossible to hit the white on the side facing the jxicket, and the nearer the ohject-ball i^ to the pocket the larger will the proscribed area become. A ball is on the lower angle of both centre pockets, but more over the pocket in one case than in the other, and, natnrally, in the one instance the proscribed area from which no in-off is possible is greater than in the other. The enclosed areas are not intended to be exact. but rather to convey a rough idea of the part of the upper half of the table which nrust be avoided. The exact area will vary somewhat on different tables, a-s the cut of the cushions is not always quite the sanie, and even the size of the balls will have a slight bearing on th,e matter. It must not be for.gotten, however, that efen from pdsitions from which the in-off is just possible, the shot would be a difficult one, as the cue-ball would have to miss the side cushion, it would not have to miss it by much more than a hair's-breadth in order to hit the objectball in such a Avay as to ensure the in-off being made.

A STRONG SCREW -BACK STROKE TO OBTAIN POSITION FOR AN IN-OFF FROM AN ANGLED BALL. The white ball on the lower angle of a centre pocket, and the cue-hall in an absolutely straight line with the red ball, and the centre of a bottom pocket. The red ball being some distance from the pocket necessita-tes the pot being made by means of a full ball stroke, and this will render it impossible to bring the cue-ball to the upper-half of the table via the bottom cushion. To players, however, who cin screw back a long distance with facility and certainty, the screw will be the stroke to play in the position given, especially as the pot cannot well be missed owing to the cue-ball being situated so near to the red— six or eight inches away. Oi" course, the best game for a player who could not attempt the long screw-back would be to get a six shot, and then from baulk he -would have the choice of a cannon off the red: — a very difficult shot to judge — a four shot into the centre pocket, or a pot only, played in such a way to le-ave the cue-ball in postion for an in-off from the red, the last stroke being for ordinary players certamly the best. A variation of each position. The cueball and the red ball are likewise in a aead straight line with the pocket, so that the only stroke of any avail to bring 'the cue-hall to the upper half of the table is the screw-back. In this position the screw will have to be a pow.erful one in order that the eue-ball may travel far enough to reach a point higher up the table than the white ball, especially as it will have to strike a cushion first-.