Billiards

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7865, 29 July 1911, Page 19

Billiards

XI. AV. Stevenson is at present engaged in an exhibition match in Melbourne against T. Reece. No very great amount of interest will attach to the result ot tho game between the two Englishmen, , but it will be quite otherwise when I Stevenson comes to meet Lindruni later * on. Tho young Australian champion w to receive' 2000 in IGOO from Stevenson, I which as matches go nowadays is a , small start. -Most players in the colonies , would have preferred to see the match played on level terms, being quite eatis- | tied that, if in form, tho Australian would moro than hold his own with tho [ English champion, Tho latter, however, appears to have insisted on conceding I tho start This is quite customary with | English professionals and is a convenient ! arrangement in tho event of defeat for j there is no loss of prestige. Stevenson Ns the acknowledged champion at. the top of tho table game and Lindruni only ! second to Gray as a red ball expert. It i will bo highly interesting to ft* how tho two styles compare . In England Gray has conclusively proved the superiority’ of tho red loser as a scoring factor by his smacking victory oyer Inman. AVili Lindmm do the same with Stevenson? The amateur billiard championship of l New Zealand will bo played for at the j Auckland Amateur Sports Club, commencing on Monday evening. It will be under the rules of the British Billiard Association. Tho games will bo, played 1 on an Alcock Standard tablo and the champion will receive tho British As- : sedation's gold medal. Charlie Memmott is not satisfied that E. J. Campbell, who defeated 3dm recently, is tho better plover and he has accordingly challenged tho Victorian champion, to play him again lor X3OO a side. In Reece’s opinion John Roberts is tho greatest snooker player living. “I played him a few years ago, end he gave gave me a most artistic dressing/' said Reece to a Sydney* “Referee” representative. “Tho way he stabbed, cut, and doubled bails into the pockets was quite bewildering. My only chance of keeping him quiet at all was to tuck my Gall under tho cushion; but even hardup shots would bo doubled into ono of the six openings. Tho culminating point of tho match (which I might tell yen I lost) was a 73 break that 'Old John' made from an almost snookered position. Yes, Roberts is easily the best snooker player in the English billiard world today/' The Red Loser. H. AV. Stevenson has reiterated tho observations ho made in England respecting losing-hazard play, but ho apparently forgets that it has been tho aim of billiard players for many years to put np a record of shots off tho single ball. It is strange that since two young Australians —George Gray and Fred. Lindrum—devoted hours to practice to perfecting theix* skill in this stroke, and have now to bo reckoned ■with, Stevenson should find the business monotonous. Every player of the game with tho necessary time practises long losers at avoir opportunity, and it is given to few,to become so expert that they rtiu make sure of getting the pocket, and bringing the red bade to somewhere about tho centre spot or a little below it 20 times consecutively. Tho play when analysed clcarly_ indicates the necessity for the exercise of fine judgment. Commencing with tho red on tho centre spot and tho white, in hand, for instance, tho first thing tho plavor who knows anything about it does, is to spot his cue-ball right. Then his eye measures tho true half-ball stroke, tho bridge , made at tho correct distance from tho cuo-ball, and then tho stroke is delivered. How many men can tell whether they are making a five or ten. pound stroke, let alono a five or a six? No golden rule can he followed. Thd delicate shades of strength in the propulsion of the cuo-ball cannot bo written down. They come to but few, and to them only after consistent practico. , _ j , Gray is the person best qualified to say if a thousand break made per medium of tho red is monotonous to a player. The ordinary skilful amateur is content if ho scores an occasional hundred, and begins to have visions of greatness when he is sure of a 50 break m every match, ho plays.