Player: Shane Van Boening
Event: 2019 Mosconi Cup
Location: Las Vegas, Nev.
Date: November 25, 2019



Pool is traditionally a solo sport, where a competitor is left to deal with the consequences all by one‘s self. Came up short on position and now your next object ball comes with a funky angle? Only one person to blame. But Matchroom Sport‘s Mosconi Cup, the highlight on pool‘s calendar, introduces new elements to the game. The European and American teams are playing for one another, for pride and for country (or continent). With doubles matches, players trade shots, so your partner reaps the rewards of what you sow.

This month‘s Stroke of Genius showcases a bit of teamwork from the second match of the 2019 Mosconi Cup, held in Las Vegas. Shane Van Boening teamed up with Tyler Styer, making his second appearance in the pressure-packed event, to face Eklent Kaci and Niels Feijen.

Unfortunately for the South Dakota Kid, he came to the table facing the difficult proposition shown in the diagram to the right. Shooting at the 4 ball along the left long rail, he was looking at a tricky combination with the 8 ball in the lower left corner. Not only that, the 5 ball was tied up with the 6 in the two-ball cluster near the opposite corner pocket.

So, Van Boening needed to sink the 8, leave the 4 in a position to be made on the next shot and open up the 5-6 cluster, all while making sure the cue ball didn‘t end up buried somewhere. And — surprise, surprise — he pulled it off seemingly with ease, sending the cue ball directly into the cluster after making the 4-8 combination, sinking the 5 and leaving Styer an angle on the 4.

Team USA went on to win this point, 5-4, for a 2-0 lead en route to a thrilling 11-8 win.


(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)