CATCHING A TARTAR.
`My skill at billiards,' says a confessing gamester, `gave me
a superiority over most I met with. I could also hide my skill
very dexterously, which is generally found a work of great
difficulty, and judiciously winning or losing, I contrived to
make it answer my purpose, — until one day, going to a
table which I was very much in the practice of
frequenting, and where no one was then engaged, I was invited by
a stranger to play. I accepted the invitation for a small stake,
and won very easily, so much so, that on commencing a new game I
offered to give him six, to place us more on an equality. He
accepted it eagerly, but it produced him no benefit; he played so
badly, and managed both his cue and mace so awkwardly — for I made
no objection to his changing them as often as he pleased — that,
playing very carelessly, I could not avoid beating him. We
continued increasing the stakes every successive game; money
seemed of no value to him; he appeared to have plenty, and lost
it with a spirit that told me I had got hold of an excellent
subject, who could pay me well for beating him. I did not wish
to win too palpably, and therefore kept increasing the advantage
I yielded him, till it amounted to sixteen. He now proposed
making the bet
one hundred pounds, and that I should give
him eighteen. His eagerness, as well as the manner in which he
handled his tools, convinced me of his inexperience, and I
accepted the proposal; — but, to my surprise, he won the game. He
laughed so heartily at the event, and conducted
himself so extravagantly, that I felt persuaded the thing
was accidental. He proposed doubling the stakes, which I
refused; yet I agreed to play him for the same sum as before, but
giving him only fourteen. By some chance he won again; and then
I declined playing any more; but he pushed me so hard, and
offered to play the even game rather than I should give over,
that I was induced to yield. He declared he did not want my
money, and wished to give me an opportunity of recovering it. It
was the depth of artifice, and I discovered it too late. He won
. . . and I had no money to pay! One of the bystanders took part
with him; my case did not invite or interest any one to stand by
me. I was treated with great indignity; and though I gave up my
watch and every article of value I possessed, yet I was not
allowed to depart without very ill usage. I had transgressed the
laws of gaming, by betting after I had ceased to be able to pay;
but I had so confidently felt that I had my antagonist in my own
power, that I considered the stake as my own as soon as the bet
was made. The injuries I received were very severe, and confined
me to my bed for several days.'[32]
[32] Confessions of a Gamester.
The splendid and fascinating game of Billiards seems to
have been an English invention; and it became greatly in vogue
during the reign of Louis XIV. of France, to whom it was
recommended by his physicians as an exercise after meals.
It is said that Chamillard, who played with the king,
entirely owed his political fortune to the skill which he
displayed in this game. Billiards has not as yet been placed,
like skittles and bowls, under the interdict of the police
authorities, and it is difficult to see how they could venture
upon so tremendous an experiment. The game seems to be more in
vogue than ever, and doubtless heavy sums are lost and won at it.
Billiard matches have during the last three years become quite
one of the winter exhibitions, and particularly this season have
the public shown their taste for the game. Perhaps the
extraordinary performances of some of the first-class cueists
have stirred up the shades of Kentfield's days, his homely game
of cannons off list cushions and gently-played strength strokes;
or by chance those that favour Marden's style, his losing hazards
and forcing half balls, have revived once more, and we yearn with
wonder to see the great spot strokes of
the
present age, when as many red hazards can be scored in one break
as were made in olden times in an evening's play. At the present
time Roberts, sen., may claim the honour in the billiard world of
having brought the spot stroke to light: he has made no less than
104 consecutive hazards in one break, and up to the present
winter that wonderful performance stood unparalleled. Cook,
however, very recently in an exhibition match with J. Bennett,
scored the spot hazard no less than 119 times, making 388 off the
balls, the biggest break on record. Such feats as these,
supplemented by the but little inferior play of Roberts, jun.,
and Bennett, have done more than excite surprise, and have caused
old heads carefully to look into the style of play of 1869 and to
ponder thereon. It appears that they affirm, and not without
reason, that much of the success of the spot stroke arises from
the position of the spot being further from the top cushion than
formerly, and by this means not only is the angle of the
striker's ball for position made easier, by a greater scope for
screw or side, but the mouth of the pockets themselves are easier
of access; and the chance of a wobble all but avoided. Billiard
players and table makers
should meet and
arrange a regular standard size for table pockets and balls, with
the spots at regulated positions. We should then be able to
compare merits with greater certainty, and such terrible scores
would not trouble the markers.
As a healthful exercise, and in its tendency to promote
the physical development of the body, the game of Billiards is
unsurpassed; but it is much to be regretted that it is generally-played in ill-ventilated and crowded rooms, often reeking with
the pestilential fumes of tobacco, and not without the adjunct of
frequent alcoholic potations. Moreover, there can be no doubt
that many modern instances of billiard sharping occur, such as I
have just quoted, in which the unwary are unscrupulously
`fleeced.' I know of several.
