3-Cushion
MARXUQUERA - The Juanjo Trilles Challenge, which has his kick-off this week (Wednesday), has cast a long shadow in the weeks and months before this great event. The 'Match of the Year' between Dick Jaspers and Frédéric Caudron should tell us who is the best three-cushion player in an unprecedented ten session marathon over six hundred caroms.
We (the Kozoom team) have gathered some opinions and asked the specialists in billiards who will be the favourite player to win the match: maybe the current form of Frédéric Caudron is a little better, but we all know that Dick Jaspers is a big fighter and an exceptional winner type.
Bert van Manen (from Ede), who's a more than merit billiard player himself and a master in writing analysis about billiards, looks forward in '3 cushion billiard players' and speaks about the world class qualities and fighting spirit of both players.
In short: ,,Both these guys can stare a crocodile in the eyes and say: Wait till you see MY teeth''.
Bert van Manen:
,,What a marvelous four days we have to look forward to! I am of course referring to the JTC, the 600 pt match between Jaspers and Caudron from 27 - 30 June.''
,,In the polls (thx GtL), after more than 100 votes, Frédéric has a distinct advantage over Dick. 62 % of 3-cushion followers expect FC to win, 38 % give it to DJ. It is always dangerous to disagree with a very well-informed crowd, but I will anyway. I think the chances are more like 51-49. It is now June 2012, and not too long ago, in the fall of 2011, Frederic said in an interview: "I can probably beat Dick once in three or four matches."
,,That Federer/Nadal - like respect is mutual, trust me. Few people know better what FC can do, than Dick. Did I say: few people? Who in the world has ever ran a 10 and a 22 in the same match, played 3.7 average only to lose? DJ, against FC. So, all modesty aside, who has the upper hand?''
- Rhythm
,,Not a lot to tell them apart. DJ has not played the Dutch league this year, and only part of the Belgian. He has played in Germany, Portugal, and France though, so no lack of caroms in his muscle-memory. FC was only briefly in the Bundesliga, but he was everywhere else, plus the Dutch league where he averaged just over 2.000. Which brings us to:
- Average
For all intents and purposes, these guys are currently the only two in the world who can claim to average 2.000. There is not even a tenth between them. List all matches over 3.000 worldwide in the past 5 years, and more than half came from one of these two players.''
- Talent
They could not be more different. Caudron the obvious crowd favorite, with his fluency, his quick decisions, his ease and his beautiful style. But Jaspers has the weapons to withstand all that: his unmatched concentration, his precision, his problem-solving in difficult positions, his authorative stroke. It is the old story of irresistible force meets immovable object.
- Stamina
Who can best perform on such a high level for so long? That is guesswork, because this is the first encounter ever, in this format in the modern era. We simply do not know (yet). The one comparison that comes to mind, is the one-day winner takes all 100.000 guilder match between DJ and TB in 2001, decisively won by the Swede. But I think DJ is a stronger man now than he was then, and if anyone can charge his batteries for a marathon, it's him. Always physically fit and mentally tough, always prepared.
On the other hand, you could argue that FC, playing a bit more from talent and instinct and slightly less from analysis and willpower, will not get exhausted easily. A run of 10 does not take much out of him (as it does with us mortals), it only makes him feel more at ease.
- Killer-instinct, winner mentality
Do I even have to answer that one? Look at their resume. Both these guys can stare a crocodile in the eye, and say: "Wait till you see MY teeth".
I actually regret that this unique event will have only one winner. On the final day, I will stand up and applaud them both.