BILLIARD NOTES

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 9, 14 May 1920, Page 5

BILLIARD NOTES

Last Friday evening there was a large attendance at the Civic Billiarcl Saloon to witness a game between Mr darke McConachy, the New Zealand billiard champion, and a local player. The play right through maintained the interest of the spectators. The champion breaks averaged about 50, and the greatest being 152. The local man had 400 of a start. At the close of the game of the Billiard display, a game of snooker was played and proved interesting. A fine display of shoota was j given at the terminatiori of the game, ' after which Mr McConachy expressed satisfaction with the tabies. BREAK OF m. Close on 300 gatliered in the Grand ; Saloon on Monday evening to see Clark i McConachy, the New Zealand champion, in an exhibition game opposed to P. Cooke, an amatecr, who is at the top of the tree among local billiardists. The game was the longest McConachy has played during his visit, being one of 1000 up, and his opponent received a start of 550 points. As was expected the amateur did not offer serious opposition, though he put up two nicq runs, one of 32 and the other 30, but in all he did not score ! more than 115, which, added to his handicap made his total 665 when the visitor went out. The game, however, was a most interesting one and the applauee which was so freely bestowed on the champion's efforts was indicative of the pleasure the spectators derived from them. In the first part of the contest, McConachy gave a display of break-building, the methods adopted being 6imilar to those used by the average player, but, of course, he kept things going longer and went about his work in a masterly ma-n-ner. It was pleasing to the spectators to see him at the all-round play, but this is not the most effective means by which large breaks are made and tko champion tried to establish himself at the top of the table. Several attempts were made to get into this advantageous position, but he did not appear to be able to do so. A number of losing hazards were played and he resorted to all hinds of tactics

and ultimately gave a very fine exhibition at the top-end, his nursery cannon plaj being of an especially attractive descrip« tioi. His opponent opened the game a« d McConachy compiled a 27. His second. visit to the table resulted in a contribution of 89, his next yielded no score and the course of his game after that was 56, 8, 0, 59, 0, 3, 13, 16, 45, 93, 2, 0, 604. This last break is the biggest ever recorded in Invercargill, aau r-howed the mastery the champion has over the balls. He aizned at secuxing top*f-the table position and had put up 37 when he lost the vhite aird so had only the red to play at. Most of those present probably expected that with only two balls on tha table he would have little chance of making a break of any dimensions and there awaited them a pkasant surprise, for McConachy worked the red into pcsition and set out on a journey that cccapied over thirty minute3, during the whole of this time the champion heing ai the table using top and side pockets with fanltless aim and remarkable tonch and judgmenfc, He reeled off century after century, and at the close of eaeh received the enthasiastic plaudits of the spectators. Ultimately 600 was reached and he set out on his seventh htmdred as if he would easily aecomplish it but when he had scored only once and was about to strike the hall for hi3 second shot a spectator sudJenly rose from his seat and distracted the attention of tho player, who failed in an iii-oS in a top pocket. All present voted tha gam8 the hest they had ,seen in Invercargill. The rapidity of McConathy'a scoring will be seen in the facfc that during his red-ball play his average was 100 points every six minutes. He made sixteen visiis to the table d.uring the evening and compiled 1015 points, which works out at an average for each cue of a little more than 63 a decidedly creditable performance, aecoimted for, of couise, largely by the phenoraenal break he placed to his credit.