ON Thursday evening, Oct. 28, a billiard match was played at Leuchters' Restaurant, Bradford, between John Roberts, jun., and Louis Kilkenny, the Yorkshire champion.
Ample arrangements had been made for the accommodation of visitors, one of the two tables contained in the room having been removed, the other placed in the centre of the room, and a convenient platform erected, from which every spectator could get a good view of the table. The game was 1,000 up, Kilkenny receiving 250 points start.
The first notable break was one of 68 by Kilkenny, which was quickly followed up by a 40 and a 55 from Roberts. Kilkenny played with continued ill luck, and Roberts increased his score by an 87 break, and immediately after by an 89. Within a short time of these, and before Kilkenny had made any formidable contribution to the score, Roberts got well on to his favourite spot-stroke, and put together a splendid break of 316, including 90 spots. This made the game, Roberts 755, Kilkenny 440.
At this point the latter's game somewhat improved, as he made a fine break of 110, including 31 spot-strokes. Roberts, however, seemed determined to keep his lead, and made 64, 61, 36, and 33 in rapid succession.
An interval then took place, after which Kilkenny made a neat contribution of 33. Roberts again got on the spot, however, and ran out with a fine unfinished break of 160, Kilkenny's score standing at 665. The players then contended for the best of five games at pyramids, Kilkenny receiving one ball in each game. Roberts won the first game, with 8 balls to 3; the second and third were won by Kilkenny. The fourth proved a most interesting one. Roberts made a fine break of 7, but then, unfortunately, ran his own ball into a pocket after putting one down. Kilkenny on this made a good 6 break, and the game was 7 all. Eventually, Kilkenny got the odd ball, thus winning three games to his opponent's one. The games were marked and called with great accuracy by the marker, John McCunniffe.
ANOTHER entertainment of billiards between John Roberts, jun., and Louis Kilkenny took place on Friday evening, at Leuchter's Hotel, Bradford. A game at billiards, 700 up, Kilkenny receiving 150 points, the spot stroke being "barred," was first played. After some excellent playing, Roberts reached the 700, when his opponent was at 582, winning the game by 18 points. Both made some excellent breaks—viz., Kilkenny 131, 27, 56, 38, 98, 26, and 49; Roberts 41, 57, 79, 96, 38, 53, 27, and 43.
The billiard match was followed by a contest for the best of nine games of pyramids, Kilkenny receiving one ball start. The first game ended in favour Kilkenny by 11 balls to 4; the second and third also being won by him with 9 to 6, and 12 to 3 respectively.
Roberts got the fourth by the odd ball; but the next two games Kilkenny scored 8 to 7 and 10 to 5 respectively thus winning five games to one. The play of both, and especially of Kilkenny, was fine.
ON Monday evening last Messrs, W. Timbrell, of Liverpool, and T. Owen, of Wrexham (late of the London Rowing Club), played a match at billiards at the Working Men's Institute, Wrexham, Owen being conceded 300 points in 1,000.
During the first hundred Owen played a very fair game, whilst the Liverpool champion was evidently endeavouring to attain a thorough knowledge of the table. When the game was called, Owen 424 against Timbrell's 240, the last-named put together 66 (twenty spot-strokes), and to this he added 80, which he afterwards followed with a break of 209, making the game— Timbrell 633, Owen 504.
From this point the game was virtually over, the Wrexham hero being apparently astounded at the remarkably clever manner in which his opponent played. When Owen had scored 568, the Liverpudlian was 842. Here he again got on the spot, and in a very short time had scored game. At the request of some of the gentlemen present he, however, continued playing, and to their astonishment made the largest break ever known to have been made in Wrexham, namely, 552, including 182 spot-strokes. He was loudly cheered at the close.
The game was played on a new table by Orme and Sons, Manchester.
IT is not always that the championship matches are the most interesting. In fact, more often a match for the championship of a local district in which there is considerable clannish feeling gives rise to greater excitement than one which, from a cosmopolitan point of view, would be considered far more important.
Alfred Bennett and Alfred Reynolds met at Mr. Jackson's new billiard rooms on Thursday evening last to decide which of the two was the better player among his own kith and kindred, and though the prize was only a valuable diamond ring, still a far brighter gem depended on the result, and one which we trust will always sparkle brightly in the right hands of both players, viz., honour—the honour of being the champion of the Midlands.
The table on which the match was played, a new one by Messrs. Burroughes and Watts, was everything that could be desired.
In the opinion of most competent to judge Alfred Bennett was the favourite. The magnificent form which he exhibited before such a critical audience as that assembled to witness the first American Billiard Tournament had not been forgotten, for it will be remembered that on that occasion, in addition to his making the largest all-round break of the tournament, viz, 120, he also made another splendid one of 200 off the balls.
Now these fine breaks are rare when there is much at stake, and there is, perhaps, no test of nerve so great as that of having to maintain against a fresh aspirant a name that has been held most deservedly for many years.
Though Reynolds was the first to score, Bennett soon got ahead, and reached 167 to Reynolds's 14. The latter player was decidedly out of luck, missing notably one stroke that would have been a beautiful cannon, by a hair's breadth. The game progressed somewhat slowly till Bennett reached 143 to his Opponent's 43, and soon after 177; here Reynolds made a fine stroke, a screw, but the balls broke afterwards very badly. By means of a good break of 43 Reynolds reached 121, when Bennett, in his next break, reached 259, and afterwards completed his third hundred while Reynolds had only reached 144.
Soon after this, however, Reynolds began to play in better form, scoring 240 to Bennett's 330, thus being only 90 behind. Bennett, however, plucked up, and reached, by means of small breaks, none of which are particularly worthy of comment, 538 to Reynolds' 294. After the interval, which at this period took place, Reynolds showed still better form, but the balls broke very badly for both players, which may account for the length of game, which was soon after called—Bennett 660, Reynolds 390. After a long series of very small breaks, and when the hand of the clock pointed past the witching hour of night, the marker called—Bennett 850, Reynolds 600.
At 909 Bennett got the spot, and relieved the monotony of the evening by pocketing the red twelve times in succession, and by means of this break of 36, and a few more not so large, ultimately won the game by 328 points.
James Balfe, who is, we believe, a London player, marked the game, which was decidedly tedious, very carefully, but then both players were evidently extremely anxious.
Last night the same players met at Mr. Jackson's rooms to contest a match, the best of thirty-one games of pyramids. The play, however, seems to have been even slower than the match at billiards on the previous evening, as after a series of eight slow games, an interval was called at half-past ten, at which period Bennett had succeeded in winning five games to Reynolds' three.