ZUNDERT - The traditional Christmas tournament at the end of the year in D'n Hoek in Zundert has a top class billing this year. The world's numbers one, two and three come to the start in a field of eight players. With Dick Jaspers, the tournament has the world champion in the house, with Frédéric Caudron the winner of the World Cup and with Eddy Merckx the player with the most big wins in 2018. Louis Havermans, the organizer, "we expect fireworks in D'n Hoek with so many great global players".
The tournament, with its 42 year history the longest in billiards, maintains the system and format of last year. The eight players are divided into two groups, all matches played on one table. Matches are the best of 7 playing nine point games. Short sets with a lot of spectacle, is the philosophy of the organization. Louis Havermans , "Speaking of the long history, we have had so many famous players in D'n Hoek; Raymond Ceulemans, Ludo Dielis, Jaspers, Caudron, Merckx, Blomdahl, Sang Lee, Sayginer, Kasidokostas, last year Murat Naci Coklu and Martin Horn and so many others.''
The last two, Coklu and Horn, played in the final last year, with Coklu being the winner. "We had to make a choice, Jaspers and Caudron are new, this year so we had no place for Coklu and Horn. Because with eight players you have to disappoint well-known players.'' Dick Jaspers returns to the tournament, after having preferred a winter sports holiday in previous years.
The tournament is traditionally played between Christmas and New Year: from Thursday, December 27 to Sunday December 30. The first group matches will start at noon on the 27th of December. The winner will receive 2,750 euros. The capacity of the hall in D'n Hoek is 180 seats.
The group format is:
Group A:
Dick Jaspers
Eddy Merckx
Peter Ceulemans
Gerwin Valentijn
Group B:
Frédéric Caudron
Roland Forthomme
Eddy Leppens
Barry van Beers.