The originator of the amateur break competition, which is such a popular feature at Messrs. Thurston's Saloon, hit on a particularly bright idea. With the red spotted and the white offering an easy middle pocket loser or drop cannon, the proposition looks an easy one. The fact that it is never odds on even a good player making a break from such a position at his first attempt is emphasised by the fact that several gentlemen who have at times competed with distinction in the Amateur Championship have failed to compile a 20 break.
Each session, however, brings quite a fair number of competitors. The other day when 1 looked in almost every type of billiard player was represented, including a gentleman who used a 19oz. cue, and would have had a heavier one if he could have found it. Some played the cannon; some the hazard. Several made nice breaks, and only one failed to score. The most popular performance was that of Mr. McEgan, whose portraits in oils of George Gray are so good. The genial Mac., who is quite a regular entrant, succeeded in beating his previous best—four— with a meritorious run of six.
Private J. Thomas, of the Leicester Regiment, who, since the inception of Army and Navy Championship has always been a prominent competitor, has now succeeded in putting up a fresh record. In his heat in the third round he ran to game with an unfinished break of 138, and so well is he playing that his comrades entertain great hopes of him taking the championship this year. There is no more attractive player to watch amongst our professionals when he is in form than Walter Lovejoy. His game with Harverson, although abandoned as a draw, was crammed with entertaining . billiards. Incidentally Love joy put up a fresh personal break record under B.C.C. Rules. His break of 445 was a beautiful piece of work made, as usual, at a most entertaining pace.
Tom Aiken is a player of whom we see far too little in the Metropolis. Not being a competitor in the Tournament, rather less of the fierce light of publicity is shed upon his doings than on those of his brother professionals. When in form he is as good as most, and though as a rule his best work is reserved for his native land, he sometimes blossoms out at Leicester Square. He made no mistake with Melbourne Inman, beating the " Terrier " by no fewer than 1,546 in a game of 9,000—or 46 more than the start conceded to him. In one particularly brilliant session he aggregated 1,291, with an average of 107.58.
George Gray goes on from record to record, and though his present best is 1,576, he would be a bold man who dared wager that this phenomenal young man will not put on a, break of 2,000, or even more. All the same, there are still those who are willing to back Inman against him on level terms. Besides, Mr. Robert Topping, Inman's thick and thin supporter, to whom he owes much, a well-known amateur cueist who has several times competed with distinction for the Championship, tells me that he will wager ^500 on the success of Inman, provided the two meet under "neutral conditions." "Neutral conditions" sounds simple enough, but in this case it covers quite a lot of funny things. I do not think anything is definitely settled at the moment, but it is,Ťof course, an open secret that the one and only John holds the " reversion " on 'Gray when his present contracts expire in the Spring. I may be wrong, but I think it is not at all improbable that the two meet in London prior to starting on a world's tour.
The London Section of the Amateur Championship this year received excellent support in respect of numbers, though it cannot be said that, taken as a whole, the standard of play is high. Several of the new-comers showed rather poor form. Some allowance may be made for unusual surroundings, but we think that aspirants for amateur honours should not enter for a contest of this kind, unless, their skill is far greater than that of the average player.
Many a man is a veritable Goliath on his own pet board amid familiar surroundings. A real " standard " table, an opponent who is an unknown quantity, and a critical gallery, reduce such an me more often than not to a mere pigmy.
A good deal of interest was infused into the London Competition by the entry of Mr. A. E. Wisdom, and everyone was anxious to see how he would fare against Mr. Good. Mr. Wisdom was responsible for two of the most brilliant sessions, and he is still an extremely interesting player to watch. As a matter of fact, however, he had no serious designs on the honour this year, as he has been playing but little of late.
In any event he would not have been able to journey to Manchester, and for that reason withdrew from the semi-final, giving Mr. A. W. Sellar a walk-over. Not unnaturally Mr. Sellar claimed the right to "go over the course" with some other opponent, but this was refused, not by the Association, but by Mr. Good, to whom, curiously enough, the decision was left by Mr. Sydenham Dixon, If that gentleman, as President of the Association, had himself ruled against Mr. Sellar, very little could have been said, but his action in referring the matter to the most interested party, Mr. 'Sellar's opponent, needs a great deal of explanation. Had Mr. Wisdom foreseen the turn of events he in all probability would not have withdrawn.
In any case, Mr. Sellar would not, I think, have defeated Mr. Good, who, in the final, had most of the luck, and won with great ease. Mr. Sellar's time will come. He has the great advantage of youth, being only 26 years of age, and experience will remedy his shortcomings. Chief of these is his desire to play too " big " a, game. Having set himself a very high ideal, he must not be surprised if some years elapse before he finds himself much nearer the goal of his ambition. That he has all the makings of a fine cueist no one can deny—his losing hazards are particularly good, and I have never seen an amateur deal with the long jenny in better style or to greater effect. He' is distinctly a young man whose future play will be watched with great interest.
Of the newcomers, Mr. F. C. Duell took the eye most. He was unlucky in running up against Mr. Good in the first round, but although out-pointed he made a good show, particularly at the evening session, when he averaged over 11 points per innings. I am looking forward to the probable meeting of Mr. Sellar and Mr. Duell in the final of the B.C.C. Championship, and I am not attempting to " tip " the winner.