The Billiard Table

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17080, 29 June 1923, Page 9

The Billiard Table

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“CUE"

The handicap snooker tournament at Tattersall’s Billiard Saloon has reached th© semi-final stages. On Wednesday evenin'; W. Smith (10 behind scr.) played Cousins (25 on). The match was. a very exciting one, mid created a lot cf interest among the large crowd who were present. Smith led at the end ot' tho first game, but Cousins played splendidly in th© second, and finally won by a small margin. The annual billiard tournament of tho TDunedin. Returned Soldiers’ Association was won by Mr Charles Mason, who defeated Mr E. Stewart in tho final by 500 to 448 after a fine game. Tho winner will receive a gold medal, and will hold the Cameron Cup for one year. The New Zealand Amateur Billiard championship will bo played in Dunedin this year, for the first time since tho championship was instituted. The fixture will be under the control of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, and will be played on the stardard match table belonging to the club. Play will commence on July 24, and will continue for approximately ten days. The winner will take the title cf New Zealand amateur champion, and also a gold medal presented by the British i milliards Association. The points m j the preliminary and semi-final games will bo tSOG, to bo scored in one sesj sion, and the final will bo 2000 up, to be played in three sessions. IbuJ is an improvement on tho conditions which ruled in 1921, when the championship was played in Christchurch, lhe final then was 1500 up, played m two sessions. The present holder of the title is E. Roberts, oi Auckland. The fourth round of the handicap snooker tournament now being played a t tho Grand Billiard Parlours will bo drawn on Monday. This tournament, for which the first prise is a gold watch valued at twenty guineas j is creating a great deal cf interest, and competition is becoming keener as the tourney’ nears the semi-final stages. A comedy billiard match of odd up for tho unofficial championship cf Christchurch was played at the Grand Billiard Parlours on Monday. Two brothers, one from Auckland and tho other from Christchurch, meet- once » year in Christchurch and repair to th© Grand Billiard Parlours and play their 11 annual -fixture.” The match invariably causes a great deal of amusement among spectators who happen to be present at the time, and, curiously enough, the Christchurch man always wins. The brothers “barrack” each •ether incessantly right throughout the game, and probably at is because the local men is less susceptible to banter than his brother that he always emerges victorious. The match is played in tho best of spirits, and is unique in its way. When playing on 3 strange table, always investigate the condition and direction of the nap, which can be done

: in a moment by merely passing the 1 l hand over the cloth. The better tho • nap is th© more effect side will have. 1 ) Among the many errors to correct in 1 i the play of the casual amateur is the 1 1 endeavour to got ideal position too 1 1 soon in tho break. It is ever so much j better to work gradually up to the ■ 3 ideal position by a series of simpler ' 1 j strokes. * f Mr Fred Landrum, sen.', has receive. l J a letter from W. Smith, the English , champion, in which lie says that, if j satisfactory arrangements can be made, 3 . he would be prepared to visit Australia and tour with Walter Lindrum. states 1 a the “ Australasian.” He would pro- 3 "bably play with the Australian cliam--1 pion also.. One condition of his visit 1 will be that Walter Lindrum will roj turn with him to England. If they j play in Australia, bonzoiine balls will * be used, but in England Smith will ex- 1 1 pect Lindrum to play with ivories. In 3 i regard to playing with ivories. Walter 1 1 Lindrum states that he would have no abjection to this, for, though lie has 3 never played in public with them, ho lias often used them in practice. II: ; ■ , has made breaks of 700 with thorn. Ifc ! i interesting to note that the next. , ! world’s championship games will bo v, played with composition balls, and that it will be played on ' an “ English ’’ table constructed in America by the s Brunswick Callander-JBallce Company. s This company made a liberal offer, which was accepted by the Engl is n professionals. It was prepared to provide the table free oi cost, and in adt - diiion to allowing the contestants their share of the ‘‘gate” money it offered n 1 • give £IOOO to the winner or the championship. It is understood that f the company, which specialises in “English” tables, has made the offer j with the idea that it would greatly cnoiuraae “ English ” billiards in the 7 united States, where the game ’s making steadv headway. j c ' * .„ ' In the new booklet issued by Messrs a.. Smith and Bell, they have made .«■ f twenty-second rule with the addendum ' 1 that “ when not snookered tho player ” missing the ball shall b-e penalised, ; ■>. ‘ v -stated by these rules, and his opponent H can, if he wish, order the ball or balls e t » l>e replaced, and the stroke played again ; giving four or more away, u ; . l " the case may be, for each attempt until. t *• is hit.” ‘ They consider this necea--0 sary in their room to prevent delibery ate attempts xtt missing the ball th > , s striker is on. states the 'Sydney “ R.- -• feree. Ido r.ot think it wise to .depart G from the official code, not because they e are perfect, but for the confusion suen r departure creates. Certainly it the s black is. say. lving on the lip of tho d top pocket, with the yellow touching e. it so that the slightest touch on th? vellow would hole the black, the.re is \ temptation on the striker's part to d miss the yellow, and only be penalised o four points instead of seven.