BILLIARDS

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 21, 18 November 1908, Page 42

BILLIARDS

By an Expert in London " Daily Telgraph.”

Ever since Rooker's pool—originally an American game—became popular in this country the penalties for misses, running-in. off or pocketing wrong balls, with which this entertaining side-light of the billiard table abound*, have been added to the nun-striker's score. The result is one can never be sure of the highest possible points to be scored. As the balls are set up on the table you can estimate the full total which may be made. Fifteen red balls, each paving the way for a black ball to be taken, counts 120 points— seven 15*s and

fifteen 7’s. Then there are the six pool balls—the black, pink, blue, brown, green, and yellow—which have to be operated upon after all the red balls are off the table. They count 27 points, and so bring the total up to 147 points. This is something definite. But if a nonstriker is getting all the points given away Ivy his opponent placed to his score, then there is no telling to what extent his total may not rise. The merit of one's jw*r forma nee. at snooker’s pool, just as in a break —by the -way, the record stands at 73 points, scored both by ’!• Harris and John Rolierts—should be gauged by 1 hr game total. As that clever ami studious professional, Harverson. suggests, all penalties incurred might, well Is* deducted from the striker's account instead of being added to that of the non-striker. There is a possibility of such a condition bring made in connection with the snooker's pool competition, which runs coincidently with the professional billiard tournament at Soho-square. Several rumours have been in Tation as to the rules which the Billiards Control Club intend to issue. But none of these can give a real clue as to what form the innovations, if any, will take. Nothing can be definitely known until the Billiards Control Chib places the rules before the public, and that cannot be until they have been overhauled by the professional advisory committee, and then submitted to the

amateur general council. It has been stated that the present very complex and quite unnecessary list of penalties, will bo considerably lessened. If true, this will be a move in the right direction. From the time that the Billiard Association issued its revised set of rules—now ten years ago- the number of penalties has fogged tile ordinary player, and there is barely one professional able to keep stock of them. A

much more simplified code, with a uniform penalty, as nearly as can be devised, is urgently needed. If the Billiards Control Club can supply the public with this it will have at once justified its creation.

We look to the Billiards Control Club, too, to revive the. professional billiard championship, which has lain dormant for a long five years now. The Billiard Association has done~ its level best to kill this fine sporting competition by imposing restrictions which were warmly resented by the professionals. As a consequence, we see one entry —that of Melbourne Inman—for the attempted renewal of the Billiard Association Championship this year. Inman has claimed the championship, even if the Billiard Association has not done so for him. His attitude, as may be supposed, has not ingratiated him in the minds of his contemporaries. There is a tremendous keenness existing in the ranks of the billiard professionals. It is a healthy sign of the times, telling that those at the head of affairs, the Steveiisons and Dawsons, will not he able to rest on their laurels. They must be up and doing, and keeping themselves fit and in form to meet, their younger and ambitious rivals. Of these Inman and Reeee stand out most prominently, with Diggle and Harverson in easy touch of them. A real ehampionship, which only the Billiards Control Club appears atde to promote, will give such a fillip to billiards as it has never before received. But it will be no championship unless it is thrown open to all earnest and willing players who desire to take part. Harverson’s name has ’ several Limes been mentioned in these notes, and it recurs by reason of the strokes shown on the accompanying diagrams being played by him. For several years this one-time holder of the

Championship of South Africa was tt wonderfully exact strokeplayer, of almost double-strength propensities. 11$ had rare power of cue, but he was lacking in the more delicate touches. IJiS screw-shots, particularly those of the serew-baek variety, were second only’ to those of John Roberts in accuracy and power. He was, indeed, quite famous in this direction. In the past two seasons. Harverson has made wonderful progress in his art. He retains his cue-power and accuracy, and he has added to these a more refined touch and improved execution with the balls ati close quarters. Yet he is still the dashing player he always was. and fpn<l of effects of this kind. His topping of the cue-ball for forcing run-through strokes, in the style of those played at the corner pockets on the diagram, and the contact on the back of the cushioned object ball- affords a nice object lesson to the amateur. The deadening effect of the two contacts—first on the object-ball, then on the cushion—gives the top-side full play, and it makes a curving run to the pocket. The small cross marked on the cushion by the side of the object-ball shows the cue-ball should strike after earning off the object-ba 11 from its thickest, but not full, contact. -Check “side.” which is pocket “side,'-for either corner pocket is used. The two middle pockets are nothing like’ So difficult as they look. It is again a case of topside and cheek “side.” with the objectball struck slightly -behind the centre. The ball and cushion contacts again impart, an eccentric run to the cueball, as a few experiments will show. This middle pocket run-through off the cushion- was, at one period .of billiard history, a most fashionable fancy-stroke.