REGENT BILLIARD MATCHES
JOHN ROBERTS, Champion, and L. KILKENNY
IT has seldom been our pleasure to witness a finer exhibition
of brilliant play than that which took place on
Friday, the 19th inst., at the Crown Hotel, Stamford.
The style of the champion's play is so well known that
we need not enter into a minute description of it here;
suffice it to say that seldom has his brilliant forcing
hazards on the one hand appeared in better contrast
with the delicate manipulations of cannons on the
other.
Indeed, his style reminds one at times of the Nasmyth
Hammer, which is equally capable of crushing an iron
bar and of cracking a nut without injuring the kernel.
In the course of the match Roberts made no less than 42
consecutive cannons, by means of a series of delicate
touches, in each of which he barely moved the balls
more than a hair's breadth.
Roberta's best break in the match was one of 142, including
44 spot hazards. In addition to this he also
made breaks of 110, 104, 99, and 72, and beat Kilkenny,
to whom he conceded 250 points, by 286. Kilkenny was
by no means in bad form, and played with that good pluck and good judgment that always characterises his
game, but he was unable to contend against the overwhelming
force of his opponent's game.
Kilkenny's best breaks were 97 and 60.
One word of
praise is due to the marker of the Stamford Club, who
scored the game with both distinctness and accuracy.