HERTEN - For the second time, the German three cushion elite will determine its king this weekend in the German three cushion master tournament, which will take place at the prestigious GT Buer club house. The event starts on Friday, May 2 and ends with the final match on Sunday, 4 May at 14.00 clock.'
Jens Eggers is the man who had the idea for this tournament and last year organized the premiere. Martin Horn played the final against Klaus Bosel and took the title with a sensation 2.000 average.
And it was a very special premiere, because Kozoom transferred all matches live and thus transported German billiards sports into the world.
To make an big idea come true and to repeat it one year later is not an easy job when the kick-off euphoria has subsided somewhat. But again it was Jens Eggers, who succeeded. How did he do it: he tells us in an interview with Kozoom.
Kozoom: Let us briefly look back to 2013, and the premiere. What were the reactions after the tournament?
Jens Eggers: ,,Overwhelming. I never expected so many viewers and I also received positive feedback from all sides. Spectators, assistants and players were more than satisfied and that was reflected even in the sporting achievements again. This enthusiasm was motivation enough for me to start organizing the German Dreiband Masters 2014.''
Kozoom: For the participants, this first GDM was certainly a great experience. Perfect organization, Kozoom transmission and plenty of prize money, which is indeed really important. Now we all know how hard it is to repeat at this level. When did the preparation start and when it was clear that there could be a second edition?
JE: ,,In my eyes, something like a perfect organization does not exist. I made a list of things that should be improved immediately after the first edition, from an organizational point of view. As an organizer I want to be a perfectionist. The German Masters need to be increased from year to year to a high level. And I don't mean with the players. The regular updates of the Masters rankings after the Bundesliga game days on the home page, for example. And we must try to anchor the current consciousness of players and spectators. That the Masters financially could take place, however, is determined only since April 16. Sponsors from 2013 were omitted for various reasons and I had to find new supports. A major challenge was initially to find the right appointment that I was dependent on the international calendar and to have ready some fluctuations, which also brought the Masters first to falter. In addition, I was also always in poor health, last year, so I was thinking in between, to no force for the Masters 2014.''
Kozoom: You have retired yourself as a player for the Masters, although you were qualified. Was the double burden with the organization too stressful to bring a top performance?
JE: ,,That I played last year, it was very naive in retrospect. Although I played pretty well, I was always busy with my thoughts with organizational matters during the game. I had doubts that everything would work smoothly and wanted everyone who was involved, to be satisfied. With such a mental baggage, you can't play your best game of billiards. However, there are many helpers who made my concerns unjustified. Very focused on billiards, I couldn't be as the responsible organizer. I didn't care, actually, on which place I would finish the tournament. And that's not the right attitude. So, a top-class tournament deserves to demand of each player's full playful force and it requires the famous Eye of the Tiger. That's why I'd rather have given up my place. Moreover, I also decided to pause at least one year as a player in the bundesliga to concentrate on my health and my new work at this time. And of course, working for the 2015 Masters.''
Kozoom: You can't do it all alone, of course, the preparation and the tournament itself. Who are the key partners in the organization before and during the Masters?
JE: ,,In order to lift such an event successfully, of course, many important helpers, partners, friends, sponsors and billiard crazy's are necessary. In particular, and at the very beginning, I would like to mention Erhard Schran (chairman GT Buer) and the whole GT Buer club (representing amongst others Martin Ader, Michael Linke, Thomas Schacknat, including many women who provide food and drink, Stefan Andres with his referees team, Frank Truchel, Olaf Biernath, Armin Fleer and all 'Buer helpers' who make an outstanding work as a host. They create an ideal setting for such an event. A huge thanks goes to Orhan Erogul, as a main sponsor with his company Erogul Fußbodenbau GmbH. He was responsible for almost single-handedly just before the end the realization of the 2014 tournament. Orhan is a very positive 'billiards madman'. He is a sponsor who underlined the words: long live the billiard sport. We really need such types in German billiard.
,,Very important pillars include Thierry Gabriels, Volker Simanowski, Bodo Menze of Schalke 04, Daniel Zimmermann of Carombooks, the company Cup 2000 from Bottop, Torsten Lechelt, Ferdinand Müller, Steffen Kamper, Jürgen Kühl with all his family and, above all, my fiancee Claudia, who always supports me and gives me the courage throughout the year.''
,,I am particularly pleased that the Masters has a new strong partner with the Austrian company Qpod, producer of extremely high-quality, elegant but also very practical chalk holders.''
,,The most important Masters partner is of course Kozoom with the team with Gerard ten Lohuis. Without Kozoom the Masters would not have had the popularity that it had in 2013. The collaboration gave us a lot of fun and it made me enormously proud that the Masters 2013 was the first three cushion event in Germany, broadcast live by Kozoom around the world.''
Kozoom: The field is a little different, which is not so bad. Are you surprised that some last year players failed and new players with considerable achievements are in the field now? And who are your favorites?
JE: ,,Surprisingly, I do not think, because the German billiard top is still wider. Due to the normal wave action, with ups and downs as in any other sport, it is logical that there will be other players to admire this year. I 'm looking forward to the local and ingenious Galla brothers, who even play in one group and next year will go well in a team at GT Buer hunting for points. Martin Horn, Christian Rudolph and Stefan Galla are the favorites as German's top, but with the World Cup participants Ronny Lindemann (fresh German team champion) and Thorsten Frings (with RW Krefeld to League 1) and Johann Schirmbrand (former team champion with Rudolph) there are three players who have performed very well this year. But last year's Masters runners, Klaus Bosel and Markus Galla, or even Murat Gökmen, should not be underestimated. Furthermore, there is the reigning German champion, Christodoulidis, who has consecutively disturbed the title dreams of Rudolph, Schirmbrand and Horn.''
,,Martin Horn had to play his best billiards, last year, to gain the first title. But my great hope was that many players from the second row could advance for the masters. Maybe that can give them a power jump.''
Kozoom: Maybe an unusual question to a conclusion. If you had three wishes for the GDM 2014. What would you wish for the course?
JE:
1: Many, many enthusiastic spectators in our room and on Kozoom.
2 Strong, exciting and fair games, plus a smooth organization.
3 Whole lot of fun with all those who are looking forward after this tournament to the GDM 2015.