Carom
SLUISKIL - The conversation, on a small round table in the billiardroom in Sluiskil, was extremely entertaining. Dick Jaspers, who just had played a match of 50 points in 15 innings, asked Raymund Swertz: ,,Did you like it, Raymund, have you ever see me playing before?'' The young player, a specialist in the serie games with seven Dutch and three European titles, but Sunday making his debut in the Premier league three cushion, said: ,,Yes, of course Dick, what did you think?''
Raymund Swertz did not play so bad. The man from Liburg lost to Ad Koorevaar, but finished over one average and stayed for a long time into the vicinity of his opponent.
Jaspers wanted to know: ,,And, did you enjoy it playing three cushion on this level?''
Swertz: ,,I should play it more, because I like it more now. In the years I didn't play three cushion so well, it was hard for me to practice. But now it's going better all the time, sometimes I make a run of ten on training, then you get more fun in it.''
Jaspers: ,,Do you know what's so beautiful in three-cushion? You can miss a time without being punished immediately. That's what you cannot permit in cadre or one-cushion. When I still played tournaments in serie, I was very nervous before a match. You knew you could lose if you didn't finish the match in one inning.''
Swertz: "But even if I keep playing serie, it is also important to improve my three-cushion. I ever saw Dick play one-cushion and you knew that if he got a bad position, he would make the point, while we usally miss when the balls lay everywhere on the table.''
Raymund Swertz concluded that his debut in Sluiskil, despite the loss, was encouraging. ,,I was honored to participate here and play against the champions of the Netherlands. And I hope they will invite me more often playing for this team.''