_Author of_ “_The Board of Green Cloth_.” WITH TWENTY DIAGRAMS, SHOWING IN A NOVEL MANNER THE MODE OF “PLAYING BREAKS.” CONTENTS. CHAP. CHAP. I. PRELIMINARY REMARKS. XII. CANNONS. II. STANDARD GAMES: ENGLISH. XIII. PLAYING BREAKS. III. „ AMERICAN. XIV. A PRACTICAL LESSON. IV. „ FRENCH. XV. POOL AND PYRAMIDS. V. INCIDENTS IN MY CAREER. XVI. BETTING AND CUSTOMARY REGULATIONS. VI. SCREW AND THE SIDE TWIST. XVII. CURIOSITIES OF THE GAME. VII. PLAYERS I HAVE MET. XVIII. HANDICAPS. VIII. ROOMS AND TABLES. XIX. DEFINITIONS OF TERMS. IX. STRENGTH. XX. RULES: ENGLISH, AMERICAN, FRENCH. X. LOSING HAZARDS. XXI. CELEBRATED MATCHES. XI. WINNING HAZARDS. XXII. SHARP PRACTITIONERS. PALL MALL GAZETTE.—“Of the many works on Billiards submitted to our notice lately, that written by Mr. ROBERTS is the best . . . We do not doubt that every one practising for a month, with the diagrams by his side, would make more progress than he could boast in a year with the aid of any other book that we are acquainted with.” LAND AND WATER.—“By a series of twenty admirably coloured plates, all the most likely strokes are demonstrated . . . Well printed and unique of its kind, and deserving of a place in every young man’s library.” SPORTING LIFE.—“On the whole the book may be described as the most generally interesting on the games we have seen. The part of it that is original is well written, and the extracts are well selected and amusing.” THE SPORTSMAN.—“The Champion must be commended for having produced what will become a standard work, and as it is moderate in price, it will doubtless meet with a large sale.” MANCHESTER GUARDIAN.—“He is best in the second part of the volume, which gives valuable hints on play. These hints have accompanying diagrams, the execution of which leaves nothing to be desired . . . We must give Mr. ROBERTS credit for using great brevity, plainness, and clearness of speech. What he professes to teach he knows thoroughly, and can put into the fewest words.”