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"A Screw Cannon"

Having placed the balls as above, just bear in mind my previous hints on the best method whereby you can impart screw to your ball. Above all, keep your cue-butt well down when playing this cannon, as the element of pokiness, sure to come in if you raise your cue butt, will tend to make your ball jump, and to prevent the requisite power of cue-delivery demanded by the distance the red has to travel to reach its positional objective. The lines in this diagram are particularly instructive in showing the after-position of all three balls. You will notice that the continuous line indicating the path of the red stops nicely clear of the side cushion ; that the dotted line showing the direction of the cue-ball runs on after the cannon is made until it nearly reaches the bottom cushion ; and that the cannon is completed off the side cushion in such a way that the second object-ball, struck fully and gently, trickles towards the baulk-cushion until it is practically in line with the cue-ball. This leaves the balls well together in lovely position, but it does not follow that you will invariably leave them exactly as my diagram shows, or even that you need do so. The general direction of the red, the right strength, and cannoning full on the white off the cushion, are the positional factors in the problem. The result is always likely to vary a little in detail, but the leave should be distinctly usable unless the fates are unkind enough to leave the balls badly covered. I mention this to prevent you from slaving away to leave all three balls to a fraction of an inch after making this cannon -that is neither possible nor necessary-you can always pass your screw cannon as quite good in every way if it leaves you a reasonably feasible cannon to continue your break with.