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Stroke of Genius

Presented by PoolDawg.com
Video provided by Accu-Stats Video Productions


International 9-Ball Open




Player: Corey Deuel
Event: Derby City Classic — One-Pocket Division
Location: Elizabeth, Ind.
Date: January 29, 2020



The Derby City Classic is a test of endurance. Nine days, non-stop action, tournament play from sunrise past sunset. It's easy to get lost, to get impatient, to give into the grinding nature of the event.

But early in the one-pocket division, Corey Deuel pulled off an amazing shot that wasn't a last-gasp attempt, even if it was a creation that few could see. In his match against Dennis Orcollo, who had taken a few fouls and was -4 to Deuel's 0, the American began his run by kicking into the pack with a combination, with his pocket being in the lower left corner. He pocketed a second ball, only to be left with the layout shown in the diagram.

The first thought might be to see if the 10 goes, but it doesn't. From there, things don't get much better. The pack of balls near his pocket didn't offer much, so Deuel had to invent his own path to keeping his run alive.

Deuel came up with a combination carom that was far from an obvious shot. He played the 1 ball into the 2. The 2 then bounced off the long rail, into the 15, and then into the left corner pocket. So Deuel's shot created a path to the pocket where there wasn't one, with the 15 ball previously standing in the way of the 2 and the corner pocket.

The cue ball, after ricocheting off both long rails, came to a stop giving Deuel an angle on the 12 ball. He proceeded to run out to win the rack, 8-0, on his way to winning the match, 3-0. But Orcollo would have the last laugh, eventually winning the all-around Master of the Table award, along with the $20,000 at the Derby City Classic.


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


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