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"Using a Knowledge of the Angles of the Table"

Such expert players as Newman, Falkiner, or Reece might bring off a glorious masse cannon, but would be more likely to miss it on account of the distance between the two object-balls.

The cue-ball is placed too close to the first object-ball, and all three balls are too nearly in line for a follow-through cannon to be even thought about-there is "no room" for a fine cannon with side via the top cushion. Altogether, a very unfriendly leave. By far the best shot to play is the daring three cushion cannon shown in my diagram. No side is required on the cue-ball, but it should be struck rather above its centre to help it round the table. You play very fine on the red, just cutting it away to bump once off the top cushion, as my diagram shows. Meanwhile, your ball travels completely round the table, as shown by the dotted line in the diagram, and makes the cannon much more frequently than you may think possible, always leaving the balls together, when the cannon is scored. I do not suggest that you can hope to reduce this cannon to an absolute certainty, but it will come off times enough to be well worth knowing, especially as it gives you a distinct chance of recovery when everything seems lost.