BLANKENBERGE - The highest stage for the classic games, tomorrow on the final day of the Belgian championship, is reserved for Frédéric Caudron and Patrick Niessen before the kings discipline is in the spotlight. The two balk-line experts dazzled the audience in a crowdy house with billiards on an exceptional level in recent days.
Patrick Niessen took the title in balk-line 47/2 after a draw against Eddy Leppens (300-300 in 3), Frédéric Caudron is the champion in the 47/1 after a victory over Eddy Leppens (200-129 in 4).
Caudron achieved his second title, for Niessen it was his first, but there is still a chance for a second in the free game. Rarely there was so much tension in the fight for the medals between these two players. The explanation for that was that Niessen was at his very best to threaten Caudron, even in average.
Hundreds of spectators, also from other European countries (Netherlands, France, Austria, Spain) travel to these Multi championship every year to see the experts in the classics. It's the ideal opportunity since three cushion is the most popular game type already for many years.
Frédéric Caudron realizes that he is one of the main attractions, but yet he's planned to stop with one or two balk-lines. ,,We have to do a lot of practice for these disciplines, but the reward is minimal,'' he said tonight after he had achieved his second title. ,,That's often at the cost of my three cushion, that frustrates me more and more.''
It would be a big loss for the Multi's when the master would redraw for some game types. Caudron, the leader of the Belgian table, took a total of 79 titles, including 18 in balk-line 47/1, 14 in the 47/2 and 21 in 71/2, in that last discipline even fifteen in a row.
His highest average in the 47/1, he played in 2010 with 133.33, in the 71/2 he finished 111.11 in 2003, 2004, 2007 and 2019. Caudron remained far from that level now with 66.66 in the 71/2 and 53.33 in the 47/1.
Patrick Niessen prevailed for the third year in a row in the balk-line 47/2 after Caudron had stopped playing this game in 2011. Niessen took his eleventh title with the same match points as Leppens (7), but a better average: 133.33.
Two more titles are at stake, besides the three cushion for seniors and juniors. Patrick Niessen and Johan Claessen battle for the title in free game. Frédéric Caudron and Peter De Backer play for gold in one cushion.