Dick Jaspers

Dingeman Jacobus Johannes "Dick" Jaspers (pronounced yas-pers) (born 23 July 1965) is a Dutch professional carom billiards player who specializes in the three-cushion event.[1]

Dick Jaspers
Born (1965-07-23) 23 July 1965
Sint Willebrord
Sport country Netherlands
Professional1986
Medal record
Men's Three-cushion billiards
Representing  Netherlands
UMB World Championship
Bronze medal – third place 1999 Bogotá Individual
Gold medal – first place 2000 Saint-Étienne Individual
Bronze medal – third place 2002 Randers Individual
Gold medal – first place 2004 Rotterdam Individual
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Sankt Wendel Individual
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Cuenca Individual
Gold medal – first place 2011 Lima Individual
Bronze medal – third place 2013 Antwerp Individual
Gold medal – first place 2018 Caïro Individual
Gold medal – first place 2021 Sharm el-Sheikh Individual
World Cup
Gold medal – first place 1997 Individual
Gold medal – first place 1999 Individual
Gold medal – first place 2008 Individual
Gold medal – first place 2010 Individual
Gold medal – first place 2016 Individual
Gold medal – first place 2019 Individual
CEB European Championship
Silver medal – second place 1990 Norrköping Individual
Silver medal – second place 1991 Dordrecht Individual
Bronze medal – third place 1998 Aubagne Individual
Bronze medal – third place 1999 Porto Individual
Bronze medal – third place 2001 Odense Individual
Gold medal – first place 2003 Göynük Individual
Bronze medal – third place 2005 Porto Individual
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Antalya Individual
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Salon-de-Provence Individual
Gold medal – first place 2008 Florange Individual
Gold medal – first place 2010 Sankt Wendel Individual
Gold medal – first place 2011 Porto Individual
Gold medal – first place 2019 Brandenburg Individual
World Team Championship
Silver medal – second place 1993 Viersen Team
Gold medal – first place 1998 Viersen Team
Gold medal – first place 1999 Viersen Team
Silver medal – second place 2000 Viersen Team
Silver medal – second place 2002 Viersen Team
Bronze medal – third place 2003 Viersen Team
Silver medal – second place 2005 Viersen Team
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Viersen Team
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Viersen Team
Silver medal – second place 2008 Viersen Team
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Viersen Team
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Viersen Team
World Games
Silver medal – second place 2001 Akita Individual
Silver medal – second place 2005 Duisburg Individual
Gold medal – first place 2009 Kaohsiung Individual
Gold medal – first place 2022 Birmingham Individual

Early life

Jaspers started playing billiards when he was three years old in the pub his parents ran in his home town. Between 1974 and 1980 he participated in the Dutch Youth Championships before making the move to the senior level. In this period he got lessons from Andre Gulickx and Tony Schrauwen

Professional career

Jaspers became a professional billiard player in 1986 after seeing Raymond Ceulemans and Nobuaki Kobayashi on live television during their World Cup final in Valkenburg. Jaspers won two silver medals in the Dutch Championships 1986. In 1987 and 1989 he won the National Championship, and participated three times at the European Youth Championship. He won the gold medal on all of those occasions.

Jaspers started playing in the West German division of the Billiards World Cup Association (BWA) which managed professional Grand–Prix tournaments. Jaspers won several of these tournaments and was later suspended by the Confédération Européenne de Billard (CEB) for five years for his participation. Several other world–class players received the same suspension. The Union Mondiale de Billard supported this decision and Jaspers and the other players were prohibited from participating in European and World Championships for five years. Following the suspension the players remained members of the BWA and played all their tournaments with them, which resulted in a long–term suspension. In 1989 and 1992 Jaspers became European Champion at the European Nation Championships, and in 1991 and 1992 he won the Finals of the Coupe d'Europe events. In 1998 the associations and their players came together to resolve their differences. From then on the players were able to play at the ECs and WCs again. Jaspers won the Three-Cushion World Cup in 1997[2] and 1999, and received the Golden KNBB Pin in December 1999.

In October 2000, Jaspers dominated the UMB World Three-cushion Championship. Earlier that year he was honored by the BWA. He was not able to defend his title the following year, but he won the silver medal at the 2001 World Games in Akita, Japan.

In Göynük, Turkey, he won the 2003 European Championships and he became UMB World Champion for the second time in 2004 when he overclassed his Greek opponent Filippos Kasidokostas in the final (15–9, 15–0, 15–5). The event was held in Jaspers' home country in Rotterdam. Jaspers would win that event again five years later by defeating Torbjörn Blomdahl.

In 2005, Jaspers won three Silver Medals (World Games, World Nations Championships and Euro Billiards). On 3 September 2006 Jaspers won his 13th Dutch National Championship event.

Jaspers defeated Blomdahl again to win the 2009 AGIPI Billiard Masters. A prize of €20,550 was awarded to him.

Titles
  • 1997 Three-Cushion World Cup Champion
  • 1999 Three-Cushion World Cup Champion
  • 2000 UMB World Three-cushion Champion
  • 2003 CEB European Three-cushion Champion
  • 2004 UMB World Three-cushion Champion
  • 2008 CEB European Three-cushion Champion
  • 2008 Three-Cushion World Cup Champion
  • 2009 UMB/CEB AGIPI Masters
  • 2010 CEB European Three-cushion Champion
  • 2010 UMB/CEB AGIPI Masters
  • 2010 Three-Cushion World Cup Champion
  • 2011 CEB European Three-cushion Champion
  • 2011 UMB World Three-cushion Champion
  • 2016 Three-Cushion World Cup Champion

Reference of results[3]

World records
  • Three–cushion average in a single 1–set 40–carambole match: 10 (4 innings, 5+11+2+22 = 40 points) (2017)[4]
  • Three–cushion average in a single 3–set 45–carambole match: 5.625 (45/8) (2008)[5]
  • Most points in a row: 34 over 3 sets (2008, see below)[6]
  • Three–cushion average in a tournament: 2.536 over 7 matches (2002) and 2.666 over 4 matches (2005)

In the 2008 European Championship Final against Torbjorn Blomdahl, Jaspers averaged 5.625.[7] He ended Game One by going 13 and out in his second innings, ran 15 and out in his first innings of Game Two and ran six in his first innings of Game Three. Thus, he made 34 consecutive points.

References
  1. Players profile at the 2013 World Games. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
  2. "Billiard Games". Encyclopædia Britannica. 16 June 2008.
  3. Kozoom.com Personal page Dick Jaspers
  4. Jaspers raises the bar
  5. Dick Jaspers wins European Three Cushion Championship with record–breaking play
  6. In a single–set match his best series is 26 (2001)
  7. Kozoom.com Personal page Dick Jaspers
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