BILLIARDS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11252, 3 July 1922, Page 11

BILLIARDS

STEVENSON IMPROVING. R.S.A. TOURNAMENT WINNERS. The Champion Billiard room, where th© present ‘big matches are -being played in Australia, was originally opened by W. Abotomey, who is at present touring the North Island. The firat few days of the match between Stevenson and Fred. Lindrum did not provoke any unusual enthusiasm, and at the half-way stage both were behind their points, Lindrum'e deficit being nearly double. that of Stevenson # s. It seem© a© if neither could do anything in the way of big scoring, and about 300 an hour was the best they could do, a rate of progress well within the capabilities of decent amateurs. The highest bre*k i of the week was 262, and Stevenson made 24 breaks of three figures; live being over 200 each. The plays w’as certainly restricted by the fact that play waa limited to 10 consecutive losers off the red or off the white, but it should hare added to the attractiveness of an all-round game, of which there has never been a better exponent than Stevenson when in his prime. Those who are eeeing purdy red-ball play for the first time or two find it interesting, because it is an exhibition of touch, strength, and judgment; but later one tires of eeeing perpetual runs of play on ©ne ball. The player will deliberately play the white to get it safely out of th© way until it cannot interfere with the red ball play, and away he goes. Of course, it j»s not barred by the rules, and until laws ar© amended in the same way as the "spot-barred” rale was introduced, 'there is nothing to prevent a cueist doing his utmost. In ft match, however, it is possible to come to an agreement beforehand, as was done by Stevenson, and Lindrum in thedr game. The play was speeded up considerably in the second week, when Stevenson soon wiped <sut his arrears, and in the end he won by 3372. the scores being: Stevenson 16,000, Lindrum 12,628. According to news received froin the old champion earlier in the week, he should reach Wellington about August 6th. The billiard and snooker tournaments at the R.S.A. have just concluded, the respective winner© being Angus Duncan and Jack Hudson.