Visit Forum

"THE USE OF SIDE"

I am inclined to regret that the phrase has entirely died out. It may have been general to a fault, but it certainly had the great merit of marking a sharp line between plain-ball strokes and those which demand the use of side, screw, or top, especially side.

These strokes are much too easily confused with plain-ball strokes by the great majority of careless players, or by those who do not realize what a tremendous difference there is between plain-ball and other strokes in actual play.

It is so easy to talk about "just a little side to help the ball into the pocket," but the fact of the matter is that a "little" side is seldom wanted in the open game I advise you to play, so seldom that if you rule it out altogether you stand to gain more than you will lose.

Close billiards is altogether different. At the spot-end of the table deft touches with a "little" side may be wanted in successive shots, and knowing just how much side to use on such occasions is no small part of the beautiful artistry of such wonderful exponents of the gentle art of nursery cannon play as Tom Newman and Claude Falkiner ; although I believe that the former relies much more on plain-ball striking than he is commonly credited with doing.