Behind the Black Eight

Sophia Lane crossed the president of the Centralia billiards association, and the fallout ended her career. She had been a rising player in the city and competed in a mask. She took a false name, moved with her daughter Daisy into a small pool hall, and worked there as a cleaner. The new world champion has spent a long time trying to find her. He admires her game and wants one friendly match. When a tip finally leads him to the hall, she tells him he has the wrong woman and sends him away. Sophia has been coaching Daisy in secret, and the girl's talent is hard to hide. The hall owner's son bets on a game that turns out to be rigged, and the loss is big enough to cost the family the hall. Daisy plays a game to keep it open and wins. The win saves the building and also puts her in front of an underground gambling ring, which takes her. Sophia swallows her pride and goes back to the champion for help. The two of them get inside the ring's casino, bring Daisy out, and break up the operation. The association president is sent to prison along with the bookmakers. To keep her out of sight afterward, the champion arranges a remote pool hall for her, and she finds she has been installed as its manager. The players there do not know her and object to a stranger being put in charge.