Trick Shots in Regular Play

GeoEnvi

GeoEnvi

Diamond System Enthusiast
Silver Member
Was daydreaming while driving to work today....killed a few miles trying to answer this question...

There's trick shot artist that shoot regular pool.

There's regular players that dabble in trick shots.

Has there ever been a 'Harlem Globetrotter"-like player where a player would incorporate trick shot elements into his regular matches?
 
GeoEnvi said:
Was daydreaming while driving to work today....killed a few miles trying to answer this question...

There's trick shot artist that shoot regular pool.

There's regular players that dabble in trick shots.

Has there ever been a 'Harlem Globetrotter"-like player where a player would incorporate trick shot elements into his regular matches?
Click to expand...


I know a couple guys like that. They see things on the table I just don't see and move whitey around like a magician. They're called A+ players. Is that what you mean?
 
I can think of two shots that I learned as trick shots, and have used in a game.

First is the impossible cut where the object ball is on the center diamond frozen to the rail. I have made this shot in games when it is closer to the pocket, but the cueball is closer to the long rail.

The other is a double kiss shot where the OB is on the rail between the side pocket and the next diamond. Cue ball is about a foot away on a line that is about 20 to 25 degrees away from the OB, but on the same side of the pocket as the OB. It has to be hit center ball and hard. The OB double kisses off the CB and heads to the opposite corner pocket. I was left this shot in 1993 at the Wisconsin state team tournament. I immediately called the corner pocket and hit the shot. Unfortunately, it was about an inch too short.

Having a few trick shots in your knowledge base can help you stay at the table, or win the game and sit down.
 
GeoEnvi said:
Was daydreaming while driving to work today....killed a few miles trying to answer this question...

There's trick shot artist that shoot regular pool.

There's regular players that dabble in trick shots.

Has there ever been a 'Harlem Globetrotter"-like player where a player would incorporate trick shot elements into his regular matches?
Click to expand...

Seems like were on 3C topics alot these days!....well, if you watch alot of 3C on youtube, you'll see many shots that in pocket billiards are considered trick shots, but for 3C they are normal. 3C will teach you much of want a cue ball CAN do. Watch the exhibition shots from Semih Sayginer. You'll be amazed at what he can do with it. We're pretty amazed when we see someone go twice around the table to pocket a ball in the corner. but its actually a common enough a shot in 3C.

Now if you're just talking about a show-off player, then I nominate Efren Reyes. Watch this video, and you be the judge. Mind you , he does this with freakish regularity!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IehVeRXactQ

Let me set the scene up, so you will better understand what happened:
Efren is on the hill with his opponent at "0". He's finishing up the last few balls but ends up wrong on the 9 ball. He does a n extreme spin shot. His intent was to finish the 10 ball in the side, but falls short. EVERYONE would put the ball in the near corner pocket. HE CALLS THE SIDE! You can tell after he calls it that everyone is laughing at his pocket selection thinking he's BSing!!! Then watch it and you tell me if he got "LUCKY" !?
 
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philly said:
I know a couple guys like that. They see things on the table I just don't see and move whitey around like a magician. They're called A+ players. Is that what you mean?
Click to expand...

No. I'm not talking about highly skilled players. I'm talking about a player that REGULARLY incorporates extreme caroms, masse, topspin, etc into a regular match.
 
Mike Dechaine has made some great shots in real matches that left me scratching my head.
 
GeoEnvi said:
No. I'm not talking about highly skilled players. I'm talking about a player that REGULARLY incorporates extreme caroms, masse, topspin, etc into a regular match.
Click to expand...

I see what you mean but a highly skilled player, playing another highly skilled player, usually won't take a chance with those kind of shots in a tournament or a money match because they are so low percentage. That's when a highly skilled player uses their smarts and plays a safety.
 
GeoEnvi said:
I'm talking about a player that REGULARLY incorporates extreme caroms, masse, topspin, etc into a regular match.
Click to expand...

Rafael Martinez comes to mind as the guy that most often hits shots that could be argued to be extremely aggressive "circus shots". Nobody else even comes close to trying as many among the top players. He makes those circus shots at a surprisingly high percentage too. I always thought that Rafael could have been one of the best if he had ever learned what a safety is and had ever learned how to properly identify and play the percentages.
 
Corey Deuel might be a very distant second on who attempts the most circus shots. He doesn't try them all that often though.
 
Martinez and Deuel were the first to come to my mind. I always enjoy watching these two play. Especially Martinez playing one pocket.
 
GeoEnvi said:
Was daydreaming while driving to work today....killed a few miles trying to answer this question...

There's trick shot artist that shoot regular pool.

There's regular players that dabble in trick shots.

Has there ever been a 'Harlem Globetrotter"-like player where a player would incorporate trick shot elements into his regular matches?
Click to expand...

Hi GeoEnvi,

I'm nowhere near a pro player, and far from even a regionally competitive player, but I've always enjoyed going for the miraculous shot. I've lost many many games and matches because of that temptation, but I play pool to have fun, not necessarily to win. Those rare occasions that I do manage to pull off miraculous shots are LOTS of fun. Everyone that knows me will verify that I try a lot of stupid things, but will occasionally pull off a stunner of a shot.

Back when I was into live-streaming pool, I had plenty of opportunities to record some of my own practice and actual competition matches, and did so often, just to test my camera and streaming setup. This video link shows a few examples of the fun shots I'm talking about:

https://youtu.be/rvrO8AvLBEA

I don't post this for accolades. It's all just for fun. Consider me a wannabe Globetrotter. :) Honestly, I don't even play anymore these days, although hopefully I'll get back to the table soon. Please enjoy.

-Blake
 
Most players with big strokes would never have a need to incorporate trick shots into a runout. If you get to the level where you can do big stroke shots dependably you usually have no need since your cueball control will be very good as well. If there is money on the line (which there almost always is if someone took the time to record you) no one would ever be crazy enough to do a trick shot on purpose. Great pool players are poor for the most part- you put money in front of them and they start playing sensible.
 
Torbjorn Blomdahl in 3C

Nothing is better than watching him look over a position for minute or two, seeming perplexed. That is EXACTLY when he pulls off some crazy shot that no normal person would think of. For an example, his final point in last year's World Championship final match was just crazy.


Or Frederic Caudron. In his recent World Cup final against Zanetti, the 4th point in his final run of 7 was a sick extreme draw shot that had the crowd going crazy.

I think it comes up more in 3C than in other games because sometimes the crazy artistic shot is the only one available, to the few who can see it and have the stones to attempt it. Most of us cave in and shoot some kind of vicinity shot, or "hope" to miss the kiss in those positions - but these guys solve the problem by using the full extent of their abilities in incredible ways.
 
When Semih first started competing (or at least in the early videos I've seen of him) he took a lot of shots that were similar to trick shots...lots of masse's and stroke shots.

He scored much better and had a lot more success after he toned that down and played more conservative shots.

Corey hit a shot that has been talked about here on a thread or two that is about as esoteric as I've seen in a match. Its the one where he hits a ball pretty full and it spins hard after the second rail to get shape.
 
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