NEWS -12.30.03 b&a Classics 9-Ball – Another billiards table

At the 15th edition of the b&a Classics in the Billiards Cafe Carambolage in Neckarsulm, promoter P. Flicker could welcome 185 participants. He had hoped for more than 200 participants, but obviously there are so many tournaments in this holiday period that the players split up between them. After a walk-through in round 1, my first opponent was M. Turan. I played well and won 6-0. My second opponent P. Schrepper had too much respect and lost 2-6. I was already qualified for the final day.

In the first match, P. Longhin did not stand too much of a chance and lost 1-7. In the round of the last 32 players in KO format, my opponent U. Kirchgessner had lots of chances, but made use of these only twice and had to give in 2-9. In my next match against M. Ruwe, I started very well and took a rapid 6-0 lead. A bad break and all of a sudden, the score was 6-6. I had to wait for a mistake by my opponent to finally enter the quarter-finals with a 9-6 win. Here, I had to play the gifted junior J. Belka. From the start, the match was very balanced. Towards the end, I was leading 8-7 and I played a very goof safety. With a triple rail shot, Belka could not only hit the right ball, but could also pot another ball. He equalled the score at 8-8, but after a successful break, he made the decisive mistake, which I used cold-bloodedly to win 9-8. My semi-final against T. Hasch looked like the match in the round of the last 16 players. Playing well, I took an 8-2 lead. A black break brought the former World Championship silver medallist, who now plays for Groß Gerau, back into the match. At 4-8, he missed a ball, but I was snookered. Three times I came to the table, finding nothing but rail or jump shots to be played. All of a sudden, the score was 8-8 and at the last break, a ball was potted. But Hasch missed a combination 2-6 and finally allowed me to enter the final against M. Poguntke.

The latter had blown away 9-2 his team mate from Fulda, C. Reimering, in the second semi-final. The friendly bald man, who once had won this tournament by defeating me in the final, started like mad and took a rapid 3-0 lead. But a mistake brought me back into the match and I turned the score into a 6-3 lead. Then, Poguntke benefited from a mistake of mine and came back to 5-6. I could win the next two racks and at 8-5, had the chance to win the match. But I missed a feasible 4 ball and held my opponent’s head above the water. But in the next rack, I could make the final point and defend my title. So, I won another billiards table and I have to start thinking about when and where to open a billiards café...