ON Wednesday night last the Imperial Hotel Billiard Rooms, under the direction of Mr. S. Wilson, were opened by a grand match, between J. Roberts, jun., champion, and Louis Kilkenny, champion of Yorkshire, and winner of Cook's great Christmas handicap, Roberts conceding 250 points in a thousand. Notwithstanding the high prices of admission, the room was densely crowded by admirers of the game. At a quarter to eight o'clock the players made their appearance, being welcomed with applause. Game commenced by Kilkenny giving a miss in baulk, to which Roberts responded with a miss under the right-hand side cushion. Kilkenny gave another miss, and Roberts then tried a cannon, but failed. Kilkenny then made 9, and Roberts followed with a break of 58, including six consecutive spot-strokes. Minor breaks by both players followed, bringing the [score up to-Kilkenny 271, and Roberts 74. Roberts then made 27, and after executing a splendid screw shot, failed at an easy cannon. Kilkenny now had a good opening, but only ran up 11, and having put down the white ball, brought both his own ball and red into baulk. Roberts failing to score, Kilkenny made a break of 26, including four brilliant cannons, two losers off the red in the side pocket, and two clean winning hazards. This brought him to 310 against 103. His next break was one of 14. For some time scoring progressed slowly, the largest breaks at intervals between misses or small contributions being Roberts 22 and 23, and Kilkenny 15 and 14. Roberts now began to work towards the spot, and made a break of 52, including 10 consecutive spots. Kilkenny replied with 13 and 26, including seven cannons and three spot-strokes. A subsequent break brought him up to 478 against 281, Roberts meanwhile having failed to score above 10 at a break. After Kilkenny had made 20, Roberts 12, and Kilkenny 11, a series of misses were given or ineffectual attempts made to score beyond single shots. Roberts broke the monotony by 36, including 13 cannons, all played with marvellous accuracy. The subsequent breaks made before the adjournment, were 15, 17, and 25 by Kilkenny, and 26, 19, and 54 by Roberts, the 54 including 16 spots. An adjournment took place at a quarter to ten o'clock, at which time the score stood- Kilkenny 616, Roberts 472. Before the company left the room for refreshments, Roberts, on behalf of Mr. S. Wilson, presented Kilkenny with a magnificent timepiece, and expressed his good wishes in Kilkenny's future career as a billiardist.
Play was resumed about ten o'clock, and Roberts began by contributing 15, breaking down in attempting a difficult stroke to put down the red. Kilkenny failed to score, and then followed the break of the evening. Roberts made a loser into the corner pocket off the red, followed it up by two cannons, put down the red, and then got up to the spot. At that time he was 500 to Kilkenny's 616. He then made 32 spot-strokes in succession, followed by a cannon, a losing hazard, three spot-strokes, another loser, and two cannons, which brought the score, amid loud cheers, to 616 all. Continuing the break with eight successive cannons, he again tried the spot, but failed at the fourth attempt, the break amounting to 154. The lead which Roberts had at 644, against Kilkenny's 619, he maintained throughout, making first a break of 41 (including 10 consecutive cannons), then one of 60, chiefly cannons, then one of 45, including a magnificent jenny down the table into the bottom pocket, one of 33, and the last was an unfinished one of 66, which made him 1,000 to Kilkenny's 782. In this break alone he made 23 cannons, most of them consecutive.
The following evening Roberts and Kilkenny again met at the same rooms, the programme this time being 750 up at billiards, and the best of eleven games at pyramids. There was a good attendance, but not so large as on the previous evening. Kilkenny, who received 150 points, commenced by giving a miss. Roberts followed suit, which was responded to by another miss from Kilkenny. Roberts made the first break of any consequence, scoring 15 by good all-round play, but failing at an easy cannon; Kilkenny ran up 55, comprising 17 cannons, six losers (three off red and three off white), and two winning hazards. This brought him to 215 against Roberts's 16. The next break above 10 was made by Roberts. Kilkenny's next effort was futile, when Roberts made 47 by all-round play. Kilkenny followed with 8, and then Roberts made 36, which brought him up to 127 against 233. Kilkenny replied with 26, including six consecutive spot-strokes. Roberts then made 25, and broke down at his first attempt at the spot. After Kilkenny had scored 12, Roberts made a break of 29, and shortly afterwards one of 26, which brought his score to 208, as against Kilkenny's 272. No large break was made by either player for some time; when Roberts ran up 30, 17, 34, and 7, responded to by Kilkenny with 31, the last break consisting chiefly of losers off the red. After one or two misses or failures on either side, Roberts made 37, comprising beautiful running-through shots, and ending with putting down the white ball, and giving a double baulk. Kilkenny having made 8, Roberts got in with 54 by all-round play. A break shortly after of 53 brought him up to 479 against 334. The best scores for some time were contributed by Kilkenny, namely, 18, 13, and 28, bringing his total to 400 against 502. Roberts contributed 34; then both failed to score. Kilkenny made a solitary cannon, and then Roberts got up to the spot, which he made eleven times in succession, failing at a comparatively easy stroke. After a break of 13 from Kilkenny, Roberts made 49, which was immediately responded to by Kilkenny with 45, chiefly winning hazards and losers off the red. After Kilkenny had tried once, and Roberts twice without scoring, Roberts made 101, which was the break of the evening, and in which 37 consecutive cannons were conspicuous, played with a delicacy of touch and accuracy of judgment which astonished and delighted the company. Kilkenny tried hard to recover lost ground, but the balls ran very unluckily for him, and he failed once or twice in attempts at the spot, which left Roberts an opening for useful breaks. When the score stood-Roberts 747, Kilkenny 487, Roberts won the game by fluking the red.
After the adjournment they played the best of 11 games at pyramids, Kilkenny receiving one ball. Kilkenny showed some really fine form in the game, winning six to Roberts's three. In the first game Kilkenny won by 9 to 6; the second by 9 to 5; the third by 6 to 9; the fourth by 11 to 4; the seventh by 10 to 5; the eighth by 8 to 6; and the ninth by 9 to 6. Roberts won the third by 9 to 6; the fifth by 9 to 1; and the sixth by 10 to 2. The table used for the occasion was not the new one recently erected, but one that has done some twenty years' service, and being fitted with the old fashioned cushions, did not at all suit the Yorkshire champion, hence the fact of his not making any very great breaks, but in the pyramids he played exceedingly well.
A MATCH took place on Monday evening last between the above players at Mr. John Lake's splendid billiard saloon in the Westminster-bridge-road, where a first-class table by Burroughes and Watts has lately been erected, Hunt receiving 100 points in a game of 1,000 up. Both men played well, but no particularly large breaks were made by either player, till Kilkenny, who had a trifle the best of the luck, caught Hunt at 353. Hunt, however, soon got away again, playing remarkably well, and was not again caught till just before the interval, when the marker called the game-Kilkenny 560, Hunt 542. On reaching 649, Kilkenny made a break of 63, and soon after reached 811 to Hunt's 592. Here Hunt made two good breaks of 30 and 38, but failed to overtake his opponent. At 948, Kilkenny ran out, the winner, by means of a good break of 52, by 232 points. Neither player was quite in his best form, but then large breaks are rarely made on a new table.
On Saturday evening a match took place between the above two players at the Queen's Hotel, Newport, when the game was 1,000 up, and Howe, late of Cardiff, was in receipt of 300 points. Play commenced on a Burroughes and Watts table about half-past seven, and before the interval, which took place at nine o'clock, the Northerner had greatly lessened the points he originally conceded, the scores standing-Howe 597, Kilkenny 554. Shortly after recommencing play the last-named passed his opponent, and eventually won the game by 102 points, his two best runs being 78 and 66, while those of his opponent were 25 and 16. William, the well-known proprietor of the room, marked the game.
THE above players met at 367, Strand, on Wednesday evening last. The match was 1,000 up, and Hunt allowed his opponent 200 points start. Almost immediately after starting the receiver of points ran up 34, while nothing was forthcoming from either for some considerable period, the play being remarkable for cautious misses. Hunt by small contributions scored slightly faster than his adversary, and when he had arrived at 85 Stenning was 259. Scores of 44 and 20 from the former were responded to by Stenning with 24 and 22 in succession, and after another lull in the shape of big breaks, the game stood-Stenning 341, Hunt 239. Hunt in his next essay put together 29, when Stenning tried his hand at the "spot," but failing at his sixth attempt his break amounted to 21. Shortly after this Stenning, by the aid of eight winning hazards, placed 59 to his credit, and then 25 from Hunt caused the game to be called-Stenning 497, Hunt 340. Some smart play then took place, Hunt rattling together 41, 22, and 39, his opponent in the meanwhile contributing 16 and 31, when the scores were called-Stenning 575, Hunt 473. When the latter reached 500 the usual rest was announced, and this enabled both men to display better form, as Hunt quickly added 32 and 41, when the game was "588 all." Some cautious play then took place, of which Stenning eventually got the best, ten spots in a run of 39 again giving him the lead. At 629 Hunt got well in at the top of the table, 84 (twenty pots) being placed to his credit, but this was soon put in the shade, as Stenning followed on with 118 (thirty-seven spots). Game-Hunt 713, Stenning 826. A deal of temper was now shown on- either side, Hunt, as usual, displaying the most spite, and the consequence was that both missed several easy shots. Stenning, however, settled down with 42 (ten spots), and this appeared to decide his opponent's chance, as, although Hunt put on 36, he could only reach 896 when Stenning stood at 1,000. The Sportsman was stakeholder. Tom Stuart officiated as marker.
ON Tuesday evening these players contested a game of 1,000 up, Burrage receiving 200 start, at the Jolly Tanners Assembly Rooms, Alice-street, Bermondsey.
At 7.15 business was commenced, 5 to 4 being offered in Burrage, who, with breaks of 20, 18, 25, and 30, reached 321 to 117; 2 to 1 was here offered on Burrage, but Wallace exhibited some splendid play in breaks of 29, 30, 31, 36, and 37, when the scores stood-Wallace 480, Burrage 523. An interval of half an hour then took place, and on resuming play Wallace led off with 16 and 18, and reached 530 to 537, which caused the backers of Burrage to feel anything but sanguine, 3 to 1 being betted on Wallace, but the "Commodore" went away with 29, 30, 28, and other breaks of less importance, when the game was called-Burrage 975 to 901. 5 to 1 was then offered on Burrage, but Wallace came again with 24, 27, and 13, when the marker called the game-974 to 996, Burrage ultimately winning a most exciting game by 26. Time, 3 hours 45 minutes. Tom Stuart officiated as marker.
ON Thursday evening last a match was played in the fine billiard saloon attached to the Notting Barn Tavern, Silchester-road, Notting-hill, and was witnessed by a large audience, every available space in the commodious room being occupied. The contending parties were Mr. Kinsella, of Cambridge-road, Norfolk-square, and Mr. Curley, of the Latimer Hotel, Latimer-road, Notting-hill, the first-named gentleman conceding 100 points in 500, for a stake of £25 a-side.
Play commenced shortly before eight o'clock, and, although large breaks were not the order, both gentlemen frequently contributed additions of from 10 to 20 points, and the first half of the game was completed in fifty-five minutes. After a short interval the game was resumed, when Kinsella rapidly gained upon his opponent, and reached 290 to 303. Nothing of note took place until the game was called 392 all; soon after which Kinsella took a good lead, his principal contributions being breaks of 10, 11, 10, and 26 (the latter break including three spots), and taking him to 478 to Curley's 418, when the last-named player added 9, a break that proved to be his last addition, as Kinsella, in his next innings, ran out a winner with an unfinished break of 15; the total scores being called- Kinsella 500, Curley 427.
The arrangements made by Mr. L. Mount, the proprietor, for the comfort of his visitors, gave every satisfaction, and a word of praise is due to Alfred Hughes for the correct and audible manner in which he marked and announced the game. The stakes were paid over directly after the conclusion of the game.