IBP Euro Tour Prague/CZE

The first Euro Tour of the year took place in Prague. This time we had a new record. The Euro Tour was packed crowded with 256 participants, and there were still a lot more people who wanted to play but couldn´t get a spot anymore. We played in the Top Hotel which was a little bit outside downtown. The final arena was equipped with two big flat screen TVs so that everybody could see something. The tables were really good and it was the firs time that there was a camera team for the final matches. It was well organized and I can say that this was the best Euro Tour till now!

In my first match I played the Spanish player Gonzales Jose Luis. I had a good start and could take a lead. I liked the tables a lot, so it was easy for me to adjust to the conditions of the table. I made a couple of mistakes but I handled it very well. In the end I won the first match 9:2. My second match in the winners bracket was against a known Dutch Snooker player. His name is Thehu Jesse. Till the score of 2:2 it was a balanced match but then I took a rapid lead. I had a really good break so I ran out every of my racks. He wasn’t very lucky with his break so the only chances he had, till the score of 7:2 for me, were two breaks. After that he was obviously a bit angry and didn’t want to play anymore. So I defeated him with 9:3. My next opponent was Kristofferson Kasper from Denmark. I had a weak start against him. I got some chances but I wasn’t able to use it. He was very focused and played really well. I tried to find my rhythm but it was too late. He won  9:4. In the losers bracket I faced Valentine Michael from Scotland. I had some problems at the beginning so I knew it would be a very though match. I made good use of my opportunities and took a 6:2 lead but the match was not over yet. Valentine made one rack after another and I couldn’t believe what was going on on the table. I had to take a time out to get my energy back. It helped a little bit and so I managed to win 9:6. In my next match I played again against Gonzales Jose Luis from Spain. At the beginning a lot of things went wrong. I made so many unnecessary mistakes that it was easy for him to take the lead. I was trailing all the time and to catch up is very difficult by alternate break. At 8:8 I played a bad safety shot and that was the end for me. I lost 9:8. I was a bit angry because I fought back into the match leading 8:7 and then I make such a stupid mistake. Only 49^th place for me.

The good thing was that I got the chance to commentate the semifinal and final together with Alex Lely. It was very exciting and a good experience for me. So it was another way of being in the final.

Results: