PORTO – The long Turkish player Emrullah Basegmez was just a little faster at the finish line than Frédéric Caudron and Glenn Hofman, the first players to qualify for the main draw in the World Cup in Porto this Wednesday evening. Next in order of appearance and high averages were among others Peter Ceulemans, Nick Polychronopoulos, Peter Ceulemans and Jérémy Bury, followed later in the evening by Viet Hoang Minh Thon, the absolute best player of the day. The best averages of the day were for Thon with 4 points and 2,000, Caudron with 4 points and 1,951, Hofman with 2 points and 1,975 and Salman with 2 points and 1,780.
Four top matches, in the final selection of this World Cup, which so far has not excelled in great performances, stood out on Wednesday: the Vietnamese Viet Hoat Minh Thon with 40 in 14 (2,857 average) and Van Ly Dao with 40 in 17 (2,353), Frédéric Caudron with 40 in 16 (2,500) and Glenn Hofman, who once again confirmed his impressive progress and had a formidable day, despite an unfortunate loss to Serdar Bas (40-39 in 20). He made up for that with a flawless victory against Vietnam's Nguyen Chi Long (40-14 in 20) with an early run of 14 and a 13 to finish the match.
The great players, it is fair to say, have overcome the heat in the Portuguese arena on their way to the main tournament.
The Spaniards Ruben Legazpi and Sergio Jimenez entertained the spectators with a high-quality match: 40-40 in 21. But one of the most notable players was the long, 41-year-old Emrullah Basegmez (1.93 metres tall), the former Turkish teacher, who had not played in World Cups for over four years and now, after his comeback, defeated Haeng Jik Kim for a place in the main tournament.
The Colombians only had Jose Juan Garcia left, the Dutch only Glenn Hofman, while the Belgians shone with two winners: Frédéric Caudron and Peter Ceulemans.
The overview:
Group A:
The Belgians put on a colourful show in the first match of the three-way battle in Group A. Peter Ceulemans and Jef Philipoom put up a good fight with not too high averages. Ceulemans finishes first, Philipoom has to score twice to equalise, but misses the last one. That offers opportunities for Herbert Szivacz. However, the Belgians unwittingly decide to share the spoils, as Philipoom beats Szivacz 40-30 in 31. Peter Ceulemans' supremacy is evident in the final round: an unchallenged victory over Szivacz: 40-14 in 21.
Standings in Group A:
1 Peter Ceulemans 4-1.403-10
2 Jef Philipoom 2-1.179-8
3 Herbert Szivacz 0-0.846-6
Group B:
The French match between Jérémy Bury and Kévin Vasseur also kicks off this group. Bury wins 40-35 in 29. Amir Ibraimov, a notable survivor on the previous match day, gets many chances and ultimately takes advantage of them against Vasseur: 40-27 in 37. The young German gives Bury excellent competition, including a run of 9. However, he does not make it in the final shots, because the Frenchman strikes at 40-37 in 33.
The standings in Group B:
1 Jérémy Bury 4-1.290-6
2 Amir Ibraimov 2-1.100-9
3 Kevin Vasseur 0-0.939-8
Group C:
Haeng Jik Kim and Emrullah Basegmez have to battle it out for the group win in the final session of Group C. They both defeat young Frenchman Maxime Panaia, who is not having his best day, losing to Basegmez 40-32 in 38 and not even in the game against Haeng Jik Kim: 40-21 in 12. The decisive match marks the return of a Turkish talent who has been away from the World Cup circuit for a few years. Emrullah Basegmez defeats the renowned Korean 40-35 in 29.
The final standings in Group C:
1 Emrullah Basegmez 4-1.194-6
2 Haeng Jik Kim 2-1.500-9
3 Maxime Panaia 0-0.745-4
Group D:
The Vietnamese player Long, who wins his first match against Serdar Bas, is a pleasant spectator in the second match. Glenn Hofman has the win within his grasp after an excellent start, but is overwhelmed by a final run of 8 from Bas. To make matters worse, Hofman misses the equaliser. The Dutchman's revenge is relentless. In his match against Long, Hofman quickly makes a run of 13 and finishes with 14 in the 20th inning.
The standings in Group D:
1 Glenn Hofman 2-1.975-14
2 Serdar Bas 2-1.470-8
3 Nguyen Chi Long 2-1,058-8
Group E:
What a coincidence. Frédéric Caudron, Dimitrios Seleventas and Pierre Soumagne meet again in a group, just like in the previous World Cup in Ankara. Back then, Seleventas won on average of three players with 2 match points. The Greek wins his first match against Soumagne, who is limping around the billiard table with knee surgery looming. The Frenchman puts up fierce resistance against Caudron, has chances in the final stages and finally misses the last carom to equalise. Frédéric Caudron's hegemony is then unassailable: he defeats Dimitrios Seleventas 40-27 in 16 (2,500).
Standings in Group E:
1 Frédéric Caudron 4-1,951-7
2 Dimitrios Seleventas 2-1,367-10
3 Pierre Soumagne 0-1,241-7
Group F:
Daniel Morales shares in the Colombians' euphoria and defeats Ja In Kang in the first match 40-26 in 21. The Korean does not go home without a fight and is one of those winners with a 1 carom difference against Nick Polychronopoulos: 40-39 in 21. The verdict must be decided in the Morales-Polychronopoulos match. The Greek plays a superior game against the Colombian and wins comfortably 40-16 in 28. That puts him at the top of the group in terms of average.
The standings in Group F:
1 Nick Polychronopoulos 2-1.385-9
2 Ja In Kang 2-1.320-7
3 Daniel Morales 2-1.142-8
Group G:
Huberney Cataño is a much better winner against Sam van Etten than Myeong Jong Cha. The Colombian wins in 26 innings 40-37, the Korean in 37 with 40-39. Sam van Etten is not far behind in both games, which breaks him in the final score. The second loss is painful, because the Dutchman needs 9 points in the final inning and plays the equaliser too softly after a nice run. Myeong Jong Cha has a better final sprint than Cataño and claims the lead with 40-25 in 26 turns. Cataño is the second Colombian to capitulate.
The standings in Group G:
1 Myeong Jong Cha 4-1.269-7
2 Huberney Cataño 2-1.250-12
3 Sam van Etten 0-1.206-
Group H:
The masterful chess game between Ruben Legazpi and Sergio Jimenez in the opening match has two winners. Legazpi breaks away twice with 8, Jimenez stays close each time and, with the end in sight, comes back to 37-31 with a series of 7. Legazpi finishes with 3, Jimenez equalises with 2. The Austrian Kostistansky is unable to play the role of executioner, losing hopelessly to Jimenez 40-25 in 20. In the final battle, Legazpi gets off to a mediocre start and Kostistansky takes the initiative. The final word goes to Legazpi, who finishes the last match of the day with 6: 40-33 in 35. The two Spaniards end with 3 match points, Sergio Jimenez is the best of the two in average with 1.951.
The standings in Group H:
1 Sergio Jimenez 3-1.951-15
2 Ruben Legazpi 3-1.428-8
3 Gerhard Kostistansky 0-1.054-6
Group I:
Another opening match decided by a single carom. Turgay Orak finishes first against JJ Garcia, with the Colombian making the acquit and missing his second for the equaliser. The victory against Chang Hoon Seo (40-32 in 26) gives hope for survival, either as group winner or runner-up. However, the Korean defeats Turgay Orak in the last match 40-34 in 27, making JJ Garcia the best with 2 match points.
Standings in Group I:
1 Jose Juan Garcia 2-1.436-6
2 Chang Hoon Seo 2-1.358-8
3 Turgay Orak 2-1.321-7
Group J:
The Vietnamese Viet Hoang Minh Thon puts pressure on his rivals with his lightning start. The victory against Jeffrey Jorissen, in a top match (40-19 in 14, 2.857 average) becomes the target for Roland Forthomme. The Belgian also beats Jorissen (40-22 in 25) and realises that only a win will do in the last match. The Belgian has no chance, because Thon is the better player and wins 40-28 in 26.
The standings in Group J
1 Viet Hoang Minh Thon 4-2,000-11
2 Roland Forthomme 2-1,333-9
3 Jeffrey Jorissen 0-1,051-5
Group K:
The most unpredictable group starts with a win for Bong Joo Hwang against Van Ly Dao (40-29 in 25). The Vietnamese player fought for his chances and defeats Gökhan Salman 40-33 in 17. The Asian clash was expected to divide the prizes, but the opposite happened. Gökhan Salman seized his chance in a battle with Hwang, whom he defeats 40-12 in 24.
The standings in Group K:
1 Gökhan Salman 2-1.780-10
2 Van Ly Dao 2-1.642-8
3 Bong Joo Hwang 2-1,061-8
Group L:
The role of TTT Nguyen, one of the feared Vietnamese players, is quickly over after losses to Alexander Salazar (40-25 in 27) and Omer Karakurt (40-38 in 29). A thrilling battle for the top position developed between Karakurt and Salazar, ending in a thriller. The Turk plays out in the 34th inning, Salazar has to score four times to equalise, but misses the last one in the square. That brings the group win to Omer Karakurt.
The standings in Group L:
1 Omer Karakurt 4-1,269-5
2 Alexander Salazar 2-1,295-8
3 TTT Nguyen 0-1,125-11
