KINGS OF THE CUE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2125, 17 April 1914, Page 8

KINGS OF THE CUE

WHO IS WHO IN CHAMPIONSHIP

BILLIARDS

INMAN AND HIS THREE CHALLENGERS

"Thoro has never before been a contest which lias evoked so much interest," wrote "W.R.S." in the "Manchester Guardian" prior to tho opening of tho recent contest for tho billiards championship of England (won by Inman, tho holder of tho title, after a series of challenge ties in which Rcece, after disposing of Gray and St-evenson, surrendered to Imnnn in tho finnl). "Two challenges would havo been unusual, but three—and one. of them tho young Australian, George Gray—is altogether unprecedented. In the old days there was a champion and a challenger. Usually the champion was John Roberts, and tho challengers—and at'times champions—wcro Cook or BennettorTaylor. Then thore came tho days of tho Billiards Control Club contest, carrying with it the title of English champion. This was held for some time by Stevenson, who twice defeated luman by just over 1000 in games of 18,000 up.

Inman's "Table Craft." "It is in his capacity as a matchplayer, perhaps more than in any other, that Inmau holds an advantage over any opponent. Inman is a spare little man of 35. When he choso billiards as a career ho probably made up his mind that before ho had finished ho would hold the first place. Ho is always worth watching, not so much, perhaps, for his professional skill, though' tliat is great, as for bis thoroughness, his doggedness, and what one might call his 'table-craft' —that is, his cleverness in never giving anything away. •He never runs a risk, and takes quite as much caro over easy strokes as over difficult ones. While most of the loading players of the day havo a game of their own, this can hardly bo said of Inmau. _ /He is not, that is te> say, a specialist in any one stroke. His may best bo described as the open game, though he is greatly skilled at tho top-of-the-table game, and as a hazard player has probably no superior. In truth, he usos any stroke and all strokes as thoy come, and, in addition, he is a past master in the art of leaving position—for himself alone, bo it ob" served. Tho position he is apt to lcavo for opponents is quite another matter. Small wonder, then, that while he makes fewer really huge breaks than his opponents, his consistency and persistency in scoring generally bring him first to tho ond of tho game. "Apart from his actual skill with tho balls, there is something in his personality by which somehow or other ™° se , wh? Pla.Y with him aro affected. What it is or how precisely it operates it .would bo hard to snv. usually one of the most phlegmatic* of players, actually stipulated, in making terms for a match with Inmau, that tho non-striker should sit behind the bottom pocket. Recce is usually quito an appreciable number of. points behind his proper game when ho is opposed to Inman, and probably rejoiced more over the one occasion when ho defeated him in a big match than over the ninety-and-nine other victories he has gained over other, players. Stevenson, a player with a temperament, has also been known U fall far below his true game when playing Inman. Perhaps it is the littla man's plain dethat his only purpose in life is to win tho game in which he is thon engaged—sonpled with tho' irritating habit he has of absolutely closing up tho gam e_ when he decides that a certain shot is too risky—that is so disconcerting to his opponents.

Tho Challengers. Steyenson,_ late holder of tho title, who is 39, is, in tho opinion of most billiard lovers, the successor in the true line to JoTin Roberts, and is held by them to be the best all-round player in the world at present. He would probably be the holder of the championship to-day but for tho fact that he changed his mind too late after saying that he would not defend his title. Than Stevenson, when in his true form, there is no player who gives more delight to the spectators. Like John Roberts, he plays at a great speed. There is no stopping to think which is the best way out of a difficulty or what is the best game to play. The choice of stroke is made apparently instantaneously. He has a superb mastery over the balls, and an equally superb indifference to th'e risks attendant on failure. As a rule, ho prefers the top-of-the-table gamo. When he has got the threo balls "under a handkerchief," so to sneak, ho is supremely contented. His delicate strokes when engaged on a run of nursery cannons are enough to drive even the most skilful amateur to'despair. If he is.at his best in these contests both the holder and the other challengers will probably have to give way. Last October he made a break of 919 with ivory balls—just after making over 1000 with the composite article.

Recce i 3 one of tho finest and one of the most disappointing of players. When in form ho is almost as delightful to watch as Stevenson. But there aro other times when he can get nothing to go the right way. Like Stevenson, too, ho excels at the top-of-the-tablo game. His touch is perfection, and to see him. at his best is to see one of the finest expositions of the game of billiards it is possible to have. He has mastered the nursery cannon game as_ completely as any man can master it. Perhaps tho delicacy of touch Beoce manifests in his favourite strokes rather prevented him from acquiring an equal mastery of tho open game. Whatever the position in.which lie is left, sooner or later ho tries to work tho balls to tho top of the table, and if he succeeds he generally scores freely with cannons and winning hazards. Reece has done many brilliant things during his career, hut perhaps as brilliant as any was his break of 610 when playing Stevenson last October. Threo years »ago he mado four breaks of over 600 within a month. Perhaps it is because ho is a man of moods that hitherto ho has failed to secure the title of champion.

Goorgo Gray, tho third challenger, is perhaps tho most uncertain quantity in the contest. If tho games wero played with o.ryslalate or bonzolino balls there would ho little doubt as to who would bo hailed as champion a month hence. But it is just becauso Gray's proficiency with ivory balls is still in' doubt that the issuo <$ the contest is uncertain. Just recently Newman, in receipt of 4000, scored only 11G4 points fewer tha* Gray in a fortnight's play. That was Gray's first game with ivory balls in miblie. Though apparently so easily defeated, it was evident to those who watched tho came throughout that Gray was not nearly so hampered by the change from composition to ivory as had been widely anticipated.