3-Cushion
The Dutch billiard players, at the new start after the COVID crisis, will be enriched with a mega tournament in which every Dutch player can participate. The initiative for this event, with ultimately a 10.000 euros main prize for the winner, comes from Carl Verhoeven, the owner of SIS Billiard Experience Centre in close cooperation with the KNBB Section three-cushion billiards. The permission of NOC/NSF and the government was only finally granted last night (Thursday). The organisation immediately decided to open the registrations on Friday (June 4) from 7 pm onwards. That can be done via the KNBB website page until Wednesday, June 9, 23.59. One day later, the draw for all groups will take place in the SIS centre, which will be streamed live. The SIS Billiards Experience Center has been designated as a top sports centre by NOC/NSF and has been given permission for the organisation of the tournaments.
Registration for one of the three tournaments is 25 euros for KNBB members and 30 euros for non-KNBB members. The first tournament starts on Saturday, June 19, and ends on Saturday, July 3. All matches will be played in the SIS Billiards Experience Center in Uden, Brabant. The maximum participation is set at 64 participants for the A-tournament (players with an average of 0.700 or higher). For the B-tournament, accessible for all billiard players, there is a maximum of 128 participants. Only players living in the Netherlands may enter both tournaments.
The schedule of the first tournament is fixed, a second tournament will be played around and/or in the autumn holidays (23-31 October), depending on the international calendar. The final tournament with the best 32 players from the first two tournaments with A and B players will possibly be played at the end of December 2021, beginning of January 2022. The playing system is 3CC Survival, known from South Korea, with four players at one table in a 2 x 45 minute match. Each participant is guaranteed to play two matches: the numbers 1 and 2 of a Survival match advance directly to the next round, the numbers 3 and 4 of the matches in the first round advance to a new chance round.
The winner of the first and/or second tournament is rewarded by 2000 euros, the numbers two 1000, after which the prize money continues to decrease. The winner of the final tournament receives 10.000 euros, the number two 5.000 and so on. The total budget is estimated at 50,000 euros. All matches will be broadcast live in the SIS centre by the many cameras on the match tables.
The organisation expects a huge influx of participants. Carl Verhoeven: ''Every Dutch billiard player is happy that he can start again. We are still uncertain what that will mean for the registrations, but I expect hundreds of players to sign in.'' Paul Brekelmans, Section three cushion: ''Time was too short for us to allow an unlimited entry. Therefore, we have chosen a short and powerful format with 64 and 128 participants. In July, we also play four Dutch championships for ladies, juniors, Excellent and second division on different locations. If the tournament for the Open Dutch is successful, we want to expand the participation for the second tournament to an unlimited number, because for then we can also use other locations in the country.''
The number of registrations determines the number of playing days of the first tournament. Carl Verhoeven: ''We need 15 days for 48 games in total, but if we get the maximum number of registrations for the B-group, we will be forced to play on weekdays as well. We will only know that when deadline has passed.''
The section Three Cushion has attached a Dutch title to the tournament. ''That is why we have called it an Open Dutch championship.'' Carl Verhoeven: ''Thanks to the cooperation with the KNBB section the tournament is played under the auspices of the federation and at the end we may honour a real Dutch champion.''
The KNBB Section this morning also announced the schedule for the Grand Prix tournaments. The first tournament is in Capelle aan den IJssel from 23 August till 4 September, the second Grand Prix in Doetinchem in October, the third Grand Prix in Rosmalen early December.
The organizer Carl Verhoeven is waiting a huge number of inscriptions