BILLIARD NOTES.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 20, 30 July 1920, Page 5

BILLIARD NOTES.

VARIOUS IN-OFS. CHIEFLY WITH THE WHITE BALL AS THE OBJECT-BALL. When the in-off from tiro cushion is played with the right-hand side, which is rmrning side off the top cushion, the. hall must go clean into the pocket, for if the angle of the side cushion is touched, tlie side on the ball, which is here clieck side, will tend to keep the ball out of the pocket. When the stroke is played with right-hand side^running side off the top cushion) the cushion must be struck farther away from the ball than when played with left-hand side, and it is perhaps easier to judge th,e angle in the former case than in the latter; but the left-hand side has the advantage of being pocket side off the opposing angle. Of course, the stroke could also be played without side at all. The stroke is also on when the object-ball is considerably nearer the top cushion. All in-offs of the nature just described are, however, always more or less difficult, and some practise of them is very advisable. A DIFFICULT CUSHION IN-OFF. Au example of an in-off that is often on, and while strokes of this nature are always difficult owing to the great judgment required as to where the cushion must be hit (a very sligbt eri'or will cause the stroke to fail), they are not quite so difficult as they no doubt appear to the majority of players. Either side ma.y be used, or no side at all, though the stroke is best played with check side off the cushion, as this side will be running side off the angle of the side cushion which is the opposing angle. The stroke is also

on with the object-ball rnuch farther away from the side cushion. The white ball over a top pocket, and it is intended to be in such a position that, whilst a ball held in one's fingers could be passed into the pocket, touching the bed of the table, without disturbing the other ball, there is barely 1-16 of an inch to spare — that is, about 1-32 on each side as the ball is passed through. In playing an in-off with the white ball so located, especially when striking from a position a considerable distance away from the pocket, as though playing to give a three miss. The reason for this is that from a distance it would be very difficult indeed to give a three miss even if facing the pocket, as the ball would have to go into the pocket, just missing both the side cushion and the object-ball by 1-32 of an inch. If it travelled only a shade to one side of this three-miss path, it would either graze the sid.e cushion and then graze the ball, or else finely touch the ball in the first instance, in either case finding the pocket. If any player doubt this, lrt him try this stroke a dozen times, playing from a distance, and see how often he can give a three miss, and he will be surprised at "the result. If, on the other hand, a player tried to play sucli a stroke by first striking the cushion, there would always be a probability of the in-off beinr missed owing to the object-ball being struck too full. When the stroke is played from the D, no part of which is facing the opening of the pocket, the space between the objectball and the opposite cushion may be slightly increased without much fear of a three miss being given. Especially will this be the case when playing from the end of the D. on the same side of the tabl© as the pocket played for.