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CANNES: WSOB/PGT RIVIERA CUP, DAY TWO REPORT
Posted By: Andy Bell
Date: Saturday, 19 July 2008, at 11:36 a.m.
World Series of Backgammon Day 2 of the WSOB/PGT RIVIERA CUP Friday, July 18th, 2008 by Will Cockerell
ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET, FOR THE GUS / PIA SHOW-DOWN
The race for Super-Monday places showed no signs of letting up Friday as the log-jam at the top of the leader-board just got more crowded. Three top-15 players in Atle von der Fehr, Falafel Natanzon and Karsten Bredhal went through the entire day unbeaten in the Consolation, whilst the players occupying 2nd and 3rd spots, Olsen and Jacobowitz lost their matches quickly. Mochy won twice before losing a grisly epic to Alain Babillon after being 7-1 up. Mochy now needs to turn on the after-burners in the Last Chance.
In the main tournament, no nation had a more tumultuous day than Britain who came within a whisker of having three players in the last-16. However, Mike Heard, who is no stranger to ‘gutting’ losses had perhaps his most gruesome defeat ever to France’s Marc Santo-Roman. Heard was leading 12-10 to 13 and had Roman on the roof of a 5-point board, the ace-point slotted and a six prime. THREE times Heard had a triple-cover to close his board and roll the position home, and three-times he missed it. He finally left the blot giving Roman a freak 1-6 from the bar. Out it came and the players entered into a 50-50 race that Santo-Roman won. Heard lost the DMP game when being 90% in that too. I recall penning another painful Heard hard luck story from the UK Masters. What does the poor boy have to do? Santo-Roman meanwhile faces Sweden’s ice-cool Robert Lindbom in the last 8, who won both his matches with ease on Friday, having spent a relaxing morning by the pool.
Raj Jansari also lost in highly dramatic circumstances against Sven Olav Noren as they fought long into the night for a quarter-final place. Jansari all but won a backgammon for 6-0 in the first game, but got hit and only went 2-0 up instead. Noren observes: “This took away all of Raj’s momentum and I was able to hang on to him after that.” Noren it is then who takes his place in the quarter-finals, after winning yet another match that went to double match point; and now does battle with America’s unflappable Robert Koca in the last-8.
Britain do have a quarter-final entrant however in Nicky Check, who plays a fairly volatile game that has his supporters sometimes wringing their hands in disbelief. However, it is hard to fault Nicky’s determination and staying-power, it’s the biggest result of Nicky’s career and his delight is clear for all to see. Nicky meets the formidable Kenny Nissen of Denmark in the quarters who has also proceeded from the last-256 wastelands. I ask Kenny how he’s doing in the WSOB race: “I am in the bottom half, of the bottom half, of the bottom half of the listings. I need to do the simple thing of winning 8 matches in a row and taking the tournament to qualify for Monday!”
The final quarter-final is the most enticing of the lot. Gus Hansen has roared into life at this WSOB event and is now many people’s favourite to take the title. His experience with huge stakes at the poker tables means he knows nothing of pressure and will be a formidable opponent to anyone he faces. Pia Jeppesen of Denmark has comfortably over-taken Maya Peycheva as the leading lady in the WSOB race due to her stunning run of form in this tournament, which includes defeating American legend Ed O’Laughlin in the last-16. Pia is happy and excited at the prospect of her quarter-final with Gus: “I am looking forward to the match, and will just play a little poker online tonight to relax,” she said supping a beer. “But this is the last one of these!” she said pointing to the bottle. As for Gus, he lends the tournament the star-quality it deserves, and for a professional showman like him, you just know he’d love to be there on Monday. Three wins to go then, and he’ll be brimming with confidence after his spectacular demolition job on the hapless Peer Rower. Gus went 0-5 down, but then went gammon, gammon, gammon, and won the Crawford as well for the 13-5 win. Now that’s savage! Gus will also play fellow dual discipline poker backgammon player Arnaud Mattern, winner of the EPT Prague, in a high stakes cash game in front of the WSOB cameras tomorrow night. Catch that in the Cannes broadcasts this Autumn.
WSOB Nordic shows begin airing throughout Europe on Eurosport 2 at 8pm GMT from July 24th for four weeks.
WSOB RIVIERA CUP 2008, close of play 18th July
The quarter-final line up reads:
Marc Santo-Roman (France) vs Robert Lindbom (SWE) Robert Koca (US) vs Sven-Olav Norén (SWE) Kenny Nissen (DEN) vs Nicky Check (GBR) Gus Hansen (DEN) vs Pia Jeppesen (DEN)
www.worldseriesofbackgammon.com
Copyright World Series of Backgammon Enterprises / Will Cockerell 2008-07-18
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