CHAMPIONS PLAY ON BILLIARDS TABLE WITH SMALL POCKET.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18053, 13 January 1927, Page 9

CHAMPIONS PLAY ON BILLIARDS TABLE WITH SMALL POCKET.

MATCH PROPOSED BY INMAN AS “ STUNT.” (Special to the “ Star.”) LONDON, December 2. Following the craze for tinkering ■with the rules of games which have served satisfactorily from generation to generation, Tom Newman, the billiards champion, and Inman arc at present engaged in a match on a table with sxnaller pockets than the regulation size. Instead of being three and a-half inches wide, the pockets have been reduced to three and a-quarter inches. Naturally this change makes the game more difficult, but, from what has been seen, it does not improve it. The match was proposed by Inman, probably as a stunt which would appeal as a novelty. He propounded tlie theory that the public were tired of seeing big breaks reeled off by Newman. Smith and others. The men so quickly reached their sessional points that spectators did not get their money's worth. On this point it is perhaps, significant that it has now become the practice for a couple of games of snooker to be played when the billiards are over. The effect produced by the smaller pockets has been the one that was to be expected. The breaks have been lower. Indeed, Newman has not yet exceeded three hundred, and Inman has held his own fairly well.

Smith has had no response to the challenges, which he has broadcast, either for billiards or snooker, though he scarcely seems to be playing as well as a year ago. Having finished his engagements with Earlam, the ex-amateur champion, for the time being, he is now playing Davis. The latter is a greatly improved player. A" year ago, to make a level match with Smith, he had to accept six thousand start. Now this concession has been cut down by half/ and, moreover, Davis is able to win. The two men completed a fortnight’s match last week, and, though Smith caught his rival, he could not keep in front, and was eventually beaten. A player with a fine power of cue, Davis has been an apt pupil, and he owes a great deal to Smith for the way in which the latter has nursed and encouraged him.