Hawke's Bay cueist Bayden Jackson's eyes lit up when the conversation turned to the possibility of a relatively cheap trip home to Britain.
"I haven't been home since arriving in the Bay in 2008 ... it would be neat if my first trip back was as a New Zealand representative," he said.
By winning the New Zealand Open pool title in Auckland last weekend Jackson, 37, qualified for a 64-player knockout playoff to be staged in February. The winner of this event will win flights and accommodation for next year's World Eightball Championships in England.
The Mackersey Construction-sponsored Jackson pointed out he had a big advantage in last weekend's tournament, which was played under World Eightball Pool Federation rules involving playing with red and yellow balls as well as a black and small white ball with red dots.
"I played under those rules and used those balls for 18 years back home, six of those as a member of the England team. These rules make the sport television-friendly."
A former winner of the New Zealand Open, national and North Island snooker titles, Jackson beat Queenstown's Simon Singleton 4-3 in last weekend's final. Jackson was unseeded for the 70-player event and beat all seven of his section-play opponents 2-0.
He beat five-time national champion Des Blair of Canterbury 3-0 in his semifinal, Aucklander Simon Brown 3-0 in his quarter-final, Waikato's Brett De Faria 3-1 in his last-16 match and Aucklander Antony Fritz 3-2 in the first round of post section play.
Jackson, the Ladz and Dadz Barber Shop barber in Havelock North, is keen to see these rules and balls used more regularly throughout New Zealand.
"This will bring New Zealand up to international level for pool. There are still a lot of venues using the 1-15 numbered balls and the eight ball.
"There are some talented players in New Zealand who will do some damage on the international stage if they got used to the WEPF rules," Jackson said.
Despite making a winning return to the "short table" form of cue sports, Jackson hasn't abandoned snooker. He will attempt to retain his New Zealand Open snooker title in Auckland next month. Last month he lost his national snooker title when eliminated in the last 16 of the national championships with a 4-0 loss to South Islander Gary Gillard.
"I just wasn't consistent enough. I scored the highest break of the tournament one day with 111 and struggled to make breaks of 20 the next. Our second child arrived shortly before the champs and I had other family duties and almost didn't go," said Jackson.
Before the New Zealand Open for snooker Jackson will play in the Hawke's Bay Open at the Heretaunga Club on September 1 and 2. Every Wednesday night he plays pool at the Hibernian Club in Hastings. "Anyone wanting to have a crack at these new rules are welcome to come and give it a go."
It could lead to an overseas trip.
However, anyone eyeing next year's trip to Britain will face some serious competition. One gets the impression Jackson will leave no stone unturned in his quest for a trip home and who can blame him ... it's been a while.
Jackson dines with Belinda
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