Billiards Digest — Pooldawg Stroke of Genius, Pool Videos

Player: Johnny Archer
Event: Sands Regency XII 9-Ball Open
Date: June 9, 1991

LISTEN TO any pool player and you’ll hear how the best player doesn’t always necessarily win. Sometimes people get lucky, sometimes the balls roll funny, sometimes it’s just not meant to happen.

But often, it is more about capitalizing when given an opportunity.

At the 1991 Sands Regency Open, Johnny Archer certainly caught a break when Jim Rempe overshot shape on the 6 ball. On the hill, 8-7, and apparently on his way out, Rempe was forced to play safe. He put the cue ball on the short rail and sent the 6 ball to the other side of the table.

At the very least, Archer had another turn at the table, but the lanky 22-year-old didn’t have much of an opportunity. He was facing a table-length thin cut on the 6 ball. Make that, and Archer still had to deal with the 7 ball, which was tied up near the foot spot.

Finding the exact contact point on the 6 ball, Archer sent the cue ball uptable, knocking the 6 in the corner. It then hit both short rails before breaking up the 7-9 cluster. The cue ball pushed the 9 out to the center of the table and moved the 7 just a few inches toward the side pocket.

After sneaking in a double fist pump as the crowd erupted in applause, Archer settled himself down to clean up the final three balls, forcing a case game for the title.

After the two exchanged safeties early in the rack, Archer found an opening and ran out for his first major title, with many more to follow.

(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)