Here the player has to consider the position of all three balls at the end
of the stroke. There are two ways of getting position in playing a cannon.
We can leave the red over a pocket, or play to bring the balls together. It
is obvious that when all the balls are close together, it is almost a
certainty that there is an easy score left.
Suppose, in Fig. 6, the red ball is on the spot S, the white ball at B, and
the player in hand. There is, of course, an easy cannon left, but how ought
he to play it so as to leave an easy score next time?
The game here is to leave the balls together at the end of the stroke. The
striker spots his ball at A in baulk, so as to strike B the ordinary
half-ball stroke. The stroke should be played slowly, so that the white
ball rebounds off the left-hand upper side cushion at C, and travels
towards D. The player's own ball hits the red gently, and all three balls
are left close together, near the top of the table, one of the best
positions possible.
[Illustration: FIG. 7.]
[Illustration: FIG. 8.]
{314}
In playing to leave the red ball over a pocket, a good deal depends upon
whether you play a cannon off the red on to the white, or off the white on
to the red. For instance, in Fig. 7, suppose the striker in hand, and the
two other balls stationed at A and R. If A is the red ball, the stroke is
played one way, and if A is the white ball it is played another way. If A
is the red you should play to make the cannon with just sufficient strength
to double the red across the table, and leave it in position A_1, over the
middle pocket. If R was the red ball, you ought to play with just
sufficient strength, and also sufficiently accurately, to hit the red ball
full and leave it in position R_1, over the left-hand top pocket.
Another important point in playing cannons is to play what is called
"outside" the balls when they are close together. Suppose, in Fig. 7, the
balls are in the position shown in C, D, and E. C is the player's ball. If
he hits D and makes the cannon hitting E full, he separates the balls, but
if he plays so as to just touch D and E, hitting them on the extreme edge,
he keeps them together.
[Illustration: FIG. 9.]
[Illustration: FIG. 10.]
{317}
We will, in conclusion, give a brief explanation of the spot stroke in the
"all-in game." This is in fact, as we have already seen, a series of spot
hazards.[70] We must, however, warn the beginner that though nothing looks
more simple, nothing really is more difficult. The simplest position for
the spot stroke is when the striker's ball is in a direct line with the red
ball and the pocket (Fig. 8). Of course, the proper play is to screw back
and bring your own ball into the same place. Were this a "certainty," the
striker would go on scoring for ever. Sooner or later, however, he will
find his ball will not come back quite straight. It will come back slightly
nearer the top cushion, or rather more away from it. In the first of these
cases (position 2, Fig. 9), the best plan is to follow through the red
ball. This can be done simply by a following stroke. A is the striker's
ball; B the position of the striker's ball after the stroke. When the balls
are nearly, but not quite straight, this is done by means of a stab shot.
In position 3 (Fig. 10) the striker's ball is at A. The play now is to drop
on to the red ball with sufficient strength to put it in, and get position
at B off the top cushion. Sometimes a little side is necessary.
In position 4 (Fig. 11) the striker's ball A is nearly, but not quite, in a
line with the red ball and the opposite pocket. When this is the case, the
only way to get position is to run through the red and get position off the
two cushions. You must play to hit your ball very high and with a great
deal of freedom of cue. It is a stroke in which a beginner would probably
fail.
[Illustration: FIG. 11.]
[Illustration: FIG. 12.]
{320}
It is as well to know within what limits the spot stroke can be played.
Suppose we draw a line, X Y (Fig. 12), through the spot S, parallel with
the top cushion. If the striker's ball is within this line or nearer to the
top cushion, it is no use putting in the red gently, as position would be
lost. The only plan to recover position is to play all round the table.
Suppose the striker's ball is within the line at A, he now plays to put the
red ball in the right-hand top pocket and recover position by going right
round the table till his ball stops at B. This is a very difficult stroke,
but is often played for and obtained by a first-class player.