When either player has succeeded in getting all his men into his home table, he proceeds to "bear them off"—i.e., to remove them from the board. When the game has reached this stage, each throw entitles the player either to move forward a man or men (to the extent indicated by the throw) within the limits of his own table, or to remove men from the corresponding points. Thus, suppose that the player's men are thus distributed in his table: five men on the cinque point, three on the quatre point, three on the deuce, and four on the ace point, the trois and six points being unoccupied (see Fig. 2). Suppose that the player throws "quatre trois." For the quatre, he may either remove a man from the quatre point or advance a man from the "cinque" to the "ace" point. In the case of the trois, he has no man on that point, and therefore must play forward, either by advancing a man from the cinque to the deuce, or from the quatre to the ace point. If, however, he throws a number which he cannot deal with after either of these fashions—e.g., a six, he is entitled to bear off a man from his highest occupied point, in this case the cinque.
Doublets have, as in the earlier stage of the game, a twofold value, and may be played either wholly by moving men forward, wholly by bearing off, or partly by the one method and partly by the other, as may be desirable. Suppose, for instance, that the player, having his men as shown in the figure, throws deuces; having only three men on the deuce point, he can only bear off that number; the fourth man must be played forward, either from the cinque or quatre point.
The player who first succeeds in removing all his men from the board wins the game, but the value of the game depends upon the stage reached by the adverse player, as follows:—
If the adversary has got all his men into his own home table, and has begun to bear off, the game of the winner is known as a "hit."
If the winner has borne off all his men before his adversary has begun to do the same, the game is known as a "gammon." The loser is said to be "gammoned," and pays double the agreed stake.
If the winner has borne off all his men while the adversary has still a man or men "up" (i.e., on the bar) or in his (the winner's) home table, the game is a "backgammon," and the loser pays either thrice or four times (as may have been agreed) the amount of the single stake.
Where several games are played in succession, the winner of a "hit" throws first in the game next following. After a gammon or backgammon, the players throw again for the right to begin, as at starting.
Hints for Play.
A leading principle is to "make points" whenever you fairly can, especially in or close to your home table. A second general principle is to avoid the leaving of "blots," particularly where they are likely to be "hit" by the adversary.[66] This latter principle is, however, subject to many qualifications. The advantages of spreading your men, in readiness to make points, may more than counterbalance the risk, and in certain critical conditions of the game it is sometimes even desirable to be "hit," inasmuch as it enables you to make a fresh start from your adversary's home table, and so get the opportunity in turn of taking him up.
At the opening of a game the men on both sides are in a uniform position, and it is, consequently, possible to lay down specific rules as to the best method of playing any given throw. We will go seriatim through all the possible throws. In some instances alternative methods will be given, according as the player aims merely at securing a hit, and is content, therefore, to play for safety, or elects to play a more risky game upon the chance of securing a gammon. This case often arises where the player has already lost the first hit of a rubber, in which case, if he loses the next game, he has lost the rubber also; but if he can secure a gammon (reckoning as a double game), he becomes the winner of the rubber.
Aces.—(The best possible throw at starting.) Play two men on your "bar" point, and two on your cinque point.[67]
Deuce Ace.—For a hit, play the deuce from the five men in your adversary's outer-table, and the ace from the ace point in his inner table. For a gammon, play the ace from the six to the ace point in your own table.
Deuces.—For a hit, play two from the six to the quatre point in your own table, and the other two from the ace to the trois point in your opponent's inner table. For a gammon, play the second pair from the five men in his outer table.
Trois Ace.—Make your cinque point.
Trois Deuce.—The approved play is to carry two men from the five in your adversary's outer table to the quatre and cinque points in your own outer table. This, of course, makes two blots. To avoid this, some, for a hit, play one man from the same point to the deuce point in the above-mentioned table, but the bolder play is to be preferred.
Double Trois.—There are three ways of playing this throw. Some players make the bar point. The more usual play is, for a hit, to play two to the cinque point in the player's own, and the other two to the quatre point in the adversary's table. For a gammon, play the last two from the six to the trois point in your own table.
Quatre Ace.—Play the quatre from the five men in your opponent's outer table, and the ace from his ace point. (Timid players, fearing to leave two blots, sometimes play the whole throw from the first-mentioned point, but the plan is not to be recommended.)
Quatre Deuce.—Make your quatre point.
Quatre Trois.—Play two men from the five in your adversary's outer table.
Double Quatre.—Play two men from the ace to the cinque point in the adversary's inner table, and two from the five in his outer table. For a gammon, play two men only, from the point last mentioned to the cinque point in your own table.
Cinque Ace.—Play the cinque from the five men in your adversary's outer table, and the ace from the ace point in his inner table. For a gammon, play the ace from the six to the cinque point in your own table.
Cinque Deuce.—Play both men from the five in your adversary's outer table.
Cinque Trois.—Make your trois point.
Cinque Quatre.—Move one man from your adversary's ace point to the trois point in his outer table.
Double Cinque.—Carry two men from the five in the adversary's outer table, and make your trois point.
Six Ace.—Make your bar point.
Six Deuce.—Move a man from the five in your adversary's outer table to the cinque point in your own table.
Six Trois, Six Quatre, Six Cinque.—Carry one man from your adversary's ace point as far as the throw will permit.
Sixes.—Place two men on your adversary's bar point, and two on your own.
Of the above throws (at the outset of the game), double aces are reckoned the best, and double sixes next best. Double trois comes third, followed by trois ace and six ace. Doublets, if playable, are good, as covering greater distance.
Any throw in which the higher of the two numbers is two in advance of the other (as cinque trois, trois ace) is also good, as enabling you to make a point in your table.[68]
BAGATELLE.
Bagatelle is played with nine ivory balls on a special table or board, oblong in shape, from 6 to 10 ft. long, and in width about one-fourth of its length, as shown in Fig. 2. At that end of the board which in use is farthest from the player are sunk nine hemispherical holes or cups, one as a centre, with the others in a circle round it. Each hole bears a number, as shown in Fig. 1.
Of the nine balls one is black, four are white, and four are red. Whatever the diameter of the balls, that of the cups must exactly correspond with it. The sides of the board are furnished with a continuous cushion, such cushion at the upper end forming a semi-circle, concentric with the circle made by the cups. The upper edge of each side of the board is pierced with a double row of small holes, sixty in each row, arranged in groups of five. The score is marked by inserting little ivory pegs in these holes, each player using one side of the board. To score the number obtained, the player removes his hinder peg for the time being, and places it the required number of holes in front of the foremost peg.
The balls are propelled, at the option of the player, either with a cue (Fig. 4) or with the mace (Fig. 5). The cue is a reproduction in miniature of that used at Billiards. The mace consists of an oblong "shoe," or block of wood, slightly curved, attached to a long thin tapering handle.
The cue is used as at Billiards. The mace is handled in a different manner. The shoe at its foot is placed in actual contact with the ball, the handle pointing over the right shoulder of the player, grasped, about one-third from the top, between the thumb and second and third fingers of the right hand. The ball is then pushed forward in the desired direction. At best the mace is but a clumsy implement, and would never be used by any one who had acquired even the most elementary skill in handling the cue.
At starting, the black ball is placed on the spot marked a (Fig. 2). The player, taking the remaining balls, places one of them on the spot marked b, and impels it in the direction of the black ball. If he hits this latter, the stroke is good, and he plays another ball, continuing till the whole eight have been played. If, however, the first ball played miss the black, it is removed from the table (whether it fall into a hole or not), and is lost to the player for that turn, as also any succeeding ball until the black ball is hit, after which the obligation to strike it ceases. If any ball is so struck as to be driven back towards the player more than half-way down the board, it is in like manner removed. After the black ball is once struck, the player is no longer obliged to place his own ball on the spot b, but may place it at any point behind such spot. He continues till the whole of the eight balls have been played.
The object of the player is to "hole" as many of his balls as possible, preferably in the cups bearing the higher numbers. The black ball counts double, and a good player will, therefore, endeavour to get this into the centre hole. This, however, is somewhat difficult, for, if struck directly towards the 9, it must pass over the 1, and is very likely to hole itself therein. It is, therefore, safer play to strike it lightly on the right side, and so drive it towards the 8, into which it may probably be coaxed by a subsequent ball. When the black ball has found a resting-place, the efforts of the player are directed to place his remaining balls to the best advantage. The approved methods of play for doing this, as to holes 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, are indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3, the ball being so struck as to go "off the cushion" into the desired hole. The best mode of playing a given ball will, however, be greatly governed by the positions occupied by preceding balls.
It frequently happens that a number of balls lie at distances less than their own diameter from the semicircular cushion at top. In such case, a ball sent slowly round the cushion will strike them all in succession, and, driving them towards the centre, may hole one or more of them. If, on the other hand, the balls in question are more than their own diameter from the cushion, the ball sent in pursuit of them will run harmlessly round, and very probably be lost by overpassing the half-way line. Or, again, the balls may be lying close under the cushion, and the impact of the ball in play may simply drive them further round.
It frequently happens that a ball lies just on the brink of a hole, and that a discreet touch in the right place will cause it to drop therein. For such strokes as these the instructions given for securing winning hazards at Billiards may be studied with advantage.
The game is usually 120 points—i.e., up and down the board. This number, is, however, not absolute, the player who first reaches it continuing to play until the whole of his eight balls are exhausted, and scoring the whole number obtained. If he be the second player, the game is then at an end, but if he was the first to play, the second player is entitled to play his eight balls also, and the player attaining the larger total is the winner.
If, when the game is won, the loser has not turned the corner—i.e., begun to score on the downward journey, the game is a "double," and if there was any stake, the loser pays double accordingly.
Where four persons take part, two play as partners against the two others, one of each side playing alternately the whole of the eight balls.[69]
BILLIARDS.
The best introduction to an account of Billiards will be a brief explanation of the implements of the game and the terms used in connection with it.
The bed of a full-sized table (see Fig. 1) is 12 ft. long, and 6 ft. 1½ inches wide. The pockets are 3⅝ inches across. The billiard spot, S, is 12¾ inches from the centre of the top cushion, opposite to the baulk. The pyramid spot, P, is placed at the intersection of two lines drawn from the two middle pockets to the opposite top pockets. The centre spot, M, is exactly between the middle pockets. The "baulk" is the space behind a line drawn across the table, 29 inches from the face of the bottom cushion, and parallel to it. The "half-circle," or "D," is 23 inches in diameter, its centre, K, coinciding with the centre of the baulk-line.
The game is played with three balls of equal size and weight, one red, one white, and one spot-white. The diameter of a ball must be not less than 21⁄16 inches, nor more than 23⁄32 inches. The diameter of a match ball, under National Rules, is 25⁄64 inches.
The choice of balls and order of play is, unless mutually agreed upon, determined by "stringing" (i.e., playing from baulk up the table, so as to strike the top cushion). The striker whose ball stops nearest the lower cushion may take which ball he likes, and play, or direct his opponent to play, as he may deem expedient. In stringing, under National Rules, the players must both play at the same time.
The red ball is, at the opening of every game, placed on the billiard spot, and must be replaced after being pocketed or forced off the table. If the billiard spot be occupied, the red ball must be placed on the pyramid spot, or, if that also be occupied, on the centre spot.
When any player plays from baulk, he must place his ball within the half-circle, or on the line that contains it.
Whoever breaks the balls (i.e., leads off) must play out of baulk, though it is not necessary that he shall strike the red ball, and he may give a miss in or out of baulk. But, if in baulk, he must first strike a cushion out of baulk. No player who is in hand is allowed to strike any ball in baulk, or on the baulk-line, unless his ball has first struck a cushion out of baulk. Should, however, a ball be out of baulk, the player in hand may strike any part of that ball without his own ball necessarily going out of baulk.
The player continues to play until he ceases to score, when his opponent follows on.
The various strokes are as under:
1.—A winning hazard is made by the player causing his own ball to hit an object ball and forcing the latter into a pocket.
2.—A losing hazard is made by the player causing his own ball to hit an object ball and forcing his own ball into a pocket.
3.—A cannon is made by causing the player's ball to strike the two object balls. By Billiard Association rules, when two object balls are struck simultaneously, the stroke shall be scored as if the white had been struck first. Under National Rules, such a stroke counts as if the red were struck first.
4.—A coup is made by forcing the player's own ball into a pocket without first striking another ball.
A miss counts one, a coup three, to the opposite player.
The scores are counted as follows:—
A.—A two stroke is made by pocketing an opponent's ball—i.e., a winning hazard; or by pocketing the striker's ball off his opponent's—i.e., a losing hazard; or by making a cannon.
B.—A three stroke is made by pocketing the red ball—i.e., a red winning hazard; or by pocketing the striker's ball off the red—i.e., a red losing hazard.
C.—A four stroke may be made by pocketing the white and spot-white balls; or by making a cannon and pocketing an opponent's ball; or by making a cannon and pocketing the striker's ball, the opponent's ball having been first hit.
D.—A five stroke may be made by scoring a cannon and pocketing the red ball; or by a cannon and pocketing the striker's ball, after having struck the red ball first or both balls simultaneously; or by pocketing the red ball and the opponent's ball without cannoning, or by making a losing hazard off the white and pocketing the red ball.
E.—A six stroke is made by the red ball being struck first, and the striker's and the red ball pocketed; or by a cannon off an opponent's ball on to the red and pocketing the two white balls.
F.—A seven stroke is made by striking an opponent's ball first, pocketing it, making a cannon, and pocketing the red also; or by making a cannon and pocketing the red and an opponent's ball; or by playing at an opponent's ball first and pocketing all the balls without making a cannon; or by playing at the red first, cannoning, and pocketing your own and the opponent's ball.
G.—An eight stroke is made by striking the red ball first, pocketing it, making a cannon, and pocketing the striker's ball; or by hitting the red first and pocketing all the balls without making a cannon.
H.—A nine stroke is made by striking an opponent's ball first, making a cannon, and pocketing all the balls.
I.—A ten stroke is made by striking the red ball first, making a cannon, and pocketing all the balls.
Reverting to the terms used in the game, the "cue" is the stick with which the player strikes the ball. It varies in length from 4 ft. 6 inches to 5 ft. The thick end or butt has a diameter of about 1½ inches. The small end or tip varies from ½ to ¼ inch in diameter. The average is about ⅜ of an inch.
The tip is formed of two pieces of leather glued together. When the tip gets greasy or too smooth, it should be rubbed with a piece of chalk.
The Rest.—The real "rest," that is, the support on which the cue is raised in order to strike the ball, is the left hand. This, however, is more generally termed the "bridge"; what is known as the "rest," or "jigger," is a cross of wood fixed at right angles to a handle about the same length as the cue, in order to enable a player to strike a ball when it is too far away to allow him to use his hand as a bridge. Special rests, and cues of extra length, are made to meet exceptional positions of the balls.
In Hand.—A ball is said to be in hand when it is off the table, and the player has to play from the half-circle or D.
Breaking the Balls.—Whoever plays, being in hand, when the red ball is on the spot and the other ball also is in hand, is said to break the balls.
In Baulk.—A ball is said to be in baulk when it is between the baulk-line and the bottom cushion.
Break.—The series of scores terminating with the stroke in which the player fails to score is called a break.
Screw and Screw-back.—This is putting a rotatory motion on a ball, causing it to spin on a horizontal axis backwards. Screw is put on by striking the ball below the centre.
Following Stroke.—This is putting a rotatory motion on a ball, causing it to spin on a horizontal axis forwards instead of backwards. The stroke is made by striking the ball high up above the centre.
Side.—This is a rotatory motion put on a ball, making it spin on a perpendicular axis.
In each of the foregoing cases the ball is made to take, after striking another ball, or a cushion, a direction different from that which it would take did no such rotatory motion exist.
In order that the learner may the better understand the meaning of screw, screw-back, following stroke, and side, we will illustrate them by means of a diagram.
In Fig. 1 we will suppose the red ball to be placed on the middle spot in the table, M. The player places his own ball in the centre spot in the baulk-line, K, and aims his ball, first of all, so as to strike the object ball with the ordinary Half-ball Stroke—that is, the centre of his ball advances towards the extreme edge of the object ball.
In Fig. 2, O is the object ball; S, the striker's ball. In order to play the half-ball stroke, it is necessary that the player should aim at the point E, the extreme edge of the horizontal diameter of the object ball. Of course, as the diagram shows, he will not strike the ball in the point at which he aims (this is never done save in the case of the ball being struck exactly in the centre), but as S1, in the point C. When the object ball is thus struck, the striker's ball, supposing there is no screw on the ball, will take the direction indicated in Fig. 2 as S2. This angle is called the natural angle; about this natural angle we shall have to say more by-and-by. Suppose the stroke played thus. After playing, the ball will follow the line M P (Fig. 1). Now suppose some strong screw had been put on the ball by hitting it low down. The ball, owing to the hit, and to its after-contact with the ball at M, would follow the line M P; but, owing to the rotatory motion making the ball revolve or spin backwards, it has a tendency to run back again towards K, the point from which it started. Under the influence of these two forces, the ball takes the medium course shown by the dotted line M P1. In other words, the striker, although he hits the object ball a half-ball stroke, screws into the middle pocket.
Now suppose, instead of hitting the ball below the centre, he hits it high up above the centre, so as to make the ball rotate forwards. After the balls have come in contact, the rotatory motion forwards has a tendency to make the striker's ball run onwards towards the top cushion and away from K, the point from which it started; but the contact with the object ball would—did no rotatory motion exist—cause it to follow the direction of the line M P. Under the influence of these two forces the ball takes a medium course, and follows the line M P2.
If the player hit the ball at M full, that is, played at it quite straight and hit the ball at M in its nearest point, then, if he put on screw, his own ball would, after striking the ball at M, stop and run back towards K, fast or not according to the amount of rotatory motion he succeeded in putting on his own ball when he struck it.
If the player hit the ball at M full, and hit his own ball high up and above the centre—the following stroke—his ball, after striking the ball at M, would follow on, and, if he hit it exactly, would go on in the direction of the spots, P and S.
In putting on side, the ball is caused to rotate on a perpendicular axis. For instance (vide Fig. 1), suppose the player places his ball on the centre spot in baulk, K, and hits the cushion in the point T without putting on any side, then the ball would rebound in the direction of T R, just as the angles of incidence and reflection are equal. Suppose, however, the player strikes his ball on the right-hand side, causing it to rotate on a perpendicular axis. When the ball touches the cushion at T, this rotation, owing to the friction between the ball and the cushion, causes the ball to take the direction shown in the diagram by the line T R1. If, on the other hand, the player hits his ball on the left-hand side, the ball will rebound in the contrary direction shown by line T R2. This latter stroke is what every player has to make when he wishes to give a miss in baulk.
When a great deal of side is put on a ball, this side has but little effect till the ball touches a cushion.
Fluke.—When a player plays for one thing, misses it, and gets another, the stroke is called a fluke. Thus, if a man plays for a cannon, misses the cannon and his ball runs into a pocket off the other ball instead, it is a fluke. If, however, he plays for the cannon and makes it, and then his ball runs into a pocket, it is not regarded as a fluke, although he gets what he did not play for.
A Jenny is a losing hazard into one of the middle pockets off a ball near to one of the lower-side cushions. A long jenny is a losing hazard off a ball similarly placed into one of the top pockets.
Spot Stroke.—A stroke by which a player pockets the red ball from the billiard spot, at the same time bringing his own ball into position to pocket the red again, when the latter is replaced on the billiard spot.
All-in Game.—A game in which, by prior agreement, any number of spot strokes may be consecutively scored.
Spot-barred Game.—By the Billiard Association Rules, "if the red ball be pocketed from the billiard spot twice in consecutive strokes by the same player, and not in conjunction with any other score, it shall be placed on the centre spot; if a ball prevent this, then on the pyramid spot, and if both centre and pyramid spots be covered, then on the billiard spot. When the red ball is again pocketed it shall be placed on the billiard spot."
Furthermore, "if when the billiard spot is occupied, a player pocket the red ball from the pyramid spot twice in consecutive strokes, and not in conjunction with any other score, it shall be placed on the centre spot. Should the player, with his next stroke, pocket it again, it shall be placed on the pyramid spot."
To get on the Spot.—When a player gets his own ball into an easy position for playing the spot stroke, he is said to get "on the spot."
Kiss.—When the balls come in contact a second time they are said to kiss.
A Nursery.—A series of cannons made when all three balls are very close together is called a nursery of cannons.
Safety.—When any one plays simply to leave the balls in such a position that his opponent cannot score by his next stroke, he is said to play for safety.
Twist.—Another name for screw.
Stab, or Stick-shot.—When any one plays to put a ball in and leave his own ball exactly on the spot where the object ball was, or only a very little way beyond it, the stroke is called a stab.
Line Ball.—A ball whose centre is exactly on the baulk-line.
Foul.—A stroke which infringes any rule of the game.
Object Ball.—The ball upon which the striker's own ball impinges.
Jammed.—When the two object balls touch in the jaws of a pocket, and each touches a different cushion at the same time.
Steeplechase Stroke.—When the striker's own ball is forced off the surface of the table on to, or over, one or both of the object balls. By the Billiard Association Rules, this stroke, "if properly made, is fair, and the referee is the proper person to decide the matter."
One of the most important points for the beginner, as well as for the more experienced player, is the selection of a thoroughly good and reliable cue. Strangely enough, this matter generally receives very little attention, the neophyte being content to take the first that comes to hand. What is even worse, he will change about from day to day,—or from hour to hour,—using cues of different shapes, weight, and balance; and is then surprised that he does not make the progress that he expected.
Reverting to the subject of the half-ball stroke, it is of the greatest importance that all beginners should understand how much depends upon their being able to hit the object ball in the way shown in Fig. 2. Their whole future success as billiard-players will depend upon the accuracy with which they learn to hit the object ball in this particular manner.
First of all, the beginner must learn to hit his own ball freely. We would recommend him to take his first practice-lesson by learning simply how to hit a ball hard—i.e., have only one ball to play with. After he has gained a certain amount of what is called freedom of cue, he must next learn to aim at the object ball, so that he always hits it in what we have described as the half-stroke. To ascertain whether he has acquired sufficient "freedom of cue," let him see how many times he can send his own ball up and down the table.
In learning to simply strike your own ball, it is important to learn to strike it hard without putting on side. Place your ball in baulk, say nearly in the centre of the half-circle; now play straight up at the top cushion hard. If you hit your ball fairly in the centre, the ball will come back straight; if you don't you will put on side, and you can tell how much by the angle at which the ball will rebound from the top cushion. Commence learning, therefore, by hitting your own ball hard enough to send it four to five times up and down the table without side. This is not so easy as many persons would think.
Having learnt to hit his own ball fairly in the centre, the beginner must next learn to hit the object ball a half-ball stroke; and for this purpose it is a very good exercise, at the commencement, to place the red ball on the spot, S (vide Fig. 3), and the striker's ball in position A, that is, just in front of the middle pocket, an inch or two along an imaginary line drawn from the centre of the middle pocket to the edge of the object ball placed on the spot.
The losing hazard off the red into the right-hand top pocket ought now to be a certainty, it being a simple half-ball stroke. After making the hazard, the red ball should, after striking the top cushion, rebound in a line right down the centre of the table (as shown by the dotted line W W).
By watching the direction of the red ball after striking, the beginner will be able to see if he has struck the ball correctly. If he hits it too fine, the red ball will come down the table on the left of the centre line, W W. Should he strike the red ball too full, the red will come down the table on the right-hand side of the line W W.
When the beginner has practised this stroke till he can make a certainty of it, he may then begin to learn how to play what may be called "forcing hazards." For this purpose he can gradually place his own ball lower and lower down the table, as shown in Fig. 3. Suppose, for instance, he places his own ball at B. There is still an easy losing hazard off the red into the top corner pocket, the only difference being that the stroke must be played harder. When the ball was placed at A, the losing hazard could be made by simply what is called dropping on to the ball. In fact, the stroke could be played so slowly, that the red ball, after striking the top cushion, would not rebound more than a foot down the table. As, however, the striker's ball is placed lower and lower down the table in the positions shown by the letters B and C, so the stroke must be played harder and harder.
Another perfect half-ball stroke that can be played either slowly or fast, is shown by the two lines, in Fig. 3, drawn from the spot S to the two top pockets. Suppose a ball to be placed in the centre of either top pocket, or a few inches along the line drawn from the pocket to the spot. Then it is a simple half-ball stroke to go in off the red into the other top pocket.
Place the white ball an inch or two away from the top pocket along the line drawn, and place the red ball on the spot. Then drop on to the ball quietly. The hazard is easy, and, supposing you play from, say, the left-hand top pocket, you will not only make the losing hazard, but you will leave the red ball in a position for another easy hazard into the middle pocket. Your own ball, the white, for the next stroke will be in baulk; the red ball will, if you play the stroke correctly, travel along the dotted line shown in the diagram, and stop somewhere about R, thus leaving an easy hazard next time into the right-hand middle pocket.
Having thus practised the half-ball stroke with slow strength and fast strength, the next point to be considered is losing hazards into the top pockets from baulk. These losing hazards may be called the very backbone of the game.
The chief difficulty experienced by a beginner will be to know where to spot his ball in baulk. This will only come with practice. The eye will gradually accustom itself to the angle. A good player can tell at a glance whether or not a stroke is easy. We would recommend any one learning the game to make one or two spots on the table as follows. First place a card or thin piece of wood upright against the top cushion, and then measure down the table 3 ft. 9½ in. Make a mark on the cloth (a little cross is best), and then place the red ball on this spot. Next let him place the white ball at K (Fig. 4), the centre spot in baulk. The red ball is placed on the spot A, which, as we have said, is just 3 ft. 9½ in. from the face of the top cushion. Now there is an easy losing hazard, if the stroke be played with the ordinary half-ball stroke, into either top pocket off the red ball.
This stroke is capital practice for the beginner, as it gets his eye used to the angle which we have called the "natural" angle.
The advantage of playing the natural angle is that, supposing you fail to hit the ball exactly as you intended, a very slight error in aiming does not alter materially the direction of your own ball after it has come in contact with the object ball.
Suppose, now, the beginner has succeeded in going into first one top pocket and then the other several times, let him take the red ball off the spot marked A in Fig. 4, and place it on M, the centre spot in the table. Now let him place his own ball in baulk on the proper spot to go into, say, the left-hand top pocket off M. The proper spot is B in the diagram, but then, where is B? B ought to be seven and a half inches from K, the centre spot in baulk. Similarly, if the player wished to go into the right-hand top pocket off the red ball at M, he would have to spot his own ball on a spot seven-and-a-half inches to the right of K.
As a rule, beginners all make the same mistake. They will, as a rule, spot their ball too near to K, and, of course, the further they are out in their reckoning, the more they have to learn. It would be as well, however, to let a beginner play the stroke. Suppose, for instance, that instead of spotting his ball at B, seven and a half inches to the left of K, he spots his ball only five inches to the left of K. Let him play his stroke, and instead of going into the left-hand top pocket, his ball will strike the left-hand upper cushion several inches below the pocket. Now let him measure the correct seven and a half inches, and, although he will think he is going to miss the stroke, to his own surprise he will make it. It is very good practice to go in off a ball placed on the middle spot M, first into one top pocket, and then into another, being careful always to watch the direction taken by the red ball after the stroke, with an eye to playing the right strength to leave an easy losing hazard next time.
We next come to—
Middle-Pocket Hazards.
We will suppose that the beginner has now fairly learned how to play losing hazards in the top pockets, and also how to spot his ball for the natural angle. In playing losing hazards into the middle pockets, it is quite as important that this angle, and this only, should be used. In Fig. 5 we give two illustrations of simple hazards into the middle pockets. The hazards themselves are, comparatively speaking, easy; but the chief point to be borne in mind is position—that is, having made the hazard, how can we leave the red ball so that there shall be another easy hazard next time? The endeavour should be to keep the red ball in the centre of the table as much as possible. As a rule, the game is to play to bring down the red ball over the middle pocket again. Now, in Fig. 5, suppose the player at H tries to go into the right-hand middle pocket off a ball at D, the proper play would be to strike the red ball so that it goes up the table, and, following the dotted lines, returns to D1. If the player hits the red a trifle too fine the red ball would travel to the left of this dotted line, and a losing hazard would be left off the red into one of the top pockets. If, however, in playing the stroke, the player hits his ball a trifle too full, the red ball would then probably travel along the dotted line terminating in D2, and there would be no score left next time.