Top of Table Game

Almost Discovered Fifty Years Ago

As illustrating how nearly the players of half a century
ago were to discovering the modern top-of-the-table game,
we reproduce a drawing appearing in the third edition of
an excellent book on “Billiards,” by E. R. Mardon, published
in 1858. Opposite the diagram the writer says:—
“The balls were thus placed when the play or wanted but
eight points to complete the game. He played for five, to
hole the red and cannon, made them, and then found the
balls perfectly safe. The person alluded to had played at
billiards for twenty years, and yet his knowledge of the
game was so limited that he could not perceive that, by
only putting in the red and taking his own ball to the position
marked*, a break would have followed the spotting of
the red ball that must have yielded the number of points
required.”