Free game
MARIENBERG – The new Dutch champion in the free game, once made a promise he intends to keep throughout his career. He promised Belgian Tonny Schrauwen, then the Dutch Federation’s coach and mentor to many famous players, to keep on playing the classic disciplines.
,,I promised him on his deathbed, and I will never forget that'', said Christiani, after he had won the title unbeaten and with a 200.00 average this weekend.
Dave Christiani from Bergharen has since become a very respected three cushion player, who in the Dutch honor league is part of the top team TOVV. He also plays the Belgian league, and wants to compete in the World Cups on a regular basis.
,,The calendar is my stumbling block right now'', says the Limburg-born. ,,I would prefer to play everything, but I often have to make choices and they affect my title chances or seedings to- for instance – the European Championship in Brandenburg, Germany next year.''
The Dutch title in the free game is no guarantee to play there. ,,As I understand it, only the titles in balkline and one-cushion matter to placement in that EC. Which is a problem: I cannot compete in one balkline descipline because of the GP in Vlaardingen. It’s the same week, and in Vlaardingen I want to make sure I qualify for the Dutch Masters. And the other discipline is in the same week as Hurghada.
33-year-old Dave Christiani, who now has 14 Dutch and 5 European titles, already has good palmares as an allrounder. That can only get better in the upcoming years, because he continues to love the classic disciplines.
,,I have gotten stronger in all the disciplines, because of the mental changes I have made.'' The secret? ,,Whatever is at stake, I no longer feel any pressure at the table. I play as loose as a Goose, I have fun, and once in a while I win a title.''
The European Championship in all disciplines looks tailor made for him. ,,When I am at the top of my game, I am a contender in a few disciplines. The problem will be, to get placed. Now they tell me that the Dutch pentathlon will not be played next year. Those are disappointments, because I would love to play that EC.''
But at least in this Dutch Championship, Christiani has once again shown his versatile class.
,,I was a bit apprehensive about it, because of the lack of preparation. Last week I was in the Czeck republic for the triathlon, and after coming home, I had just two days to practice the serie américaine. That had to do.''
And yet, he was by far the best of the eight: he was strong in the big points, gathered the balls quickly and produced his 400 runs with fluent technique, avoiding all problems.
,,I have always finished the match, whenever I had the balls at my mercy. Sometimes i had them in three, four points. And where other players often had problems with frozen balls, I adjusted quickly. The tables were not very fast, so I played my series a little looser, and have not had to re-break because of frozen balls once in the entire tournament.''