3-Cushion
The record holder best average, Eddy Merckx, is preparing for for the 'Virtual OneCarom Challenge' with eight players from the world top in three cushion. The Belgian is the unapproachable record holder with his world record to 50 caroms. In the bundesliga, Merckx finished a match in six innings (4-9-26-7-0-4) in 2011. That match has still historical value. The mission in the Challenge, with eight top players from tomorrow (Wednesday, July 8) to Sunday, July 12), is in principle perfect to approach that record average. The virtual tournament, with two groups of four players, is not only played bye ach participant at the own training table, but even more easy is that each inning for each player starts with the break shot. Therefore, of course, it's not possible to play world records.
Dick Jaspers and Dani Sánchez open the Challenge tomorrow, Wednesday, at 10.30 each in their own billiard room. That match has a special character. Both, the Dutch number one on the current world rankings and the Spaniard won four world titles in three cushion. Moreover, Sánchez and Jaspers played against each other in the only World Cup final held this year: Sánchez defeated Jaspers in Antalya 50-35 in 28 innings.
The four players in Group A are besides Dick Jaspers and Dani Sánchez the two Turks Semih Sayginer and Tayfun Tasdemir. In Group B, Torbjörn Blomdahl (Sweden), Eddy Merckx (Belgium), Quyet Chien Tran (Vietnam) and Myung-Woo Cho (South Korea) face each other.
Kozoom asked three of the participants, Dick Jaspers, Eddy Merckx and Dani Sánchez, what we can expect fort his virtual event.
1 What is your expectation of the best match: 50 in how many innings?
Dick Jaspers: ''I think around 10/12 innings.''
Eddy Merckx: "I am a bit more optimistic: 8 innings."
Dani Sánchez: ,, All innings start from the break, should be guarantee for very good matches. Maybe 6 or 7 innings.''
2 How important is the advantage when playing at your own table?
Dick Jaspers: ''Fairly big, but do not overdue it.''
Eddy Merckx: ''Yes, it's an advantage, your own table, but if you have to play alone, must be a strange feeling. So I think: pros and cons.''
Dani Sánchez: "It is certainly a big advantage to play on the table you know very well."
3 Can we expect at least a run over 20?
Dick Jaspers: Certainly around 20, but more than that, would be very special.''
Eddy Merckx: ''We should not overestimate, 20 is really a lot of points.''
Dani Sánchez: "It might happen, over 20, even if it is not easy from the break."
4 What do you think of this UMB initiative in these months without tournaments?
Dani Sánchez: ''I like it very much to play this system. We are going through hard and risky times. That's why I like this initiative, we are not in a risk to get infected outside our own country. And we don't have to spend 14 days in quarantine. It's good to feel responsible in this Covid-19 era. And good to show the billiard fans this kind of different game between top players.''
Dick Jaspers: "All initiatives are welcome this time, so I like it."
Eddy Merckx: "Nice initiative to get through this weird time."
The schedule (Western European time):
Wednesday, July 8:
10.30: Jaspers-Sánchez
13.00: Blomdahl-Cho
15.30: Tasdemir-Sayginer
18.00: Merckx-Tran
Thursday, July 9:
Matches at 10.30, 13.00, 15.30, 18.00.
Friday, July 10:
Matches (last group matches) at 10.30, 13.00, 15.30, 18.00
Saturday, July 11:
Semi-finals 12.00 and 17.00
Sunday, July 12:
Final: 5 p.m.
To follow the matches, you can go to UMB page for One Sports TV, Facebook, YouTube and Kozoom. The time table and results are published on the UMB page.
Eddy Merckx, the world recordholder to 50 points: 6 innings
