Snooker star Charl Jonck made up for his disappointment in the quarter-finals of the national singles championship by winning the SPAR South African 6 Reds title in Port Elizabeth.
Jonck produced a maximum break of 75 in the final to defeat Cape Town’s Tariq Samsodien 7-1 at the Hellenic Hall, where 34 players participated last week.
It was the second setback of the week for former SA singles champion Samsodien, who lost to Goodwood clubmate Mutalieb Allie in the singles final.
The 6 Reds game is shorter and there is more pressure on the players. Whereas snooker is played with 15 red balls, the 6 Reds format is played with six red balls and six coloured balls.
Jonck has won several snooker titles, including the Eastern Province 6 Reds championship, but this was his first national title in the shortened format.
“I feel I actually ended the tournament by playing my best snooker. It may have been better to have the 6 Reds championship first and then go into the singles tournament.”
As an established player, he was able to adapt comfortably to the strategy required for 6 Reds.
“But obviously, as there are fewer balls on the table, you just have to be a little more careful in the way you approach each game. There was good competition in the 6 Reds, with some top players in the field, but I felt comfortable throughout. My closest game was a 5-2 win.”
SPAR Eastern Cape events manager Alan Stapleton said they were delighted to support the tournament.
“From a SPAR perspective, we do like to do things differently, so to be involved with the SPAR South African snooker championships has been an enlightening and interesting experience,” he said.
“It has been lovely to see the passion and tight family-like camaraderie in the snooker fraternity,” he said.
Port Elizabeth will play host to the championships again next year as the tournaments are allocated to a venue on a two-year basis.