Player: Pin Yi Ko
Event: World Pool Masters
Location: Essex, United Kingdom
Date: May 13, 2023



Last month, this space was dedicated to Shane Van Boening pulling off a ridiculous bank shot that included precision position play. But at the end of that match, the opening round in the single-elimination 16-player World Pool Masters, Pin Yi Ko prevailed.

This month, we flash-forward to the final of the U.K.-based tournament, where Ko faced Albanian superstar Eklent Kaci. In the race-to-13 title match, Ko turned a 4-3 deficit into a 9-4 lead. Eventually working his way to a 11-5 advantage, the Taiwanese world champion faced a difficult angle on the 2 ball, as shown in the diagram.

With a clear angle on the object ball, Ko still had a tricky path to position on the 3 ball. Early in the rack, he had a few obstacles to get from one end of the table to the other.

Hitting into the 2 ball with a slight backward cut into the top left corner, Ko needed to send the cue ball into the top rail at an angle as close to the 4 ball as possible, missing it by a hair with an angle open enough to let the cue ball ricochet off the right long rail and then the left.

Without significant sidespin, the cue ball went nearly a diamond below the left side pocket. As it slowed, the angle widened to let the cue ball gently knock the bottom rail before inching out for a slight angle on the 3.

Emphasizing the skill, creativity and execution from Ko, if the cue ball was an inch shorter, he would have a rough time moving back up-table to play position on the 4. But as it happened, Ko rolled through this rack and the next, polishing off a 13-5 victory to pocket the World Pool Masters title.


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

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