NEW BILLIARD TABLE GAMES
Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, Saturday 15 December 1923
NEW BILLIARD TABLE GAMES
BY HARRY YOUNG.
Years ago the great game of billiards had but little rivalry, as, leaving bagatelle out of the question, the only other games played on a billiard table were “Pyramids” and “Life Pool.” Afterwards “Snooker Pool” and “Indian Pool” (“Slosh”), attained a certain amount of popularity, perhaps more for the reason that as in “Life Pool” an unlimited number of players could take part in the game. In “Snooker” the great mistake appears to be that too many red balls are on the table, which makes the game rather a long-drawn-out affair when the average man is playing.
Now, with the suggestion that the game of billiards is becoming too easy, though one has many acquaintances who stoutly refute this view, it may not be surprising that at least one ingenious person has thought out some fresh ideas for the introduction of new types of billiard games. To whatever opinions I may commit myself in the course of this article I cannot subscribe to any view that the game which has grown so much in popularity during the past quarter of a century, can really be said to have become too easy except perhaps in the case of those who earn their living at it. To the vast body of amateurs the game is regarded as one of the most difficult of all to play really well, and any legislation which may come to add to its complexities would be received, I feel sure, with scant welcome by those who regard it primarily as a recreation and an amusement.
A deep student of the game, Mr. George Clarke, who has seen much service with the West End clubs, and graduated through the Junior Carlton o the Sports Club, has invented two games which he styles “Four Ball Billiards,” and “Combine Pool.” Each of these has merit of its own, and certainly supply a variety that may be sometimes felt to be lacking in the type of games so largely played at the present time.
FOUR BALL BILLIARDS.
To deal first of all with “Cannonade,” or “Four Ball Billiards.” With four balls on the table instead of three, it can be readily understood that this new variety of billiards possesses complexities that do not exist in the present form of play.
The four balls consist of plain white, spot white, and two reds, and the game can be played either as a single or by two players aside. To begin with, the red balls are placed, one on the centre spot and the other on the pyramid spot. The striker may cannon only on these two balls. If one or both red balls should be pocketed they remain off the table until it is the next player’s turn, when they are replaced on their respective spots. Should only one red be pocketed, that ball is placed on the centre spot, the centre spot to be the first used in all cases concerning the red balls. The two white balls, being termed the striking balls, plain white, representing one side, and spot white, the other, are for winning and losing hazards only. When the striker pockets his opponent’s white ball it is placed on the top spot, known as the billiard spot. If a losing hazard is made the player continues his break from hand.
In pocketing the white or going in off, the striker advances his score two points; if he does both four points are scored. When the player’s ball strikes both red balls he scores two points; when the red ball is pocketed two points are added; if a cannon and hazard are both made in the same stroke, the accumulative score counts. For failing to hit an object ball the striker loses two points; going into a pocket without first striking the white ball constitutes a foul, and the player loses four points and his ball is spotted on the top spot. When a player has used the wrong ball, as soon as the mistake is detected the opponent has the option of playing with the right ball, or of having the position of the white balls reversed. If either red ball is forced off the table, it is replaced on its spot. Should the object white be forced off, the owner plays from hand. If it is the player’s ball it is put on the top spot. Either ball leaving the table is a foul stroke, and the striker loses two points.
Should both spots used by the red balls be occupied, the ball, or balls, are placed as near as possible (without touching the other ball) to its own spot, in a direct line with the top spot. If the white ball’s spot is occupied, the ball is placed as near as possible in a direct line with the top of the table. When the striker’s ball is touching an object ball, the object ball is spotted, and the striker plays from hand.
The player being in hand, no ball inside the baulk line may be struck before his ball first goes outside the baulk line. The principle of this heavy penalty is to minimise safety play. A player might run a coup or purposely go in off a red. Then the opponent would only have cannon play left him if it were not for the severe penalty.
COMBINE POOL.
Combine Pool is a game exclusively of winning hazards. A different ball is allotted to each player, who plays his own ball against all the others in accordance with the following rules:
The owner of the white ball places it on the spot, the owner of the red is “on” white, and so on in the same order as “Life Pool.” At the beginning of each game the black ball is placed on the centre spot. After the first round (the white having played) the pink ball is placed on the pyramid spot; should that spot be occupied the ball must be placed as near as possible in a direct line with the billiard spot. After a player has pocketed a legitimate ball the free ball is the black, which ball may be pocketed alternately with a legitimate “life” ball, the nearest “life” ball being the lawful one. The pink, being termed a “volunteer rover,” may be pocketed at any time when directly played upon, but may only be pocketed on three successive strokes from off its spot. Should the player do so he must then play on the nearest “life” ball or the colour in order, if not already pocketed. The pink remains off the table until the next stroke. When only the black remains, that becomes the free ball for one hazard; should that ball be pocketed the player may continue with the pink until the three limit, after which his ball is spotted and the next in order plays.
Pink and black are object balls and the others “life” balls.
A “life” ball counts one point, the pink ball two points, and the black ball three points.
The advantages of Combine Pool over other pools are reasoned as follows,:—
“LIFE” POOL.—When a player has lost his three “lives” and the “star” has gone, at times he has to sit out half an hour or more, until the game is finished.
“SNOOKER” POOL.—There are at least ten red balls too many on the table, making a “snooker” too frequent, thereby diminishing the pleasure and interest for both players and spectators.
“VOLUNTEER” SNOOKER.—This game, while being very popular, has its weaknesses. Would-be players may have to wait an unlimited time, and if the game is restricted to time then the players themselves complain that their game is not complete.
“BLACK” POOL.—This is a sequence of life and black ball pocketing only.
Combine Pool is a combination of four pools. As in “Life” Pool each player has his own ball to play against the others. A “life” ball may be pocketed alternately with the black, as in “Black” Pool. The “pink,” being a “volunteer rover,” may be pocketed at any time without altering the sequence of “life” and “black.” No ball being allowed to be taken off the table follows the principle of “Snooker” Pool. It is urged in its favour that Combine Pool is one of the easiest of games to follow, with a variety of interesting incidents.