Sergey Nikonenko: game on money leads to a spiritual impoverishment (№2 (20) from June, 09th, 2009)

Sergey Petrovich, connects you with our magazine old friendship. In 2004 you were the person of Factory "Start" and gave to our interview to "the Billiard world». For these years you have not left billiards?

– Not only has not left, and last year in April became the prize-winner of very prestigious tournament between actors and leading TV, platforms, theatre, cinema. Except people of art and TV in it at - нимали participation and other known people, politicians, Palych Borodin Has for example fallen. We played in «ameri - канку». Tournament passed in Moscow, in a billiard room at club "Cinema" in Olympic. I have taken on it an honourable third place. Contenders have got to me rather worthy. The director of TV Alexander Orlov, Alla Budnitskoj's husband was the first, we are familiar more than forty years, and I perfectly know that he plays heads on two above me. Internally I have been assured that to it I will lose that it it is very easy with me will be quit. Game went to two victories, and he has easily enough won the first party. I was ready already to that I will lose, but in the second party it has relaxed, and I have won against it, the account became one-one. We play контру who will win, that goes further who has lost – that takes off. And here to me still luck, fate has helped, at me three gift spheres or as them name, "fools" have fallen. For one party it is very serious. And I have beaten Orlova. And further I have beaten the producer and the sponsor of tournament, he decently plays, but somewhere we as equals, I was cautious and have won. The victory over Jacob Brandt, the doctor, the TV presenter, 2:0 has very much come easily. Then I have bypassed Andrey Makarevicha. Has lost only to Alexander Malinin who became the champion of this tournament. The second place was occupied late already, unfortunately, with Boris Hmelnitsky.

– You remember the sensation when for the first time took in hands кий?

– To you to tell about sensation from that small бильярдика, where steel balls and small sticks-kii? (Laughs). It was possible to push them on a board, they and on a drop board. No, certainly, it not billiards. The present billiards I saw in 1954 at film actor Theatre, we had a billiard room, there there were very good two tables, one of them ancient, and spheres were from an ivory so I still managed to play on a bone. There there was a marker, time cost not much, there I both have grown fond of billiards, and have learnt to play. All errors which are done by beginning billiard-players, I did, certainly. Now I can tell that if you wish to learn to play, it is necessary to go at once to the teacher that to you have shown the main knowledge of game.« Study, my son, a science reduces to us experience of a rapid life ». And I on a private experience passed all, therefore process was long enough. To be engaged constantly and time was not, though this game very much bewitches me. In general it is difficult to understand, billiards is a sports or art. I saw, how different people played billiards, and about game of some it is possible to tell with confidence that this art. For example, the circus performer, juggler Nikolay Olhovikov grandiosely absolutely played billiards, especially in Russian pyramid. I played even with Igor Aleksandrovichem Moiseyev, he unusually beautifully played billiards! Generally speaking, it was surprising beauty the person, and everything that it did, it did beautifully. He often played, at it practice was very serious. Gerasimov, my teacher loved billiards, but at it time was small.

– And you have transferred somebody ability to play billiards? Have told about game subtleties?

– Well, at least, to the son. To me for a film "Classic" have presented a table and the reading and writing have handed over «For the invaluable contribution to development of billiard sports» which allows to play to me in club "Cinema" free of charge at any time. There we with the son also practised. And I, in turn, to already late friend the Alexander Abdulov for its fiftieth anniversary have presented кий on which has written: «to the Genius from the Classic».

– What кием you play?

– Ky at me not so expensive, normal кий. Equal enough, does not jump hillocks. Different кии happen, as different tables happen. It is pleasant to some, that was heavier, someone prefers easier. Probably, I кий is my variant, or I have simply got used to it. By the way, for a prize in tournament about which I spoke earlier, me it and have presented. A monetary prize and кий. So I have received full pleasure, and not only from prizes! Behind billiards on tournaments the main prize is a meeting. You will meet, you will talk, a hand you will shake to old friends, and it is good from it.

– You the hazardous person? To take how much important for you party?

– I am hazardous enough, especially in a youth was. Now I already am able to operate the passion. To me of heads - ное – participation in game. It would be desirable to win, of course, if against the partner a class above, you try to use cunning, you try the psychological any moments, but if it above, above. Then in billiards still happens so that suddenly something opens, and at you all comes true, all occurs, all is good. Or on the contrary, all is blocked, all windows, doors, and the full flight, the full darkness, full stop, in a simple sphere cannot hammer! Here on what it depends, it to understand very difficult. Probably, this mistrust begins to itself. You have not put one, the second, the third, and totally it gives other quality of game. And at this time the partner already has put four to itself on a shelf (laughs).

– Whom do you blame for losses? You are not inclined to blame a sphere, for example, what it something does not so?

– On a sphere I never sinned, I sinned only on myself. We in the cinema House had a marker old, he spoke: «more often banks, take more true». And that still here so on us played a trick: «I thought, you badly play, and you are not able at all!». Happens, and occurs. Sometimes badly you play, and sometimes as though you are not able at all. Practice is necessary, practice! I here have learnt the son, and at it suddenly such tremendous laying whence undertook! Especially long-range spheres, through all glade, through all table! Surprisingly it turns out! And sometimes carelessly plays, and a direct sphere in a corner can not put. Well as so? I and ask sometimes: how? And here so!

– There are such parties which you remember throughout long years?

– Certainly! The friend at me is one, he so worries, when loses. We with it played once, he has won the first party – happy, the second was won by me, and it suddenly as milk from lemon acid is turned off, starts to play tumours. Ridiculously at it to look. We play third, the account seven-one, he wins. And suddenly I put seven meek spheres, all the others. And from these seven four were "fools"! Here so happens, you will catch spirit, the sphere falls, also the second falls.

– How often you manage to play?

– Seldom, very seldom, unfortunately. It would be desirable to play every day, at least on an hour, but it is impossible. Even here gift billiards at my place costs, but also on it it is impossible. It is a lot of work. And the son not so often plays, as it would be desirable. It has now ended the higher director's courses, to it already for 30. Before it he studied on a faculty of foreign languages, has worked in business, but nevertheless has gone on these courses, wishes to work at cinema.

– A trade of the director – grateful? Whether you wished the son of such destiny?

– It uneasy, this trade but if starts something to develop unusually interesting life can turn out. So, probably, in all trades.

– In what form to you it is more convenient, the director or the actor?

– In any form it is convenient me, if only creativity process was, if only it was possible to invent something, something to think out, something in another way to play.

– And in billiards you on interest play?

– On kisses (laughs). I normally concern rates, but itself on money I do not play. I played hazardously enough in cards on money, but in 73 year, largely having won, very largely, have decided to fasten with it. Here such to me the idea has come. Not to continue game on money, and to stop. I have understood that it is all will lead to an impoverishment even not material, and spiritual. It conducts all to sale in you, to an exchange spiritual on the material. And I do not want it.

Eudoxia Ponomareva talked