Billiards - As It Should Be Played

By Willie Hoppe

This antiquarian book contains a complete introductory guide to billiards, with information on striking the ball, different strokes and techniques, ball control, common mistakes, and much more. This easy-to-digest guide is full of useful tips and helpful illustrations, and is highly recommended for those looking to hone their snooker or pool skills. The chapters of his book include: “Requisites to Remember”, “Selection of the Proper Cue”, “Fundamentals – The Keynote”, “Position at the Table, or Correct Stance”, “Grip on the Cue”, “Making the Various Bridges”, “Bridges for Follow Shots”, “Striking the Ball”, etcetera. This vintage text is being republished now in an affordable, modern, high quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new introduction on billiards, pool and snooker.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Read Books Ltd.
• Release date: Apr 18, 2013
• ISBN: 9781447498834

Book preview

PUBLISHER’S INTRODUCTION

WILLIE HOPPE (pronounced Hoppy) needs no introduction here—or, for that matter, anywhere else. He has been universally acclaimed the greatest all-around billiard expert of all time. There is hardly a person, from six to sixty—and then some—who does not know the magic name of Hoppe.

The famous cue champion started playing the game at the age of five and a scant eight years later he was known all over the country as the Boy Wonder. He may not any longer be a boy, but he’s certainly still a wonder.

Hoppe won his first world championship billiard match in 1906 at Paris, France, when only 18 years of age and has remained in championship circles ever since—35 years—longer than any other champion in any line of sport.

Today, 35 years later, he holds three world titles—3-cushions, 18.1 balkline, and cushion-caroms. Moreover, he has held every major billiard crown at one time or another; the 18.2 balkline championship having been held by him continuously from 1910 to 1920, and again from 1922 to 1925. He was invincible at balkline then, as he is practically insuperable at 3-cushions now.

Hoppe holds more world cue records than any other billiard expert—past or present. They are listed below for your convenience. Noteworthy among them is his official high run mark in 3-cushion exhibition play of an almost incredible 25; a world 3-cushion tournament grand average mark of 1.161 points per inning in the 1940 cue classic; and world tournament consecutive victory record of 35 games (final two in 1936; 20 straight in 1940—also a world mark in itself;—and 13 in a row in 1941). He compiled a total of 38 wins in his last 39 world title tournament contests—a mark that undoubtedly stands as one of the most remarkable in the annals of all sports and likely to withstand the championship thrusts of all-time.

The former boy Wonder, in his first matches, brought to billiards an entirely new style of play which eventually provided the fundamentals and advanced play upon which, to a great extent, today’s game is based.

His study and elaboration of the Diamond System—for the first time fully and explicitly explained in this work—has been mainly responsible for establishing him as the greatest of all 3-cushion stars.

Hoppe has prepared this book—his first instructive one—for the express purpose of outlining his method of play and practice, designed to assist not only beginners but also advanced players. Everyone interested in billiards can gain a vast fund of knowledge from this book on how to play the game by billiards’ outstanding figure for 35 years.

It was with this thought in mind that we published Billiards As It Should Be Played. In short, it is the last word in billiard instruction and will prove, without doubt, the cue enthusiasts’ Bible.

And you don’t have to take our word for it. We are taking the liberty to include, verbatim, parts of letters received from two notables in the billiard world upon their hearing Hoppe was writing his book. These expressions come from the famed cue authority, Charles C. (Show-Me-A-Shot-I-Can’t-Make) Peterson, and Byron Schoeman, Director of Public Relations for the Billiard Association of America—sponsors of all world title cue classics:

Briefly, Hoppe’s system has been tested and proved to be the most practical of them all. What he has done—and what you can do, too—are best told in his plain, brief and direct instructive style.

So here’s your cue, Mr. Hoppe. Take the opening shot once again and click off your championship points.

THE REILLY & LEE CO.

PUBLISHERS • CHICAGO

BILLIARDS AS IT SHOULD BE PLAYED

By WILLIE HOPPE

(Edited by Byron Schoeman)

Selection of The Proper Cue

THE cue is one of the most important playing factors. Give a player a cue that he can handle and watch him step. The principal elements to consider in the cue are its weight, length, size and kind of tip, grip, spine, taper (shape), balance, and its general playing qualities. Its upkeep and the proper use of chalk on its tip also are valuable to know.

While these may seem trivial to the average player, they are of an importance easily apparent to an expert or semi-skilled player. The cue’s significance is the main reason I start Billiards As It Should Be Played with Selection of the Proper Cue.

WEIGHT OF CUE

Billiard players frequently make the mistake of choosing a very heavy, long cue with a small tip. I urge all players to use an 18 to 20 ounce cue, 54 to 56 inches long, with a tip one-half inch in diameter.

The fact that a very heavy cue enables a player to get greater distance into a cue ball seems to appeal to most players, who like to see a ball hit a lot of cushions. That, of course, is the reason a heavier cue is desirable for 3-cushion play. It is necessary to drive the ball further in 3-cushions than in straight-rail, cushion-caroms, balkline or pocket-billiards.

It is both valuable and interesting to note that all the expert professionals use cues of about the same weight and length. Welker Cochran’s is the heaviest cue among the experts, weighing 21 ounces. Jake Schaefer uses a 19 ounce cue. Almost every topflight player of note uses a cue weighing between 19 and 21 ounces. I know of no leading player who uses a cue weighing more than 21 ounces. The average cue weight used by the stars is 20 ounces. I use a cue weighing between 19 1/2 and 19 3/4 ounces.

LENGTH OF CUE

As to length of cue, there is but little variation. The leading players favor cues 54 to 57 inches long. A cue measuring 55 inches is, in the majority of cases, plenty long enough for 3-cushions. I use a 55 inch cue for 3-cushions. For straight-rail, cushion-caroms, balkline, and other styles of play, I advocate a cue 54 inches long.

CUE TIPS

Use tips which measure approximately one-half inch in diameter. Many players, beginners and experienced, prefer a small tip, but it has been proved that accuracy and firmness of stroke and control of the cue ball are better obtained with a one-half inch tip.

Professional players use a very hard leather tip. It is necessary that only the surface be soft enough to permit a slight roughening so that chalk will take hold. Soft tips are to be avoided.

(Photograph No. 1)—Jointed Cues—Hoppe Style. Note four different styles have little variation.

SUITABILITY TO YOU

Select a cue in harmony with your physical powers. Take special care to select the right taper. Some players prefer slender types, others thick models in either shafts, grips or both. I advise all players to own their own cues, preferably jointed ones of my design. (See Photograph No. 1.)

If you do not possess a private cue, become accustomed, as much as possible, to playing with cues of similar weight and length. A cue, if too heavy, will paralyze the nerves of the arm and render them unable to estimate correctly the amount of force employed, which, among other things, greatly affects the all important playing factor, speed. On the other hand, if the cue is too light, it will call for too much force to allow a steady and deliberate aim. Without some sensation communicated to the hand through the cue, when it comes in contact with the cue ball, it would be impossible to play good billiards.

JOINTED CUES—TAPER OF SHAFTS

As previously stated, jointed cues are preferable. A jointed cue is made in two parts—shaft and butt—connected by a screw joint that can easily be taken apart. When shafts become crooked, badly worn, or broken, they then can be replaced. Players who travel from room to room to play their favorite game find a jointed cue a great convenience, too.

All experts use jointed cues with extra shafts. When something goes wrong with one of their shafts, they then can immediately replace it with another. Select the shaft thickness that conforms most comfortably to your bridge hand. (See Photograph No. 1.)

GRIPS

Grips are made of leather, twine, silk, and cork. I recommend and use a leather grip. So do most of the topflight professionals. The size of the grip—thick or thin—is optional, depending on the individual player’s requirements.

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR CUE

When not in use, a cue should be kept in a cue rack, away from excessive heat or dampness to prevent warping. A cue must be straight, for any crookedness not only distracts the eye, but seriously interferes with playing. If the cue has not sufficient spine, it bends slightly before actually starting the ball on its course. Not enough to see with the naked eye, but it bends, nevertheless. Result—an erratic shot. (See Diagram No. 1.)

A cue should be well sand-papered occasionally with fine sand-paper. The leather tip, particularly, requires frequent sand-papering to keep it from projecting over the cue. This projection of the leather, which is caused by contact with the ball, often causes miscues. The leather should be kept even with the cue and slightly rounded on the top.

Cue tips are used on the points of cues to absorb all the force of each shot. They must withstand a tremendous amount of abuse and punishment. They also must provide a fine surface with which to stroke the ball, and impart the correct action to the cue ball.

The leather tip, therefore, is most important, on account of direct contact with the ball.

For these reasons, when your cue tip becomes too hard and glossy or too soft, tap the tip with a fine cut file. Tap the top of the cue tip with sharp, glancing blows. File until surface is slightly rough, which will enable tip to take and hold chalk much better. Do not use file in a scraping movement; it will tear your tip.

Then take a damp cloth and wet sides of tip, following with a polishing procedure with back of sandpaper or with a smooth piece of leather. This hardens the sides, insures a firm tip, and prevents tip from spreading.

ALWAYS REMEMBER: A properly trimmed and shaped tip will hold chalk much better, therefore guaranteeing less miscues and, of course, better play.

HOW TO USE CHALK

Chalk provides an abrasive film between the leather of the cue tip and the surface of the cue ball, causing adherence and helping the cue to impart proper action to the ball. Chalk prevents miscues—and miscues are often the difference between good and poor playing—winning or losing a game.

(Diagram No. 1)—An exaggerated picture of how a spineless cue acts in actual play.

The proper way to chalk a tip is to hold a piece of chalk perfectly horizontal on the top of the tip and revolve the chalk with a few brisk half-motions of the wrist over the tip. Tilt slightly to chalk the edges. Don’t revolve the cue tip under a steady hand of chalk. This is the mistake made by most players, especially beginners. And don’t hold the chalk in an almost vertical position and twist the cue around. In this manner, the edge of the tip is worn to a point, causing miscues, and chalk does not properly adhere to the tip.

A cue that feels 100% comfortable in your hands; not too long or heavy; not too short or light; a proper watch and use of cue tips, and correct and regular chalking of the cue will guarantee, through less miscues, etc., your objective—better billiards.

FUNDAMENTALS—THE KEYNOTE

BILLIARDS, contrary to the belief of some players, is not a