The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-05-24
SOME VALUABLE HINTS
TO BILLIARD PLAYERS

Three Cushions" today takes UP the
third of his discourse upon billiards,
the theme of which in last Sundays
Times. was Wizard Schaefer's run OF
5000 points in 1890. Continuing, he
says:
This contest was til last of straight
rail. The good players became so eX-
pert in rail nursing that the gam
became mouotouous. 1t was TO prevent
this running the balls along the rail
that the balk-line game was originated.
II was first played in the early SOS, with
lines drawn at eight inches from the
cushions. This distance was soon in
creased to twelve inches. and soon al
ter to fourteen, which remained the
standard game until about six years ago,
when the eighteen-inch balk-lne be
came the champion game.
This latter style of play. however,
has proven 100 difficult for any but the
very best players, and the fourreen-inch
game is stil played BY all except the
tip-toppers.
The Ba1k Line Game.
The restrictions of the balk-Iiue game
refer exclusively to the object balls not
at all to the cue ball. the intersec-
lions of the lines making eight diff
fcrent spaces or blocks adjacent 10 the
rails. with large space in the center
of the table When both object balls
are within any one OF the eight spaces,
only two successive shots can be made
with the spheres remaining within the
same space: at least one object bail
must be driven out o. the block
In the 1871 the balls must be dis
placed every shot, instead of every 9th
er shot, as in 49,. If players game
be a we'll balanced one. he will find
he 1872 about so per cent easier than
The 1871 and the l4:2 about 80 per cent
easier than 1872. It is very -sre rhaz
We find a billiardist who will play these
different games in anything like fair
proportion.
The 1871 viii show to great advantage
the wide" players game, whereas the
1872, and in 4 greater degree, the 14:2.
Will be more in accord with the style and
skill OF close" player.
Billiards is essentially a practice
game; very many persons viii assure
you that they know how all the shots
should be made. but that they are IN
able to execute them. This may be true,
but it amounts TO nothing. The essen
tial in everything is that which consti-
tutes it, if you cannot make the shots
you cannot play billiards no matter how
Well you may figure the shots in your
mind. 1t may be some satisfaction Tor
one 10 think that he knows all about
intellectual skill does not go.
TO one who sees billiards played as
much as does the writer-it must often
be = source of wonder that there is not
generally attained a higher degree CT
skill among those who are habitual
players OF the game. The ordinary gen
tleman player takes up the game or
amusement and exercise only; he does
not care TO study even little bit the
problems and difficulties which the
game presents
Game Worth the Trouble
However. il is better TO DO anything.
no matter what. we'll than i'll; it IS
much better to apply the mind 10 the
game and play wei than not to do so
and play badly I do not mean to ia
innate that those who play bad billiards
are lacking il intelligence; not so. They
may have a poor stroke" and without
good stroke" no one can play good
billiards, a good stroke" cannot De
Taught. Beyond a few technical princi-
pies. very elementary. stroke is the
rejection OF the personality OF the
player; 2 graceful forceful person viii
not be apt TO have an awkward, wayer-
ing stroke. and so on.
Those who play billiards much know
tina; certain shots are missed very ire
quently, and always in the same way;
in other words there IS a tendency 20
miss certain shots in a certain way.
Yet SO simple and apparent a fact
seems to miss the observation of the
ordinary player. This tendency -
lc.as'' should be counteracted by play
ing 10 the other extreme II, for in
stance. the habit is TO miss by going 10
the right OF me object ball the effort
should be to aim TO the left etc. In
subsequent paper I shall say something
about the various systems Of teaching
in vogue among billiard instructors.
There is no exercise or same with
which I am familiar which so happily
combines a good mental and physical
''combat" Tor the contestants IS does
billiards. In almost all other games Of
skill the mental side is very much
suaordinated to the purely physical;
Drawn and muscle coont for more than
intelligence.
You have seen very sEillfu. oau play