BILLIARDS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6362, 9 November 1907, Page 11

BILLIARDS.

(From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, Sept. 27. That flue Australian billiard player, Fred. Weiss, opened his London campaign for the eeason last Saturday, at tho National Sporting Club, where ho is playing the great John Roberts, 14,000 up on level terms. The pair are not playing on an ordinary “standard," but on an oval table, which has a playing su?*face of 10ft 4i.u by 7ft, constructed cn arcs of two circles of fixed relative sizes which approach the figure of an ellipse. This "aro-oval" table requires a deal of understanding as may be gathered from the fact that in spite of ample private practice neither Weiss nor the "revived champion," mad© on the opening d-if a break of over 90, that Roberts made over 50 visits to the table to score 583 in the opening session, whilst Weiss in a similar number of innings scored 500 ail told. At night Weiss was much more consistent than his famous rival and wound up tho day's play with, a lead of 78, his best runs being SO and 72. On the morrow Weiss again outpointed the veteran and anisbed up -with an advantage of 319, his highest break being 83. On Wednesday the Australian showed the best form, and most consistency. Hie highest break, 97, was the highest yet mad© in the course of the match, and wound up with what is on the oval table a formidable lead of 450.

Yesterday, at the afternoon session, Weiss reached his points 514 ahead of Roberts, his breaks including one exact "century." At night, however, the veteran came out of his shell, and made a fine break of 153. Playing with remarkable dash Roberts rapidly drew upon Weiss until the Australian's margin had been reduced to 210. Then, however, Weiss jumped away again, and at the end of a long session reached his points 363 ahead, the scores being 4667 to 4304 —303 in his favour.

The arc-oval table is undoubtedly tricky to play upon for the balls come off the curved cushions at very queer angles and perform surprising antics. Buin Weiss rind Roberts have done enough: this week on the new-fangled board to justify the belief that if our first-olass players take seriously to the oval tabic they will soon be making as big breaks as they do on the ordinary "standards/' And it is not very rash to predict that ere long one of them will Invent a stroke that will produce results akin to those brought about by the introduction of the "anchor-cannon.”