Reno Open Semi-Final Match

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Reno Open Semi-Final Match Game by Game Report

2003 Reno Open Semi-Final Match
Cliff Joyner vs Santos Sambajon

Cliff wins the lag.
Breaks and makes 1 and 8 ball. Very good shape on 2. All balls out in open. Makes 2, touchy 3 ball in side, runs out from there.

Score Cliff 1 Santos 0
 
Game 2

Cliff breaks. Makes 2 ball.

Can only see edge of 1. Plays safe. Leaves 1-ball length of table, but fails to get cue ball behind 4-ball as he hoped. Leaves direct path to ball.

Santos plays 2-way shot and banks 1 length of table. Makes 1 ball. 3 is in jaws but no way to get to 4. Santos plays safe. Leaves 5 between cue and 3.

Cliff kicks one rail to hit 3. Leaves cue ball maybe 2 inches from 3-ball.

Santos plays 3 off 9-ball and cue behind 5-ball. No direct path to 3-ball for Cliff.

Cliff kicks at 3. Hits rail and then 3. No rail after 3-ball. Gives up ball-in-hand.

Santos now has open table with ball in hand. Runs out.

Score Santos 1 Cliff 1
 
Santos breaks. Makes 6-ball but jumps cue ball off table. Gives up ball in hand.

Cliff has open table with ball-in-hand.

Cliff runs out.

Score Cliff 2 Santos 1
 
Game 4

Cliff breaks and makes no balls. Scratches on break.

Santos has ball in hand, but 2 & 4 are close to each other.
Santos makes 1, gets perfect shape on 2, makes 2. Runs to 6. 9-ball is blocking path for 7-ball to corner pocket. Santos makes 6-ball with perfect 3 rail shape to get shape on 7. Runs out.

Score Santos 2 Cliff 2
 
Game 6

Santos breaks and makes 5-ball. Table is a mess. 1 & 2 ball are close to each other. 9-ball blocks 8 from going almost anywhere. Very small window to make 8-ball.

Santos makes 1-ball. Makes 2 through a small window, makes 3-ball and tried to draw cue ball length of table to break out 8&9. Scratches directly in corner.

Cliff takes ball in hand and makes 4 and runs out perfectly.

Score Cliff 3 Santos 3
 
Game 7.

Cliff breaks and makes 2 ball.

Table is spread out nicely, but 7 and 8 are near one corner. Combo looks like only shot.

Cliff makes 1 ball. Cue ball caroms to make 4-ball. Still has great shape on 3 ball. Makes 3 ball and runs to 7. Gets kind of funny angle on 7/8. Goes for 7/8 carom and jars 8. Leaves path to 7.

Santos makes 7 and runs out.

Score Santos 4 Cliff 3
 
Game 8

Santos breaks and makes nothing. 1 ball is near 8 ball with no path to pocket.

Cliff plays safe and leaves cue ball behind 8-ball.

Santos kicks one rail and hits 1-ball. Leaves cue ball behind 7-ball for no path to 1-ball for Cliff.

Cliff kicks one rail with spin and almost hits 1. Gives up ball in hand.

Santos runs to 3 ball. Overdraws shot on 2 to leave self hooked on 3-ball. "Come on baby" says Cliff as cue balls rolls too far.

Santos kicks 2 rails to hit 3. Leaves path but no real pocket to go for.

Cliff plays safe. Leaves length of table 3 with only edge of 3 available.

Santos hits 3 and leaves no direct path.

Cliff kicks behind 3 and leaves length of table with no path to 3.

Santos breaks out the jump stick. Jumps and hits 3. Leaves path with no pocket again.

Cliff plays safe very similar to last one, but with cue ball less than an inch away from blocking 6-ball. "Lets see you jump that one" says Cliff.

Santos fouls trying to hit 3-ball.

Cliff takes ball in hand and runs out.

Score Cliff 4 Santos 4
 
Game 9 (looking around room, Jeremy Jones, Gabe Owen, Jose Parica, John Schmidt and Jay Helfert are all in the room sweating the match)

Cliff breaks and makes nothing. 1,2 and 3 are past side pocket but rest of balls are clustered close together.

Santos has choice of bank on 1 or 1-3 combo to get started. Opts for safety. Leaves cue ball behind 2 and puts in in the cluster with other balls.

Cliff tries to kick with bridge but misses 1 ball.

Santos takes ball in hand and plays safe. Leave cluster between cue ball and 1 ball.

Cliff masses through window and hits 1 ball. Leaves almost all of 1 ball available but not enough to allow Santos to cut ball in.

Santos plays safe leaving 1 next to cluster and 2-ball in the way of direct hit.

Cliff hits 1 but leaves direct path for Santos.

Santos plays strange shot that leaves 1,2,3 and near each other. Cliff has 1-3 combo available.

Cliff plays safe. Leave direct path.

Santos plays safe and leaves cue ball nestled in cluster of balls. No direct path for Cliff.

Cliff intentionally fouls and puts 5-ball between 9 ball and pocket.

Santos takes ball in hand and runs to 4 ball. Makes 4 and has touchy shot to get on 5. Overruns it and leaves self hooked with 9-ball between cue ball and 5.

Santos clips edge of 5 and leaves direct path but no pocket.

Cliff banks 5 length of table but scratches off 7-ball. Gives up ball in hand. Is on 2.

Santos runs out.

Score Santos 5 Cliff 4
 
Game 10

Santos breaks and makes 7-ball. Makes touchy 1 ball and runs out.

Score Santos 6 Cliff 4 (First time either player has led by more than 1 rack)
 
Game 11

Santos breaks and makes 3-ball. No path to 1.

Santos pushes out and leaves Cliff direct path but no pocket. Cliff studies table, wipes cloth with rag between cue ball and 1. Passes shot back to Santos.

Santos plays safe but leaves path and pocket for Cliff.

Cliff misses the ball. Leaves shot for Santos.

Santos makes 1 ball and runs out.

Score Santos 7 Cliff 4
 
Game 12

Santos breaks and 3 ball. Almost makes 9-ball.

Leaves 2 in jaws, but no direct path to 1.

Santos pushed out and makes 2. Leaves long shot on 1.

Cliff takes shot and makes 1. Doesn't really get around far enough for easy shot on 4. Shoots great cut on 4-ball. Slow rolls 5-ball and almost hangs it. Runs out.

Score Santos 7 Cliff 5
 
Game 13

Cliff breaks and makes nothing. Leaves cue ball in jaws of one pocket, 9-ball in jaws of another pocket. Small window to 1-4 combo.

Santos makes 1-4 combo. Makes 1 and runs to 6 ball. Leaves self on 50 yard line between shape to either corner. Studies table. Makes 6 but leaves tough shot from 7 to 8. Makes 7 and narrowly misses scratch in side. Runs out.

Score Santos 8 Cliff 5
 
Game 14

Santos breaks and makes 8-ball. No path to 1.

Santos pushes out to long kick on 1 and ties up 3-7. Cliff passes without getting up from chair.

Santos plays safe leaving direct path to 1 ball.

Cliff misses 1 ball in corner. Leaves shot.

Santos makes 1 ball. Catches tit off side pocket and leaves long shot on 2 ball. Makes 2 ball but 3 does not have a pocket to go to.

Santos goes for a drink and jokes with fans in the stands.

Santos makes long 3-7 combo down rail. Makes 3 ball and scratches in corner trying to get into small area for shape.

Cliff takes ball in hand and runs out.

Score Santos 8 Cliff 6
 
Game 15

Cliff breaks and makes nothing. Cue ball in jaws. Santos has good chance to end the match now.

Santos makes 1 ball and runs to 4. Makes 4 but doesn't get right side of 5 ball. Fires at 5 and miscues a little. Misses ball and shape. "Scratch" asks Cliff as balls are still rolling

Cliff has choice of safe or length of table bank. Banks 5 and comes 3 rails for perfect shape on 6. Runs out.

Score Santos 8 Cliff 7
 
Game 16

Cliff breaks and makes 8-ball but jumps cue ball off table.

Santos takes ball in hand and runs out.

Final Score Santos 9 Cliff 7

Finals are coming up.
 
i was actually following your rack-by-rack account of the match, mr. mike. thanks. it seemed like a boring match though with either player just waiting for mistakes to happen. was there a point in the match wherein aggressive/brilliant shot-making by either player was executed at all? anyway, congratulations to santos sambajon. :cool:
 
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