BILLIARDS.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20411, 4 December 1931, Page 17

BILLIARDS.

MCCONACHY'S IMPROVED FORM. HIGH STANDARD OF PLAY. (»ROH OUR OWN CORBBSPOKDENT.) LONDON, October 30. The first of tho two matches between Davis and Clark McConachy for a side stako of £SO ended at Thurston's Hall in a win for Davis by 1118, points, an advantage with which the English player will start the second match at the same hall beginning on November "3rd. Tho Result is being determined by tho highest aggregate of points scored in the two matches. The lead is a useful one without being anything liko a winning advantage. Tho match produced a very good game and gave the impression that .McConachy, when in really. good form, is a very formidable opponent. The result of thb game was: Davis, 18,585; McConachy, 37,467.

"The Times" remarks: "The second game should be as interesting as this one has been. McConachy is a better all-round player thaa ever before, and Davis, as the holder of the championship until it became void, is a player of outstanding merit. The international aspect is attractive, but the development of the game itself. is a matter of real interest from the point of view of the public. Davis lias had one of the hardest matches of his career." Two days before the close of the contest, "The Times" referred to McConachy -an' aa ostremely formidable opponent. The writer proceeded: 3n tho early stages of the -game McCon* achy was a much as 2500 points behind. The modorn idea of scoring may regard a deficit of this kind as merely a temporary handicap. It is a matter rather of temperament and the will to win. McConachy is a greater player this season than he was in any of bis earlier tours. That is his own conviction, and it is conveyed hy tho confidence of his play. The beauty of his conception of the game is that he has not forsaken tho idea of the true art of comprehensive scoring. The specialist method never liaa J)ecn the New Zealand player's idea of simple progress. All of his games have convoyed the impression of all-round ability; and that is tho truo ideal from the point of view of tho development of tho gawo.

New Zealander's Confident*. MeConachy was in play with a break of 312 (unfinished), and it was to liis own pleasure, and to the satisfaction of nil who saw it, that ho had the honour of making the first four-figuro break# of the season. The close-cannon method of scoring has been proved not to be effective merely, but to bo vital almost nj a match-winning factor. MeConachy lias followed tho example set by other prominent players, but he has shown in the course of this gamo that his allround ability is not allowed to suffer. Without Thaving any trouble at all, MeConachy played a beautiful game. Ho made , runs of 70, 74, 69, and 67 cannons, in the last of which ho completed his 1000. MeConachy was never really in a difficulty. He played all his strokes with confidence, and never failed to return to the prevalent method of easy scoring. When he had reached four figures, MeConachy played the top-of-the-table game cleverly. His highest run of cannons afterwards was 45, and when the breakyhad realised 12G4 ho missed a cannon off tho cushion through playing a. little to gently on to the first object ball. This match has produced a very high standard of play, and. has presented tho exceptional scoring ability of the modern player. , MeConachy'a break was made as truly as any break could be made. It had variety as well aa conr centrated ability. A match of the present - day has to be considered in thousands, rather than in hundreds, as was the case not many years" ago. TJavia made a reply which is significant of . the progress which has been mado. Scoring with the same degree of ease, and nraintaining position at tho top of the table, Davis made several runs of cannons, and, scoring rather more quickly than bis opponent had done, be made a brilliant endeavour to correct the -position. Davis seemed as certain as McCdnachy had beon, that hq would reach four figures, except that time would intervene. Ho had scored 000, and had to make a little cushion cannon, a simple enough stroke for him, but he was unfortunate to miscue. A remarkable was completed by McConaehy, who played out time with a run of 81 (unfluishod), having scored 1033 against 600, each player having tho samjs average as his total of points. At that stage MeConachy led by 818 points!

Davia's Good Form. When the game was continued on the final day Davis was leading by 540, but McConachy played up, so well in the afternoon that at the end of the session he was only 26 behind. McConachy outpointed Jus opponent to the extent of scoring 879 for an average of 88, while Davis* lhade 365 for an average of 33. Davis began by increasing a break of 150 (unfinished) to 202, the break including a run Of 56 cannons, and a little later he added a run of 153, but ho did little more for some time. McConachy '8 best runs in tho early part of; the play were 39 and 40, but at his sixth visit to tho table he made a splendid break of 680. Although lie played very carefully, McConachy gave a fine display. Ho mado runs of 66, 38, and 24 cannons, bnt tho featuro of his play was the clever way he controlled the run/ of the balls in playing the open game. At that point Davis led by only four points. A break pf 95 enabled him to improve liis position, Tint McConachy addod a run of r 99, and after Davis had added some small runs McConachy played out time. The scores at the interval wore:—Dayis, 17,236; McConachy (in play), 17,210. ] Davis mado full amends in the evening for the moderate form he had shown earlier in the day. He outplayed his opponent to such an extent that ho scorcd*l349 for the remarkable average of 337, while McConachy mado only I 25? for dn average of 51. McConachy [did not have niany chances. Ho Secured a small lead at his first visit, ; but then Davis made a sound break of 357, his highest run of cannons being ] 37. . Although McConachy played well in a break of 152, ho did : not have another chance for some time. Playing in his bqst form, and scoring quickly, Davis made runs of 37> 52, and 60 clo&e cannons, and, continuing to play splendidly, and scoring with ease, he increased the break to 630 before be missed a top cushion cannon. McCohacliy had scored only a few points whtfn ho missed an easy cannon, and, as so often iappeusi the mistake proved expensive, as Davis, who was showing ex.trejuoly good form, strengthened his position 'with another sound breUk of 35&. i At hjs" next, and' last, visit,; McConachy scored 60. . ■ • • Plaw for tho Season,... Glark MdContichy seems to have made the best of his summer at Bournemouth. At the present time he radiates health and. tould never be fitter for the billiard matches he intends to play this season. At tho .Solent Chit , Hotel, where he stayed, the proprietor, Wr Brodie Carpenter, had a private

table, and there was first rate table in the hotel, so the New Zealand player had every facility for practice» -At Bournemouth there is a ladies' billiard club and McConachy spent eomo of his j time coaching the members. Incidon- | tally, it may be mentioued that; while- in the South, McConachy had all his jtop teeth out and this probably has assisted him in obtaining that perfect health that is necessary for a professional billiard player. When I saw him previous to .one of his sessions with Inman lie described, tho last part of his match with Davis. ■ .... / was in play," he said, ' with the white in the jaws of the bottom pocket in baulk on the left hand -side. The red was on the spo.t and I had a red winner left. I made a winner of »d and left a cross loser. After playing a few more 'in-offs' I played bad strength and left tho red near the centre for a f screw in-ofC.' Misjudging the strength, I left the Ted ball in baulk, thus leaving me the double baulk. But, having the white ball in the jaws of the pocket, it enabled me to play the white winner off the top cushion. From this position I gave Davis the miss, leaving him the double baulk, from which position he doubled the whit§ ball off two cushions into the centre pocket. "This enabled him to leave me practically the same position as I had left him. However, I failed to score off his double baulk and set a fairly easy position for him, which enabled Kim to make a run of 300 odd. Prom his leave I madd 150 odd, but missed a run through cannon, through the balls kicking. From thiil position Davis made 600 odd, which.put him in an unassailable position." Had it not been for the misfortiyies indicated, the first half; o$ -the match with t>avi? would probably have been more cvon. Both players realise they played first-class billiards, and tho second half of the. match should bo very closely contested. 1 ~...

The Championship. In the match against Innian, the- New Zealand player, even though he is conceding 8000, is confident of his success. During tho match betwoen. Davis _ and McConaehy, on? of Faulkner's adijireta was talking to McConachy. Tho latter mentioned that he was willing to concede Faulkner 6000 in a- fortnight's match for- £IOO a-.aide.' It ia understood that Faulltner 'a supporter is willing to accept the challenge if tho ..English, flayer will agree. .At the timo of writing tho latter has hot made a atate-_ ment. • Newman and Lindruni. will. bo arriving, from in December, but their engagements aro rather micertain, and McObnachy does not HnOw if he will got any games with ■ theih. • , ,* '■ .■ /: ■■■ ! -'i, 1 "1 Expect to improve On my pf*sent form," said MctMnachy, "and by tht ■ end of the season I hope to give m | better showing in the championship, i than I havo done in the jtast." < •'