Captain Crawley’s Billiard Maxims

The Billiard Times. July, 1912

“An hour’s careful play daily will make you a good player, especially if you are judicious in choosing your adversaries, and matching yourself, by preference, against good rather than bad players.”

“It is useless to multiply diagrams if you do not practise them on the table.”

“You should not make yourselves slaves to billiards—nothing would be more absurd than that.”

“You may point correctly at your ball, but you must also strike it at the precise spot pointed at or you will fail to make the stroke you desired.”

“It is believed that active players walk a couple of miles round the table every hour.”

“It is impossible to provide a rule and direction for every incident in billiard-play; something must be left for tact, talent, and genius to accomplish, or why are we blessed with intellectual faculties?”

“Nothing is so destructive of all chance of becoming a good player as uncertainty of execution.”

“Unless your mind is thoroughly satisfied that your hand can carry out its intentions, you will never be a billiard player.”

“Billiards can only be properly played when the mind of the player is free from other cares.”

“He who gets out of temper with himself, his opponent or the marker, will stand but a poor chance against a coo’, and clear-headed player.’’

“On the billiard table certain effects follow certain causes, as regularly and as definitely as in a mathematical problem.”

“If you watch a first-class player you will see that his great object is to keep the balls before him, so that every stroke, when completed, shall leave another to fellow. This is the very perfection and science of billiards.”

“The amateur generally strikes his ball with more power than is necessary.”

“Gentle firmness is the characteristic of a good player, effort and show that of a tyro.”

“Perfection in billiards is attained by a careful and judicious application of means to ends.”

“The man who plays at billiards simply to pass away the time, should, at any rate, play as well as he can; it is a proper compliment to pay his adversary.”

“An imperfect bridge or a badly-chalked cue will cause the failure of the easiest strokes.”

“Luck will assist a player sometimes but it will never stand a chance against calculation and skill.”

“When once the habit is acquired of striking the ball in a particular way, it is difficult to alter it; therefore, get into the habit of striking properly.”

“I think little of a man who can make a few good strokes, but fails to make the most of a promising break.”

“It is an old saying, that there is always a cannon to be made while there are three balls on the table.”

“Keep your cue well in hand, and beware of raising it too high.”

“Make sure of your cannon or hazard, in preference to trying risky experiments.”

“Do not use side when plain hitting will make the cannon or hazard equally well. Jewels are not intended for morning costume.”

“Hard hitting may give you luck, but it seldom wins a game against judgment and care.”

“Never dispute with the marker, but accept his decision as final. If you discover him ‘playing tricks with the score,’ or betting on the game, mark for yourself.”

“Do not disturb the red when it lies under the cushion, and you can make a hazard off the white. In like manner, when your opponent is comfortably laid up under the cushion—leave him there.”

“Practise in your leisure hours, but never play when your mind is distracted with business or ‘affairs of state’”

“An open game is generally more successful than a cramped and cautious one.”

“Always strike the ball with an object: failure is the parent of success.”

“Do not bet with strangers, or accept offers from clever markers to ‘play for just half-a-crown to begin with.’”

“Beware of the man who wants to show you just a few fancy strokes, and carries his chalk in his pocket.’”

“Do not play for high stakes unless you can afford to lose without grumbling.”

“Keep your temper.”