SNOOKER

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27150, 21 September 1953, Page 7

SNOOKER

L. STOUT RETAINS N.Z. TITLE W. HARCOURT BEATEN IN FINAL L. Stout, of Wellington, won the New Zealand amateur snooker championship for the fifth time in the last six years when he beat W. Harcourt, also of Wellington by four frames to two in the final of the 1953 tournament on Saturday evening. Stout was the better player, but Harcourt, who was playing in his first New Zealand championship, gave an ercellent display, and thoroughly extended his more experienced opponent. The two players had gone through the tournament unbeaten, and therefore both had two lives, but by agreement each yielded a life to make the final the best of seven frames. There was little spectacular play, and the only big break of the evening—43 by Stout—was made after he had played a defensive shot and inadvertently potted a red. It was, for all that, a most interesting struggle, with each player industriously seeking safe positions and waiting for the other to fall into error. Stout’s positional play was outstanding. Time and again he was able to make his white ball stop exactly where he wanted it to stop, and in making his many attractive little breaks he sometimes seemed to have a string on the ball, so excellent was his control. Harcourt, a stylish young player, did well to reach the final in nis first tournament—he has been playing competitive snooker only about two years—and his form against Stout indicated that it will not be long before he wins a national title.

• Harcourt won the first frame, a closely contested game, by 54 points ’to 36, but Stout’s 43 break in the second allowed the title-holder to win comfortably by 74 points to 46. The third frame produced some interesting situations. Stout held the initiative for some time, and Har-' court took some risks to make up the leeway. A fortuitous red gave Harcourt a 15 break .which left him trailing 37-41, with four colours left on the table. He potted the brown with a lovely angled shot, and sank the blue, but he missed an easy pink when the game was in his grasp. Stout took the pink and a beautiful shot left him a simple one on the black, Stout winning by 54 to 49.

Battle for Position After Stout had begun the fourth frame with a break of 15. there was a hard battle for position, but Stout again outlasted his opponent and went on to lead 31-0. Harcourt fought back splendidly, scoring 27 before Stout increased his total, and until he missed a reasonably easy shot on the pink Harcourt had every chance of getting a firm grip, on the game. Stout continued to pot well, aSd went on to win 69-40.

There was some very canny play at the start of the fifth frame, with Harcourt in front by a small margin. Once more he had an opportunity of putting the pressure on Stout, only to miss an easy shot—the pink again. Stout drew level to 33-all. but with all the reds down Harcourt was two points ahead. Harcourt was at his best when he sank the yellow. green, brown and blue in successive shots, and although Stout fought hard, Harcourt played a fine shot on the pink to win 61-39.

In the sixth frame the standard deteriorated as the tension mounted. Harcourt held a useful lead for some time/ but both players missed quite easy shots. When the green went down for the last time, Harcourt was leading 43-30, and he had an excellent chance of winning the frame, only to miss a shot on the blue and leave the last three balls handily placed. Stout made no mistake in finishing off the game, which he won 53-43. Trophies were presented after the final by the patron of the Canterbury Snooker Association, Sir Ernest Andrews. The chairman of the association (Mr C. Hamilton) referred to the sporting spirit in which all the matches had been played, to the excellent facilities provided, and to the outstanding work of the tournament secretary, Mr George Simpson.