MASSY - Practicing at the billiard table, playing matches, giving shows and exhibitions and take care of his family. That's what the daily life of Jean Reverchon, triple, former world champion billiards artistic, looks like. He was an important player for Clichy Montmartre last Saturday and Sunday, when the team seeded for the European Cup. And he will be the next weekend in the tournament for the French title.
Jean Reverchon, born January 3, 1964 in Saint Maur des Fossés, now living in Massy, a suburb southwest of Paris, is combining artistic billiards with three-cushion already for years. He won three world titles at the peak of his career, in Barcelona (1990), Epernay (1992) and Pithiviers (1996). Furthermore he won the European championship, thirteen times the French title and one time the French title in three-cushion in 1998.
The world's best performance ever, with 422 points over 62 characters, he played in Damarie les Lys in 1992, but Jean Reverchons palmares didn't grow anymore afther his best period. The reason? ,,I think because the change of balls from ivory to aramith. I played much better with the heavier ivory balls, with which it was more difficult. The players who were not accustomed playing with it and didn't have an experience of years, suddenly were better than the players of my generation.''
Jean Reverchon, married since 1998, father of two children (daughter Jade of twelve, son David of eight), nevertheless is still playing two disciplines. Except for the French championship next weekend, he looks forward to the artistic world championship, that will be played 25 to May 29 in the French Florange.
Jean Reverchon talked with Kozoom about his life as a billiard playr:
Frits Bakker: What had you planned to do in your life, which education you've done and what did you want to be if you wouldn't have been a professional billiard player?
Jean Reverchon, ,,To be honest, I wasn't that enthusiastic about the education and the school I went to. I was looking for things that could interest me more. When I left school, I went to the army when I was 18, when I came back in normal life, I took a job in a bank. I combined it for four years with playing billiards, then I decided to play billiard as a profession. First as manager in a billiard center, later as a professional player. I was growing quickly to the world top in artistic billiards, playing many exhibitions and doing commercial activities.''
FB: Do you live the life you wanted when you were young. And the life you once had in your mind?
JR: ,,Yes, more or less I did, it's nice to follow your passion and your dream, but now, growing older, I sometimes look back and I must say that I regret some things in life. Anyway, I've chosen.''
FB: Are you satisfied and glad after the previous weekend with Clichy Montmartre, the qualification for the European Cup?
JR: ,,Of course, because Clichy is the team I carry in my heart. It is a team with Mr. and Mrs. Richard, the sponsors, who are very enthusiastic for billiard. They are wonderful people. We are very proud to play for this club, in a billiard hall on a historic place, the most famous in the world.''
FB: What are the best results at European level you achieved with this club?
JR: ,,We played five times for European cup and two years ago we were vice-champion of France.''
FB: What's the reason that a billiard player like you switches from the classic games to the world of artistic billiards?
JR: ",,For sure it's not a very logical move, but my father in the club of Saint Maur was excited about this discipline. Two or three other players played artistic. My father took me around 1975 to the matches in thos years: in Paris we had the most artistic players. In 1978 my father and his club organized a European championship in Saint Maur and in 1983 the world championship. Those years the club had a table available for playing and practicing artistic. I made a quick progression and was fascinated by the game. I also started playing exhibitions and doing more commercial work, so I gradually could make my profession of billiards.''
FB: You were lucky with that, but many players, who like to play the artistic games, don't have the opportunity.
JR: ,,That is the big issue for players to develop in this discipline. There are hardly any clubs which can afford it. Allover France, I think we have four or five billiard rooms for artistic training. It's unfortunate for this discipline of billiard, because if this problem was not there, many players would be practicing.''
FB: You were also one of the best three-cushion players in France at some moment in your carreer.
JR: ,,I won the championship once and was vice champion a couple of times. I always have been playing three-cushion, but when the artistic billiards had some golden years in France, we played for the Canal+ trophy for five years. In those years, three-cushion was a little bit at the background for me. Maybe it would have been better for my development in three-cushion that I had spent more time, because I was at a good age, but I was more interested in artistic at that time. I developped a new program those years to play with aramith and made a DVD with the help of Kozoom. We made an official program of one hundred figures. For now it is still difficult to choose between the two disciplines. The important thing for me is the emotion of win or loose. I still feel it, so I keep on playing the two disciplines as long as I enjoy it.''
FB: What was the reason that you lost the connection with the top of at some point of your carreer?
JR: ,,As I said, the change of the balls is a major reason. The aramith ball was more easy for many players who didn't need a big mecanique. And for many players like me, with a more mecanique arm, it was not that good. So at this moment, for the evolution of the game it was not so bad, but for those who could make the difference by their arm, it was not that good!!! Since this period, it s true that it was more difficult for me to continue my good results in European and world championship, but in the same time I won most of the French championships with high averages, which would be enough to win international competitions. To win international tournaments, you need to have a good preparation, but you need to be a little lucky too. As in the other games like three cushion. I know that I need to work on certain things, but I will not despair. My opponents will still have to be vigilant and strong enough to defeat me. I hope to prove it soon during the world championship in France.''
FB: Who are your favorite players in artistic over the years?
JR: ,,I prefer to talk about the older generation, because I was very impressed by players like Raymond Steylaerts and Leo Corin. Unfortunately, I've never seen Rene Vingerhoedt play. He was one of the best players ever. In the years I was coming up, undoubtedly the Dutchman Jean Bessems was one of the best players. It was incredible how strong he was.''
FB: How would you rate the chances for your team of Clichy in the championship of France next weekend?
JR: ,,I really think we can beat Agipi, we showed it a few times in the past. The fact that we play on neutral ground in Chatillon and not Agipi is important. We don't feel the pressure that they have as European champion, because if we lose, that's really normal.''
FB: And then, in May, you play for the European Cup, with Agipi in his own home town. Who can threaten the champion?
JR: ,,The team of Caseta Nova with Tayfun Tasdemir, Murat Naci Coklu, Ruben Legazpi and Javier Palazón seems a major contender, but maybe we have a chance to grab the title, why not?''
FB: For how long do you still want to play billiards at the highest level?
JR: ,,That depends on my physical condition of course. You must be fit as a billiard player. At the moment I have an inure in my right shoulder, but I can play for sure this weekend. And the ambition is still to play at a high level in two disciplines.''