Dafabet World Pool Masters Gibraltar 2019
This was another weekend of total immersion in cue sports in Gibraltar, this time with the Dafabet World Pool Masters 2019. 24 of the sport's top stars traveled to Gibraltar from all over the world to play in this tournament and as a local player, it was a treat to watch them.
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| David Alcaide - Champion Photo courtesy of Matchroom Pool |
9 ball is a tough game. My game is blackball (8 ball pool - smaller table, different rules), partly because Gibraltar has only one 9 ball table and access to it is not always easy, whereas 8 ball has a strong following with the Gibraltar Pool Association providing a good foundation for developing the sport.
But what a joy it is to watch 9 ball played just a few feet away from you and at such a high standard from these world class players. It is a fast game, cruel in many ways - one mistake and you can be done for, unless your opponent messes up, and played at these standards, that is unlikely to be the case - and if you come off the table, the frustration of watching your opponent eating up the racks while all you can do is sit and stay as cool as possible must be close to overwhelming. Perhaps it is this, mental control, that marks out the eventual winners, especially when the timer starts to run down and the pressure is truly on...
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| Ready to play in the Dafabet World Pool Masters Gibraltar 2019 |
The final was riveting. A race to 9 between Alexander Kazakis from Greece and David Alcaide from Malaga, not far from the Gibraltar / Spain border. Alcaide had been accompanied by a vociferous and cheerful crowd of fans, happy to burst into song as often as they could. Kazakis looked strong. He played confidently, having wiped out the challenge from his semi-final opponent, the USA's Skyler Woodward, himself a class player. It was a great final. Kazakis streaked ahead in the early frames. "You have to keep your opponent in the chair and try to have as many run outs as you can," Kazakis said at the end of his semifinal. That was precisely what he was doing and Alcaide was stony faced as he waited for Kazakis to make a mistake to get back on the table. When he did, he was on fire. From 5 racks to 0, he fought his way back, and the race to 9 picked up tension as he drew level 8-8. The winning shot was class - be banked back from the far cushion into the near pocket on the last ball, just after Kazakis had played what he thought was a safety shot. Perfect, and the crowd were on their feet and roaring their appreciation as the ball rolled smoothly into the pocket. Great match, great final. One very disappointed Kazakis and one elated champion, David Alcaide.
I said it's inspirational to watch your favoured sport played at such a class level and it is. I might never quite make those incredible shots, nor have the stamina to play for such long periods, nor the ability to hold my nerve and take a risk with flawless skill. But the urge to work hard and keep trying is all the stronger.
I also said you learn, and that is also true. From a few feet away, you can see the small rituals each player has as they prepare to break; the wiping of the cue, the flexing of the fingers, the loosening of the shoulders, the way they move and relax their playing arm. You can see how they pause, pull back until their bodies feel right, until they are convinced that the shot is the right one. Skill, training and sheer personal conviction was on display and if you don't take inspiration from that, you might as well hang your cue up for good.
Thanks to the GPA for making tickets available. It is invaluable to enjoy pool at all levels, and to watch the experts play on your doorstep, is, indeed, a joy and a privilege. And I've got to give a last word to Jason Walker - great to see a Gibraltar referee at a World Master's Championship and taking the floor for one of the semifinals!
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