THREE MEN PLAY BILLIARDS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVIII, Issue 1013, 5 August 1909, Page 11

THREE MEN PLAY BILLIARDS.

Three men went into a saloon to play billiards among themselves. They disliked the three handed game so they agreed that one should act as marker while the two others p.ayed a game and then change about. They also agreed to play two games each. Now the question is: What was the total number of games played. Try to answer this before you read further, and the chances are that if you answer without thinking you will be wrong. If you think a little you will find that only three games are played.

Hugh Callow, Queensland's champion, has to defend the title this month. The challenger is an exWestralian marker now residing in Brisbane, who has put up £2O as an earnest of his bona-fides. This player is 60 behind scratch in the Queensland Markers’ Tournament, and in his first heat defeated J. Crosier (30 0 on) by 114, making breaks of 38, 23, 27, 43, 26, 34, 38, 36, and 93. As he ran the 560 points in 80 minutes, he is evidently no slouch, and the exartilleryman will have to be at his best to hold the title. The match, which is to be played at Heiron and Smith’s billiard parlours, EdwinStreet, will be 3000 up, commencing on August 9.

The English Billiard Association have awarded Mr. F. Garside a certificate for an aggregate of 9 9 at snooker. In addition, Mr. Garside was awarded the silver medal of the Association for his remarkable performance.

A correspondent in the “ New World of Billiards” asks the question. “Do billiard balls actually ever touch?”

Arthur Tricks has again won the Victorian Amateur Championship, and in better style than on any previous occasion. His opponent in the challenge round was that improving player, D. Robertson, who, despite a most brilliant showing by the champion, put up a plucky battle. The challenge round was 2000 up in four 500 sessions, and Tricks made play almost from the start, scoring 1001 to Robertson’s 607 the first day, with a record break for the event of 127, as well as other runs of 8 2, 65, 64, 55, and 50, to Robertson’s 56, 54, 48, and 47, 47, 48. On the second day Tricks again proved his superiority by scoring 1000 to 733. His play was not as crisp as on the first day, when his average worked out at 15,

as agains; 9, making 12 for ithe complete game. His best breaks were 43, 48, 57, 40, and 60; Robertson’s figures were 34, 33, 37, and 47. The final scoring being A. H. Tricks 2000, D. Robertson 1340. The previous winners were: —1904, E. L. Jacoby; 1905 and 1906, A. H. Tricks; 1907, E. L. Jacoby; 1908 and 1909, A. H. Tricks. On the conclusion of the preliminary round Beauchamp, Robertson, Hamer, and Robison were left in. Robertson won two games, Hamer two games, and Beauchamp one game. Beauchamp had defeated D. Robertson by 54, Hamer defeated Robison by 8 points, and also downed L. L. Beauchamp, which made his wins equal with those of Robertson, so the pair were expected to play-off to see who would be the challenger of A. H. Tricks. Hamer, however, withdrew from the competition after defeating Beauchamp, so Robertson reached the challenge round by forfeit. Tricks has now won the championship four times —the last two years in succession—and will journey to Sydney to play for the championship against the elect of the other States in October next —Sydney “ Referee.”

During one heat in Tattersail’s Tournament, Sydney, a veteran lefthander who has experienced the whims of fortune in billiards, had ten to one about both players in the same heat. At different periods of the bout those odds were taken by him, with the result that the backer stood to win nine pounds no matter which of the pair got home.

Fred Weiss met Hugh Callow, the Queensland champion, at Brisbane, conceding 25 0 in 600, and in less than 90 minutes had defeated the Queenslander by 209. The visitor was in fine trim, and besides breaks of 138, 88, and 84, went on with a fine run of 252 (mostly after he had reached his points), of which no less than 246 were made off the red ball, which almost equals Weiss’ red ball record, made against John Roberts, at the Athenaeum, Melbourne, some years back. This fine break goes to show that Weiss has found touch, and should, do well from a score-compiling point during the rest of the season. — “ Referee.”

The Cook County Council (Poverty Bay district) has decided to increase the annual fee for billiard saloons to £5, the chairman (Hon. Captain Tucker) remarking that they did not want the class of saloon which could not pay an annual license fee of this amount.