THE BILLIARD CHAMPIONS.

Evening Star, Issue 4311, 20 December 1876, Page 4

THE BILLIARD CHAMPIONS.

The billiard matches arranged be- j tween Mr Roberts and M. Carme for LIOO a side have excited considerable interest. They play two matches in Melbourne—one at the English game, in which Roberts gives his opponent 600 out 1,000, and one at the French game, when Carme allows his opponent 'a handicap of 500, each canon counting ;two. The first match—the English game—was played on December 11, and of it the ‘ A.ge’ reports:—All the interest was centered in the play of Roberts, who defeated his opponents by 99 points, a number which apparently he could have greatly increased. The champion’s 'best breaks, in the order in which they Were made, were 33, 57, 308, 31, 74, i3B, 54, 64 ; whereas the highest made by his opponent was 16, which number

be put together on several occasions. Roberts commenced the break of 308 j by a fluke, his opponent’s ball going ■ down and leaving him in position for , the “ spot,” which he negotiated 103 in succession. To regain position in this break he had to make two splendid shots successively, sending the white all round the table. In the latter of the two he cut the red in when at a j right angle to the pocket. The break ijof 74 also contained a wonderful shot, j jiThe white was on the brink of the Tpocket, and Roberts made his own ball jump, touch the white on the inner j.side and drop into the pocket. When ..Roberts had completed the 1,000 Carme had reached 901 only. In Sydney, an exhibition contest resulted in a draw, each champion , winning at his own game. Conti cerning the English game of billiards played in Sydney on the 7th inst. by jMr Roberts and M. Carme, the .‘ Sydney Morning Herald’states that it •was “ evident from the commencement that the Frenchman possessed a very small amount of skill at the English game. Several times he failed to score i at all j at other times he made misses, : whilst most of his scoring breaks .ranged from 3 to 6. His largest breaks were 10, 11, 14, and 17. He was altogether at fault with the hazards, and though he made several, he missed , many more which to a player of even ! moderate skill would have been easy. .He had only scored 201, which, added to the points given him, raised his scere to 801, when his opponent ran out with a break of 210. In obedience jto the wishes of the spectators Roberts i continued, principally using the spot .stroke, until he had made a break of 483, the largest he has made in Aus- ■ tralia.” Carme won the French Exhibition game by 30 points.