The "colts" preliminary tournament at Soho Square is concluded and the main contest is now begun, with the young and capable winner of the preliminary (A. F. Peall) pitted against that seasoned and experienced exponent of the game, Edward Diggle, by whom the son of the spot stroke champion is allowed 3,000 points in 9,000, or exactly one-third.
Peall has well earned his place in the grand tournament, and the main factor that has contributed to his success lies on the surface. He has achieved his purpose on what may be termed "Inman" lines. Every stroke has been played as though the match depended upon that stroke alone, and no unnecessary risks have been taken in close play where the more open game presented itself as an alternative. With Falkiner and Breed it has been different. They are both attractive players and much quicker than Peall, but they make their game more difficult than is the case with Peall, and frequently come unexpectedly to grief. Peall, on the other hand, commits no hasty blunders, and his visits to the table usually yield him something useful. He has evidently built up his game in sections. When he was playing "all in" against his father some time ago we noticed that he frequently exploited the spot stroke with marked success against its greatest opponent, and in his preliminary tournament play he used the red ball when it suited him, for continuous losing hazards, according to the most approved methods of the middle pocket school. Later, no doubt, when absolutely secured on the essential and eminently safe losing hazard base, he will also make his hundreds, by means of winner-cannons and rail cannons, without troubling the baulk-end of the table.
Referring more generally to the tournament that has now opened, we may say that it promises to be at least as interesting as any of its predecessors and will perhaps prove to be even more so. To be sure Stevenson and Harverson are not included this year, but in their place there is a dashing young section whose doings, whatever they may be, can hardly fail to evoke interest. One of these brilliant recruits (Smith) in the course of last season, made the record break for the year off ivory balls with 736, and another of them (Newman) is keen to meet again the player who, in the same salon during last season (although not in the tournament) put up this paralyzing and unexpected figure against him. Newman's own record against Roberts in Canada and previously is also one with which a young player has every reason to be satisfied.
It is unnecessary to refer, beyond mentioning them, to the classic and seasoned quartette of leading professionals amongst whom the younger players will make their debut and by whom the latter will doubtless be received with the generous chivalry that such confluences of acknowledged and budding talent always awaken amongst true sportsmen.