Jonck crowned SA 6 Reds snooker champion
Port Elizabeth star Charl Jonck has crowned the South African 6 Reds snooker champion when he won the SPAR national tournament in Port Elizabeth this week.
Jonck defeated Cape Town’s Tariq Samsodien 7-1 at the Hellenic Hall on Tuesday, making up for his quarterfinal exit in the SA singles championship last week.
Samsodien also lost in the singles championship final at the weekend when he went down Goodwood clubmate Mutalieb Allie in the final.
Whereas snooker is played with 15 red balls, the 6 Reds format is played with six red balls and six colour balls. The SPAR national event at the Hellenic Hall had a field of 34 players.
Jonck was delighted to take the title for the first time.
“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 and even had a rare maximum break of 75.
“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 sponsorship and events manager Alan Stapleton said they were delighted to support the tournament.
“From a SPAR perspective, we do like to 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.”