The Darley Dale Invitation Tournament

for The Royal Bank of Scotland Trophy

Sponsored by Mr. Lewis Jackson (Builders) Darley Dale

Peter Gilchrist on Peak Form: A four minute century

The Annual Darley Dale event was held on the 28th of November. In previous years the weather has been such as to make the drive into Derbyshire a delight in itself. This year it was cold and dreary, travellers were glad to reach their destination, the Whitworth Institute, where it was warm and welcoming, the beautiful billiards room as evocative as ever.

The players this year, for the first time, were all professionals. World-ranked No.2 and Darley Dale trophy holder Mike Russell, No.4. Peter Gilchrist, No.6. Norman Dagley, and No.7. Bob Close The format was a round-robin with games of fifty minutes duration.

Gilchrist's outstanding performance

The fact that there were four of the world's top players would not of itself have been a guarantee of outstanding billiards though spectators would have disappointed if at least a couple of the players had not been at something like their best. On this occasion the spectators were treated to a display of billiards they could hardly have hoped for. Every player produced a noteworthy performance. Consider that Mike Russell made breaks of 278 and 190 and didn't win a game! Bob Close was in good enough form to have had, at one stage, consecutive breaks of 73,172,88, and 39 and yet could win only one game, whilst Dagley, elegant as ever, delighted the onlookers with typical nonchalant spot-end efforts of 191 and 184 to win two of his three matches. The star of the proceedings was Peter Gilchrist. In his first match (v Russell) he attempted the up-and-down cannon after his opponent's break and missed by a whisker. Russell missed an in-off and Gilchrist then scored a break of 298 missing a pot from the spot! Russell replied immediately with 190 missing a long loser, upon which Gilchrist added 74. It was that kind of afternoon.

The Middlesbrough player scored 1233 points in three fifty-minute games (including a century in well under five minutes) to his opponents' 554. This is an average of 411 per game against some of the best opposition to found anywhere. Yes, it really was that kind of an afternoon.

Peter Gilchrist v Mike Russell

The tournament got off to an explosive start. From Russell's break Gilchrist just missed the cannon and then scored 298 at his very next visit only to see Russell immediately counter with a 190. Gilchrist then added 74. Russell appeared to be taking the game over but at 42 missed a long-loser. This was the first of several that he missed during the day and he was severely punished every time. Though not making another big break Gilchrist took command adding a few small items to finish a comfortable winner.

Norman Dagley v Bob Close

How many battles have these two fought? They have surely lost count. This particular meeting could hardly be described as a battle. Dagley kicked off with a break of 184 in typically relaxed manner and almost immediately added 74 leaving Close a double baulk. The Middlesbrough man eventually got in to score 37, and soon after gathered the balls at the spot end. Though time was short, this was his opportunity to get some points on the board, points which might have stood him in good stead if, at the end of the day, there was to be a tie in games won. It did not happen as he reached only 20 before failing at a cross-loser. Dagley played out time with 50 unfinished.

Peter Gilchrist v Bob Close

This game was the most competitive of the series and certainly the most exciting. Though Gilchrist had an early century, followed by playing the red-ball to the limit and double-baulking, Close stuck to his task, and with just under eight minutes remaining had built a lead of nearly eighty. It was at this point that Gilchrist produced a break of exactly 100, a break that those fortunate enough to witness will surely never forget. Knowing that time was against him, Gilchrist seized on a leave to take the balls to the spot end in just two strokes where he proceeded to play two pots to a cannon at quite breathtaking speed. He fairly raced round the table slamming the ball down almost before the referee had removed his hand from replacing it on the spot. Cannons were played almost without bothering to get down to be followed by the pot almost as if in one movement. Such play could not be sustained and he missed a pot from the spot with the break at exactly 100. And still the match was not safe, Bob Close could yet have won and added 30 or so before failing whereupon Gilchrist played out time with 20. There were thus some 150 points scored in the last 8 minutes of the match and the timekeeper estimated that Gilchrist's break took a little over four minutes.

Peter Gilchrist v Norman Dagley

Dagley had to win - and win well - to keep his hopes alive. As it turned out he was never in it. Gilchrist started modestly with a 70, but a visit or two later put together a beautiful break of 217 to assure himself of the first prize. Dagley was largely kept in his seat, his only significant contribution being to play out time with 68.

Bob Close v Mike Russell

Bob Close: won one game.

It was not Russell's day. He missed a pot red from the spot at 51, from a perfect leave at the spot-end he scored only eight before missing another red from the spot, and in two consecutive visits he missed two long-losers. From these lapses Close had consecutive runs of 73, 172, 88, and 39. No player at whatever level can afford such a sequence of misses, but when there is a player of the class of Bob Close waiting to take advantage, it is quite fatal.

Norman Dagley v Mike Russell

Mike Russell - big breaks but no wins.

Dagley needed this game for second place or otherwise there would have been a three-way tie for last! It was a rather remarkable game. Dagley started with a delightful break of 191 missing a red from the spot when he looked capable of playing out the whole fifty minutes.

Shortly afterwards he added 103. To a player of Mike Russell's calibre, a 300 or so deficit is not desperately serious. The twice world champion embarked on a spot-end effort which looked as if it might win him the game. It was, however, the highest break prize that was attracting him, and as he reached the 270 mark, Russell turned and enquired of Gilchrist if he was worried, this, presumably, to inform the latter that he (Russell) was about to overtake the 298 target that Gilchrist had set in the first game, but - again - it was not the Mighty Mike's day. He immediately lost position breaking down at 278. At the end of the game the marking board was checked from the score sheet as it was difficult to believe that apart from his 278, Russell had scored only 21 points for a total of 299, leaving Dagley a comfortable winner and Russell without a victory to his name.

Peter Gilchrist receives first prize from Mr. Lewis Jackson.

A very beautiful cannon played by Norman Dagley at Darley Dale. The short jenny was not quite on. Dagley might have played the long jenny; he might have attempted a screw into the bottom pocket; he could have tried a cannon from the cushions. Instead of any of these alternatives he played the direct screw cannon as shown. This put the object white nicely behind the spot and left the red hanging over the top pocket for a tap-in pot. The stroke of a master player.