It is evident that after playing a winning hazard the position of the
object ball is known--viz., as a rule, on the spot. Should the player put
in the white, his only excuse must be to make a baulk; otherwise it is bad
play. His opponent, next time he plays, can spot his ball anywhere he likes
in the semicircle, and if the other balls are out of baulk, he is almost
certain to score. Consequently, the only winning hazards worth discussing
are red winning hazards. In making a winning hazard, the player, as a rule,
should try and get near the spot himself, so as to play for the spot, or
else play to leave his own ball where there would be an easy losing hazard
off the red on the spot next time. In Fig. 6 we give two illustrations.
Suppose, first of all, the red ball is over the right-hand middle pocket at
H. The proper professional play would be to put the ball in the pocket, and
then run up the table towards L, and try and get into position for the
spot, but the ordinary amateur, who, when he gets into position for the
spot, can only make one hazard and then breaks down, had better not play
for the spot at all. In the position given in the diagram, it would be
better play to put the red ball in the pocket, and try and leave your own
ball at H_1; then there is a certain losing hazard next time off the red
into the left-hand top pocket. {310}
[Illustration: FIG. 6.]
{311}
Again, suppose the balls are left in the position W (the white ball), and X
(the red ball), many beginners would play for the six stroke, but it would
be very bad play, as the red ball would be on the spot, and the striker in
hand. The proper play is to put the red ball in the pocket and leave your
own ball in the jaws of the pocket, thus leaving a certain losing
hazard--in off the red into the opposite top pocket--next time; a stroke,
too, in which it is always easy to leave the red ball over the middle
pocket in the stroke following.
However, as we have said, the chief difficulty in getting good position is
when playing--