3-Cushion
Very few competitions and tournaments in 2020, cancellations and all kinds of events that moved to another date, followed up very quickly so far this year: the COVID-19 crisis has not spared the sports world and more specifically billiards in the past nine months. However, this period of scarcity was an opportunity to think about new game formats. The CEB (European federation) and Kozoom have set to work to break the codes for three cushion and the classic disciplines. And to allow professional billiards players to perform with the strict respect for hygienic conditions. Two new competitions will see the light of day in the first half of 2021 under the auspices of the CEB: the 'Kozoom 3-Cushion Challenge Cup' and the 'Classic Race Challenges' in the classic games.
The three cushion Challenge Cup will be played from February to July 2021 in nine stages, which equates to 28 match days. Each of the eight three-player groups in qualification is played in a new format: 18 sets of 10 points are played over three days, with the three players gathered around the same table for one match.
The final round will take place in July 2021 over 4 days in double knock-out, classic matches between two players to the best of 7 sets of 10 points. Depending on the sanitary conditions, the tournament will take place in Studio Kozoom without audience or in the Andernos cinema with audience. The prize money is 52,000 euros, including 12,000 euros for the winner. The players are housed in the Anderenis Boutique Hotel in Andernos.
So the innovation comes from these three-player matches, where the red ball is replaced by an orange ball specially made by Aramith. It is intended, for the sake of recognisability, that each player keeps his ball for three days. In the draw, each player can choose his colour: player A (white ball), player B (yellow ball), player C (orange ball): each player takes turns playing after another player.
The order of play is:
Sets 1, 7, 13: Player A-B-C
Sets 2, 8, 14: B-A-C
Sets 3, 9, 15: C-A-B
Sets 4, 10, 16: A-C-B
Sets 5, 11, 17: B-C-A
Sets 6, 12, 18: C-B-A
The daily session is at 5 p.m., the timeclock is 40 seconds, 1 time-out per set, 5 minutes break every two sets. A certain technique and tactic will be required to know on which ball a player has to defend. The score board will help the players in this direction. The darkest ball will systematically take the place of the red ball at the starting point.
Program:
1 to 3 February, 9 to 11 February, 23 to 25 February, 1 to 3 March, 16 to 18 March, 16 to 18 March, 30 March to 1 April, 11 until May 13.
The final round will be played from July 15th to 18th in classic matches in the best of 7 sets of 10 points without a tie-break. On the first three days, two games per day at 4:00 PM and 9:00 PM. Then, the final on the last day at 4 p.m.
The 24 selected players and the qualifying groups will be communicated according to the schedule below:
x 16 first from the CEB ranking
x 3 CEB wildcards
x 3 Kozoom wildcards
x Reigning European ladies champion
x Reigning European under-21 champion.
The prize money:
X Third player in the group qualification: 8 x 500 euros
X Second player from group qualification: 8 x 1000 euros
X The numbers 7 and 8: 2 x 2000 euros
X The numbers 5 and 6: 2 x 3000 euros
X Semi-finalists: 2 x 5000 euros
X Runner up: 1 x 8.000 euros
X Winner: 1 x 12.000 euros.
Total: 52.000 euros.
Another innovation has been proposed by the CEB as the 'Classic Race Challenges'. The aim of this tournament is to play matches in which the best European specialists in play-off matches compete against each other for an hour on their own billiards. Whoever has the most caroms after the elapsed time wins the match. If a player misses, he must wait (about 1 minute) as a time penalty before he is allowed to apply for the break.
This formula has been successfully tested in recent weeks and offers a very spectacular view of the playoff games. Admittedly, there is no more direct interaction on the table between the two players, but make no mistake, the pressure and tension rise to the height.
In any case, this is the spectacle that the CEB guarantees you in collaboration with Kozoom, which organizes two competitions in its studio: one in balk-line 47/2 and the other in one cushion. Since the quality of video production is essential to fully appreciate the agility of these champions, the classic games will once again be in the spotlight in front of Kozoom's cameras.
The CEB will publish details of the players selected for the two competitions (three cushion and classic games) and other details about the events in the upcoming days.