World Pool Masters
Recap
Published April 13, 2026
Germany’s Thomas Engert won the 2004 PokerMillion.com World Pool Masters title, defeating countryman Oliver Ortmann 8-6 in the final at the Hotel Zuiderduin in Egmond aan Zee, Netherlands. Engert earned $70,000 for the victory, which came just weeks after he won the Challenge of Champions title in the United States.
Engert entered the tournament as the top-ranked European player. Earlier in 2004, he won the European 9-Ball Championship and the Italian Open, where he defeated reigning World Champion Thorsten Hohmann 9-6 in an all-German final. These wins secured his qualification for the Masters event.
In the final against Ortmann, Engert won the lag and made an early break with the 4-ball, but a missed 2-ball gave Ortmann a chance on the opening rack. The match featured multiple safety exchanges and momentum shifts. Engert's strong break proved decisive when he cleared all nine balls after Ortmann's dry break in the second rack, leveling the match at 1-1.
The victory added to Engert's already impressive 2004 season. He held a record 20 German Pool Championships titles and was considered Germany’s most dominant domestic player. The World Pool Masters crown enhanced his international standing among Europe’s top players.
Ortmann's runner-up finish highlighted the strength of German pool at the time, with multiple players capable of competing at the sport’s highest level. Engert’s win in the Netherlands capped what became his finest competitive season.
Sources: Wikipedia – Thomas Engert
This recap was compiled from public tournament records and tournament organizer communications. ForceFollow is not affiliated with the tournament organizer.