Beginners at billiards are apt to undervalue the worth of practising alone, but there can be no doubt that this is the sure road to success. All the great players indulge in plenty of individual practice, and some have taken quite an extreme attitude on the point. For instance, J. Bennett, who defeated the present John Roberts for the championship, when training for a big match would never play with anyone, but invariably shut himself up alone in the billiard room and played one ball against the other.