BILLIARDS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2862, 29 August 1916, Page 8

BILLIARDS

SEMI-FINALS, CKTSTALAT-E : CUP. The four players still left in this tourney contested last night at iffessra. Alcock and Co.'s showroom the right to play in the final. Some hundreds of interested spectators, amongst wliom were quite' a number of ladies, viewed the games, and at times enthusiasm ran very high. The first game, between A. J. Congdon (Commercial and .Farmers' Club, Masterton) and H. Shanks (Dominion Club, Wellington), was unusually exciting right up to the concluding stroke, when the Wairarapa. representative secured the verdict when his opponent ivas five off the game. At the commencement Shanks drew. well, away, and it was not until near the finish ,that he was caught. ' In tho last 50 not more than about six points ever separated the players, and billiartlists have rarely seen a more even or gamely contested event. The best breaks were:— l.'ongdon, 20, 53. 20, 2li, 31, 32, 30; Shanlcs, 32, -16, 31, 34. 23. Tho next game was between Owen (Wellington Club) and present cupholder, Dyrhberg (Jlarist Bros.' Club). At the commencement Owen drew well away from his opponent, and at one stage led by over 100. Dyrhberg, by very deliberate and careful play, gradually crept up, and from 300 upwards neither player 'held more than a very few points' advantage until 400 was reached, when the champion again drew away, winning by a fairly comfortable margin. Dyrhbwg lias a wonderfully good eye, but is somewhat deliberate and slow in making up his mind what to play. With a little more experience amongst the best players he should prove a very hard man to beat. The best breaks were:—Owen, 28, 22, 3S, -12, 25, 27, 27, 21, 21, and 21; Dyrhberg, 21, 12, 21, and 2G. To-night at S o'clock the finals will be played between Owen and Congdon. and this should-prove a quick game and an exciting one.