The most impressive pool playing that you have ever witnessed?

galipeau said:
There was a framed article on the wall about Waterdog at Bill Teeters place, or maybe the Two Cushion Club (I can't remember which). He's passed away, sad story.

On the other end of the "playing style" spectrum was Rafael Martinez. He hits the ball with such control, but he plays wildly imaginative shots that your average pro wouldn't even think of shooting. Saw him play in the finals of a ten ball event in texas, and it was very impressive. I saw it on a stream, and he made some pretty cool outs..
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Does that mean he's a super shooter who is constantly out of line, but can shoot his way out of it?

Or does it mean he is so good he intentionally gets himself out of line so that he will look "imaginative" to the crowd when he pulls off his "wild" shots?

LOL. Just kidding. I like watching him play. He makes it entertaining because he "goes" for a lot of stuff that the others will play "safe" from to.
 
I was watching a ring game on a stream. Total offense. Best pool I have ever watched.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 
HawaiianEye said:
Does that mean he's a super shooter who is constantly out of line, but can shoot his way out of it?

Or does it mean he is so good he intentionally gets himself out of line so that he will look "imaginative" to the crowd when he pulls off his "wild" shots?

LOL. Just kidding. I like watching him play. He makes it entertaining because he "goes" for a lot of stuff that the others will play "safe" from to.
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I think he has a background in three cushion? Maybe that's why he plays the way he does. Not afraid to go 2-3 rails for position when many players try to fight the cb's natural angle with draw or stun. I like watching that fluid style of play in general.
 
I'm going to limit this to in person in no particular order
Mosconi running 85 balls
Irving Crane running 141
Sam "One Poke" Fauver running 159
Sam was a well known local N.J. player and played in the era of Crane,Caras and Mosconi.
 
For me, some of the most impressive pool I've ever witnessed in person has to be the $3,000 entry 10 ball ring game at Shooter's in Olathe, Kansas in July 2007. I don't remember all the players who played, but the field was impressive. Here's a few I do remember:

Buddy Hall
Dennis Orcollo
James Walden
John Hennessee
Shane McMinn
Scotty Townsend
Dave Matlock
Mike Banks Jr.

I know there were other world-beaters there, I just can't remember them all. I believe it was also one of the first events streamed by TAR.

The play was crazy good. No safeties, so incredible shots were made. It was almost a blur to watch, with action going on on multiple tables nonstop.

One of the highlights for me was sitting and watching Buddy Hall run 7 racks of 10 ball. Never got out of line, even once. A thing of beauty to watch. Then, Buddy is getting ready to rack and break for number 8, and Evelyn announces a 10-minute break. After the break, Buddy breaks dry.

Ultimately, McMinn beat Banks Jr. in the finals, 21-19, I believe.

I'd love to see something like that happen again.
 
I saw Bill Mielke playing Woody Gumphreys 8 ahead for 1K, Woodey had 3 games and Bill won the game and ran 10 racks in a row on a bar table with the big ball, that was pretty impressive, that was around 1979 or 1980.
 
Cardigan Kid said:
Dennis Hatch vs Mika Immonen on accu stats table Turning Stone 2007
Hatch goes off and shoots a .987 winning 9-2 in 55 minutes.

http://www.1vshop.com/Accu-Stats/st...7&PNAME=Dennis+Hatch++vs.+Mika+Immonen*+(DVD)

Then...

Jayson Shaw vs Mika Immonen turning stone. Shaw won in 25 minutes. Unreal dominance.
Link :http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IY1yV8PEY6s
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Agreed on #2. Shaw beat Mika like I have never seen. When you say that a player "ran over" another player...this is the best definition . Mika folded like a card table. Anybody would have.

Looking for a Shaw 4peat at Turning Stone. It's going to be incredible if he pulls it off.
 
justinb386 said:
I would love to read some stories about the most impressive pool playing that you have ever witnessed (either in person, or a recorded or live online or tv stream)?

And please do not tell stories about what you heard from someone else (for example, I remember hearing about one of the European pro players running 20 racks of 8 ball, but I never actually witnessed this). Please be honest, and tell about what you have actually seen for yourself.

Thanks for sharing any stories that you can think of, which were (in your opinion) the most impressive pool playing that you have ever witnessed.
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Much of what has been mentioned here already.

Efren vs Alex semi-final before Efren beat Jason in the finals of the 1-pocket, DCC .

Jason's bank championship over Piggy, DCC (I think Jason won in about 15 minutes)

Skyler and Bustamante in the Bank Ring Game two years ago at DCC

Efren and Cliff late night 1-pocket matchup (Race to 9 ?) at the Executive, DCC - Efren just showed how much better he was then the person everyone thought was number two.

Alex and Shane in 2008 impromptu match on TAR (10-ball, Race to 21), last year at the Executive, DCC (this match was impressive, but admittedly had some mistakes).

Schmidt vs Harriman 14.1 Race to 400, 2008 TAR (four runs of 100+ between the two of them), Side Pockets, KC


Freddie <~~~ looking forward for more
 
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I have a few I've seen up close and personal...

1) Earl playing Nick Varner, 9 ball... after a little back and forth, Earl broke and ran 8 and out on poor Nicky... all Nick did was rack from then on. Earl was just unconscious, perfect runout 9 ball.

2) Efren giving 15 to 7 One Pocket at Hard Times... I can't remember who he was playing... didn't matter... some of the most mind-boggling One Pocket I've ever seen,
Efren had the rock on a string.

3) Ronnie Allen playing aggressive One Pocket... period. Never saw anybody go for it when they're behind like Ronnie.
 
Two times I´ve seen same "amateur" player Aki Heiskanen put some unbelievable consistency live. Back in near 2000 I watched his game at Finnish 9-ball champs and he played Quarter final, Semi final and Final so he missed total 1 ball whole three. I did not see any failed safeties either. Games were 9-0 9-1 and 9-0.. I was stunned:eek::eek::eek:.
He was also out from pool scene some time like me but this year he put some cool 14.1 :cool: at Finnish Champs again... We had 32 cup on Sunday and he opened day 101 run after intentional foul when game was to 100 points. Next game he ran 100 from opponent break.. I believe he did not have any games to 100 points under 60+ runs.

From Video best games are Immonen-Klatt Us open(don´t remember year)
and Efren´s comeback against Earl when they played color of money match... He turned himself to Zone by pure willpower...
 
1984 US Open nine ball, Norfolk VA, at the Quality Inn Lake Wright.

Most matches were great, but the best pretty close to quarter and semi finals was Mike Sigel and Earl Strickland. Mike made two memorable shots for anyone who was there. A table length thin cut off the rail that rattled dust off the opposite short rail, then a bank shot that frustrated Earl. Mike was agonizing over a bank shot, and Earl said, "You want to pass the shot?" Mike took the bank shot, and replied as the ball was still heading into the corner pocket, "I just want to make it, that's all."

Despite Mike's best efforts, Earl won that match, as well as the tournament. Nobody was quite up to Earl at that point in his career, and that particular US Open was one of the best.

All the best,
WW
 
Earl Strickland in the first two days of the Color of Money match against Efren probably played the highest level of rotation pool that has ever been seen over that two day period. Efren at that time was in his prime and did not miss, but he simply could not keep pace with the firepower that Earl put out over those first two days. Earl ultimately lost that match due to a day 3 collapse, but in the first two days he showed why most people figure that when Earl was "right" he was simply the best to ever pick up a cue.

About the only contender would be Yang back at his peak. A few of his performances are simply unreal for their consistency.
 
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justinb386 said:
I would love to read some stories about the most impressive pool playing that you have ever witnessed (either in person, or a recorded or live online or tv stream)?

And please do not tell stories about what you heard from someone else (for example, I remember hearing about one of the European pro players running 20 racks of 8 ball, but I never actually witnessed this). Please be honest, and tell about what you have actually seen for yourself.

Thanks for sharing any stories that you can think of, which were (in your opinion) the most impressive pool playing that you have ever witnessed.
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Efren in the pool room after hours gambling. Played for hours perfect giving up incredible weight. Even Miz who was sweating it said it was some of the best play he had ever seen.
 
1999 local guy playing a pro. Race to 11 for undisclosed amount. Local guy lost first match. Stake horse dropped out. Local guy put his college money up to play saying he knew he could win. Pro won flip broke, never stepped to the table against except to rack. Local guy ran 11 and out. Was pretty sick and he broke like god.


Post it up
 
Electech said:
1999 local guy playing a pro. Race to 11 for undisclosed amount. Local guy lost first match. Stake horse dropped out. Local guy put his college money up to play saying he knew he could win. Pro won flip broke, never stepped to the table against except to rack. Local guy ran 11 and out. Was pretty sick and he broke like god.


Post it up
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Well, who was the "local guy"?
 
Matthew clatterbuck playing Bailey
Not being all secret just not a name dropper.



Post it up
 
Shane vs Alex

Nobody has mentioned the Shane/Alex match the first time they played at the derby when it was at the old venue. There wasn't a person in the place playing pool cause they were all leaning on the tables watching the match. That's when TAR was in full effect. It was about 10k each with about 100k in the middle. It was a race to 23 and if my memory serves me right, the final score was 23-21 Shane. He got Alex good that week but I heard that Alex followed Shane around for a bit and got some back...lol
 
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