BILLIARD PLAYING EXTRAORDINARY.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 77, 18 December 1862, Page 6 (Supplement)

BILLIARD PLAYING EXTRAORDINARY.

(From the London Era?) Our readers have already been informed by advertisement in the Era of some extraordinary play now going on at Saville House, Leicestersquare, between M. Berger, tlie Champion Billiard Player of France, and Mr. Roberts, the Champion Billiard Player of England. In the elaborate programme issued by M. Berger it is somewhat pedantically said they propose to give a “ Seance on Milliards,” &c. We write strict English, when wo say that every Saturday, from throe till five o’clock, and every night from ten till twelve o’clock, these mighty men of the cue play games whose brilliancy, magnificence, and consummate art are, wo honestly believe, far beyond parallel. There are various exhibitions of skill, especially at the hands, or, rather, the cue, of the illustrious French Player, who performs a scries of strokes which literally come under the denomination of “ magic.” With these we purpose dealing on a future occasion, for they arc deserving far more elaborate notice than we can possibly accord to them in conjunction with our description of one of the matches between these mighty champions of one of the most beautiful and refined games known in the world. Wo are old hands ourselves at this noble diversion, and it has been our fortune during many’ years past to have witnessed some of the most magnificent displays of billiard skill almost on record ; but we must confess we never expected to sec such indescribably magnificent strokes as M. Berner is capable of effecting, nor did we ever anticipate seeing such intensely difficult billiard-problems, so purely and precisely worked out. But of these more in a future notice. We w r ill now proceed to the brilliant match between the Champions on Wednesday night ; we found at Saville House a capital muster of lovers of the game, as well as several well-known eminent amateurs, all of whom repeatedly testified their admiration of the splendid play before them by the warmest plaudits. The game played was the French cannon game, and, of course, on the usual French table, sans pockets —600 up ; M. Berger giving our Champion 250 points. There is less necessity for minutely describing this game than the ordinary game, because it docs not present the same variety of features. It is, as our readers who are acquainted with billiards are aware, all cannons from beginning to end —the object of each player being, of course, to retain

his billiard baton as long as ho can, and to continue cannoning as frequently as possible. lo this end, it was unctuous in the extreme to see how these matchless players effected their object ; now angularly and at distance, and now (and more frequently) huddling the balls together within the space almost of an ivy leaf, and achieves strokes with almost marvellous rapidity. Finer play was possibly never seen than that of the French champion, whilst of “ our own man” be it said, that he was a worthy antagonist in every way ; for, although ultimately compelled to succumb to the giant skill of his peerless competitor, he played brilliantly in the extreme, as was abundantly acknowledged by the hearty manner in which he was applauded, not only by the company generally, but by the generous Frenchman, who frequently ejaculated his “ Tres Lien /” Roberts made a break of 153 in this game—no slight proof of Ms share in the grandly-exhibited skill. Such was the command displayed by M. Berger, that, to speak in homely phraseology, it seemed that it would make but little difference whether he played with a cue, corkscrew, or even a bedpost —such was his marvellous execution, Many a time and oft in this splendid game did England say of France “ Excellent!” and scarcely less frequently did the latter say of the former, “ Fare goot indeed !” And so this most pleasant and most pleasing game wagged on until M. Berger won, the figures standing at the close—Berger, 600 ; Roberts, 549. Long may such honourable and innocent rivalry be practised, and may the billiard representatives of the two great nations never be engaged in more damaging warfare. We may add that the game was marked by Fred Morris with the requisite care, clearness, and precision.