Billiards Digest — Pooldawg Stroke of Genius, Pool Videos

Player: Semih Sayginer
Event: World Cup Three-Cushion Invitational
Date: July 13, 2003

FOR OUR first Stroke of Genius from the discipline of three-cushion, where else could we go than the catalog of Semih Sayginer? After all, the Turk has been an artist (stressing the word artist) on the carom table for years.

This neat little billiard took place in the final of the 2003 World Cup Three-Cushion Invitational. Tied with current world No. 1 Dick Jaspers at one set apiece in the best-of-five final, Sayginer took control of the match in the third set, thanks in part to this tricky shot.

With a 9-2 lead in the race to 15, Sayginer faced the layout shown in the diagram. His first option appeared to be hitting the red very thinly on its left side, so the cue ball would bounce off the long rail and short rail in the lower corner before heading across table and off the other long rail on its way toward the yellow.

But Sayginer opted for this more aesthetically pleasing shot. Loading up on left-hand English, he sent his cue ball to the short rail first, where it stayed close to the long rail on a beautifully arcing path. Ricocheting off the other short rail, Sayginer’s cue ball glanced off the yellow for the impressive point.

“Did you see how he played it so softly?” asked match commentator and three-cushion legend Torbjorn Blomdahl. “I would have banged it maximum speed.”

Sayginer remained cool, closing out the third set before mounting a massive comeback in the fourth to win the World Cup title.

(Video clip provided by Accu-Stats Video Productions.)

See January's shot: Reyes' "Greatest Shot Ever"
See February's shot: Varner's "Astonishing" five-rail draw
See March's shot: Strickland’s two-rail kick-combo on the 9
See April's shot: Van Boening’s jump-kick safety at the U.S. Open
See May's shot: Souquet’s force-follow in Derby title match
See June's shot: Davenport Doubles the Points
See July's shot: Reyes’ Cross-Side Bank Break
See August's shot: Deuel’s Electric Draw at U.S. Open
See September's shot: Frank’s Killer Kick at Derby City
See October's shot: Reyes Thinks Thin, Kills Shot
See November's shot: Ulrich Says, “Might as Well Jump”
See December's shot: Parica’s Crazy Combo
See January's shot: Mika’s Mighty Combo
See February's shot: The Rocket’s Aerial Carom
See March's shot: One-Pocket Wonder
See April's shot: Three-Cushion’s First
See May's shot: Archer’s Cut
See June's shot: For the Match...
See July's shot: Earl’s Pearl...
See August's shot: Buddy’s Escape...
See September's shot: Miz Goes Four Rails...

(Check out Accu-Stats’ full library of great shots and amazing matches at www.accu-stats.com)