Balk-Line 47/2
ANDERNOS - The innovative Classic Race, which was played in Andernos last week, was received with enthusiasm by the eight players and the viewers on Kozoom. The tournament was won by Frenchman Willy Gérimont, who showed to be the best in the new format of CEB in the balkline 47/2 format: two players at two different match tables to make as many points as possible within one hour. The speed of play was an important aspect of the game, in which the players received a so-called 90 seconds penalty time after a miss and then were allowed to continue playing from the break. The European federation has plans to follow up on this tournament format in the Kozoom Studio this summer, with the types of balkline 71/2 or one cushion in mind.
Two Dutch specialists in this discipline, Raymund Swertz and Sam van Etten, had to cancel their participation due to the COVID measures (the compulsory quarantine), but they were very interested in watching. ''I really would have liked to be there, the more I watched, the more I liked it'', Raymund Swertz commented. And Sam van Etten: ,,The system is very nice, with a lot of tension. I happened to see the best match of all between Djoubri and Faus.''
Sam van Etten expects the conditions will be better this summer. ''This system is 100 per cent perfect for these times. I would say: create a platform and roll it out, so that everyone can use this system.'' Raymund Swertz: ,,It was all well presented and the matches were exciting. It only takes an hour for a match and that is perfect. And of course, the faster player has an advantage. I think this is the future for the classical disciplines.''
Sam van Etten: ,,What I miss most now, in this year without competition, is the tension before the matches. It can't start soon enough for all of us. I am now mainly focusing on three-cushion, but I will still play the classical disciplines a few weekends in a year. So I will choose the tournaments that are worthwhile.''
Raymund Swertz: ''It is good news that the CEB is planning to organise another event this summer. Hopefully, it will be easier to travel then. I would have really liked to be there, because I tested it myself with the CEB and Kozoom. It's great to play a match in this format. The averages were not that high, maybe, but the tables seemed very difficult. All players regularly missed the break, because there was a little deviation in the diagonal of the table. But more than that, all players missed competition rhythm, so this was not really a measuring moment. But really a tournament to be continued. I hope we can be there next time.''
The ball is now in the court of the CEB, the European federation, which can pride itself on having awakened from hibernation a big group of enthusiastic viewers who enjoyed themselves in front of their screens. Expectations are high and the antagonism between progressives and conservatives is already palpable. Be that as it may, the prize money will be one of the keys to the presence of the best, the specialists who are logically tempted by a career in three cushion.
Sam van Etten, focus on 3 cushion, few weekens in a year for the classic games