Country House and Club Games on the Billiard Table

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BILLIARDS is the king of indoor pastimes, and is attended by a brilliant retinue of kindred games. This is admitted, there is nothing of such lasting interest as billiards, and if a change is desired the various pool games offer an abundance of variety. But a game for light amusement is always acceptable, even if it is discarded after its freshness has worn off, and if some of the games we intend to describe serve to add for a while to the attractiveness of the billiard room our purpose will be fulfilled. Skilled players may find a few things here and there to while away a passing hour, but we feel sure our ideas will be most in request when the billiard room is invaded by a mixed company of good and indifferent players of both sexes. Something providing the greatest amusement to the greatest number, either as players or spectators, is a need often felt in the billiard room.

Some Novel Handicaps

It will not be out of place to instance some methods of handicapping which have entertaining possibilities. At present, the usual choice is between giving or owing points, though the "break" game, in which the superior player does not score unless he makes a break of an agreed size, is occasionally played. This is an excellent method of handicapping, but is taboo in public rooms and many clubs on account of the time it takes to finish a game when the back-marker is a poor performer and the other man is not scoring anything less than breaks of ten or more. But, whenever possible, this form of handicap should be exploited to the full, as it compels the best player to strive to control the balls to an extent he might not otherwise attempt.

There are times when a less correct form of handicap may be a diversion and the following may then be given a trial—

1. The better player may be compelled to play every stroke off the red ball. In this case the difference between the players must be great as the handicap is severe. If, however, the expert develops the Gray touch on the red, then he should be requested to turn his attention to the white.
2. The superior player commences each break with a cannon. The strokes he had to go out for will often provide considerable entertainment. "All cannons" by way of a handicap is sometimes played, but is not to be recommended, as the English table is not adapted for it. It is far better to try something which enables the man who can play to show his ability as an all-round performer.
3. One form of handicap is that there shall be no baulk for the inferior player. He will be permitted to play from hand as in pool games. The advantage this confers is not so great as might be imagined, as it is simple to arrange the balls behind the baulk-line in such a way that a score requires more than a little ingenuity.
4. A merry handicap, which should only be attempted when there is absolutely no comparison between the skill of the contestants, is to permit one player to play with either white ball at each stroke, count three for each score, and ignore baulk. The other player has to> do his best with ordinary billiards, or he may be still further handicapped. For instance, a noted professional happened to be playing at a country house where a certain royal personage was among the guests. After the customary exhibition game, the royal sportsman genially arranged a match of fifty up between the professional cueman and a charming lady who had some slight acquaintance with billiards. The conditions were that the lady was allowed the privileges detailed at the head of this paragraph, while the luckless pro. had to play each stroke with any ball his fair opponent might decide, and only take one point for each score. In addition, the lady was very well advised by plenty of the company, and the professional was never asked to work so hard for points in his life. Needless to say, the lady won, but not until the novel handicap had caused an immense amount of amusement.
5. The old-fashioned "cramp" games give us a hint worth trying. Why not declare one or more pockets closed to the better player? This form of handicap was much in vogue in the days of our grandfathers, and it is well worth revival. It should be noted that any score in the "closed" pocket or pockets goes to the non-striker, and that the striker thereby loses the right to continue, and must make way for his opponent. A diverting variation of this handicap is when the best player is only allowed to reckon cannons and all the points scored in one or two pockets. He plays in the usual way, but all scores are ignored except cannons and points scored in the agreed pockets.
6. Before quitting individual handicaps, we may mention that if a good player is compelled to strike at least one cushion before making the opening stroke of each break, he will increase his knowledge of the angles of the table, besides giving his opponent a greatly enhanced opportunity of winning the game.

But real country house games should be arranged for a number of players. The various methods of handicapping two players is given here incidentally, it being our intention to confine ourselves to games for four and upwards in future issues. For the present we confine ourselves to two examples of the latter.

A "sealed handicap" provides considerable amusement. The handicap is made by a non-player, and is kept secret from all the competitors. Consequently, a player may give a carefully thought out miss, only to hear the gentleman responsible for the handicapping call "game"— the point given away having completed the other player's complement of points. The handicap should vary slightly in each round, to prevent a player from computing how many he has to make from his total in a previous round. Any number of players play in rotation. Between friends, and not taken too seriously, a "sealed handicap" provides a deal of sport. But it is essential that the heats should not be long. Games of fifty up are sufficient.

We will conclude with a description of "Handicap Sweepstakes," for which we are indebted to that fine old writer on the game, Captain Crawley. Writing nearly fifty years ago, he says: —

"For a mixed party of ladies and gentlemen, or for players of various strength Handicap Sweepstakes is a capital game. It is regular billiards, each player having his own score marked on the slate of the marking board. Having determined on the number to be played up, each player has placed against her or his name the number at which he starts. Suppose half-a-dozen or eight play, and the points are 100 up, the board would be marked thus: —

1. Hon. Miss Ponsonbye......... 65
2. Lord Pimlico................ 60
3. Miss Rose Earlybird......... 55
4. R, H. Skevington............ 50
5. Colonel Harkaway............ 40
6. Sir James Travailler........ 35
7. G. T. H. Wynter............. 25
   Captain Crawley.............  0

"The red ball is spotted, and the Hon. Miss Ponsonbye breaks the balls. Lord Pimlico follows and scores a hazard or cannon, when 2 are marked against his name. He ceases to score, and then No. 3 goes on, followed by No. 4, and so on alternately, each score being marked at the end of each player's break. The one who first reaches the appointed 11 wins the game. In cases of misses or coups, one point or three points, as the case may be, is deducted from the player's score.

All the rules of ordinary billiards govern this very amusing game. Handicap Sweepstakes is very popular in some clubs and public rooms, but of course the handicapper should be acquainted with the relative strength of the players. I have seen the game played in some country houses with as many as a dozen competitors, for a sixpenny stake for each player. It is astonishing what excitement and speculation it occasions, as the chances rise and fall, and some favourite player gets a good break. Where ladies contend, the game is a delightful one—as what game, indeed, is not in which they join?"

With all due respect to Captain Crawley, in our opinion, a game of one hundred is far too long. Short games are much more successful as entertainments where there are more than (say) three players. It must be remembered that each player has only one stroke, it therefore takes much longer for one person to score a given number of points. This limit to a single stroke has a double advantage, it modifies the difference in the scoring ability of the players, and holds the attention and interest of each player.

If there are six players, each player has only to wait for five shots to be played before it is his or her turn again, whereas when each superior player is allowed to play on till he falls to score, the indifferent players, when it comes to their turn, have lost all interest so far as their part in the game is concerned. This applies, however severe the handicap of the more proficient.—(To be continued.)