Category: Artistic Pool

Double Jump

There are a lot of trick shots that are practical and make sense to learn, simply because of their likelihood of coming up during actual gameplay.  A lot of shots, however, are simply for fun.  For instance, most of the shots involving multiple balls are merely for show.  On the other hand, though, a lot of the stroke shots we perform in competition and exhibitions are truly exaggerations of strokes you would utilize in everyday games.  Rarely, if ever, would you shoot the passing lane masse in a game.  You are, though, occasionally frozen to an object ball and might shoot through it with spin.

Dr. Cue Artistic Cup IV, Artistic Lag, Cue-Dean-“E” Make History!!

The 2010 Dr. Cue Classic “œArtistic” Cup IV has etched its signature mark in billiard history once again.  16 of the world’s greatest Artistic Pool Playing Artists participated in this unique “œArtistic Pool” Pro-Am Challenge at the beautiful Side Pockets in St. Charles, MO on December 3, 4, and 5.  Florian “œVenom” Kohler from France raced to the “œartistic” victory circle ““ taking home the first place guaranteed prize money, beautiful “œVictory” Cup trophy, and title honors!

SPECIAL OUTREACH IN EGYPT!!

Several months ago Steve Lillis, founder of Gospel Trick Shot Ministries, referred me to Maged Fawzy, leader of KDEC Sports Ministry, which has a very special outreach around Egypt and the Middle East.  Maged asked me if I could attend a family / youth sports festival at a retreat center in Beit el Wadi, Egypt (about 1.5 hours north of Cairo).  He wanted me to perform several shows and share my billiard journey / personal testimony with the attendees.  The “œWadi Experience”, as I now call it, had an amazing impact on my understanding of open eyes, open ears, open minds, and open hearts and the special needs that take residence in them.  What happened in Wadi is hard to explain in words!  Following is my account of this special journey!

Easy Three by Eric Yow

Everyone likes an easy trick shot to keep in their pocket to whip out just to show off from time to time. Sometimes the shots I feature here are quite difficult, but I like to put in some easy ones on occasion. This is a shot that is pretty easy, so long as you set it up right and use a good jump cue. Start by placing the three balls at the side pocket, as diagrammed. The two balls closest to the side pocket are in line, directly across table. Set the third ball up, accounting for a bit of throw, aimed about a diamond short of the corner pocket. With this set-up, you should be able to strike the middle ball and pocket all three with one stroke. The way it is diagrammed, I have you jumping the cue ball over a wall of balls to pocket the easy three. The only trick to this one is planning where the cue ball will land before striking the middle ball. If you hit it too hard or too soft, it changes the throw of the third ball, so practice with a consistent hit and consistent elevation. If you jump too hard and land on the middle ball, it will throw the middle ball too much.

WPA Masse World Champion

Spinners

By Eric J. Yow

WPA Masse World Champion

This shot is an old favorite of mine.  The first time I saw it was on a video where Mike Massey performed the shot effortlessly with his massive stroke.  When I first saw it, due to the quality of the video, I was so perplexed as to what was actually happening.  As in the diagram, you use a striped ball to shoot a cue ball into the far corner.  Then, you use a second cue ball to shoot the striped ball straight up the table.  When the striped ball hits the short rail, it shoots over to the left to pocket a ball in the side pocket.  What the video didn’t reflect, due to the pixilation, is that the striped ball was spinning madly.  So, when it strikes the far rail, it jerks over to the left.

Eric Yow

Jump Strokes
By Eric “œThe Preacher” Yow

WPA Masse World Champion

There’s an old saying, “œdifferent strokes for different folks.”Â  I’ve never heard it used where it actually made sense and honestly, I’m not old enough that I can say I’ve ever used it in any context.  However, it is fitting for this article about jump strokes.  If you’re like most readers of this publication, you are a serious player, you own several cues, you own at least one jump cue, and you read these articles to educate yourself further in the game.  People ask me from time to time how I accelerated in the game at the pace at which I did and I always tell them, “œI read as much as I could.”Â  You, like I, want to learn as much as you can about the little nuances of the game and improve your abilities in any way possible.

An Interesting Rail Jump

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An Interesting Rail Jump
By Eric “œThe Preacher” Yow!
WPA Masse World Champion

In this issue I want to describe for you an interesting jump shot that I discovered recently while playing around with my Eric Yow Jump Cue (now available online at www.JOERACKEM.com).  One thing I love about the game of pool is that it is always

CUE-DEAN- TALENT SEARCH STAR PERFORMERS CROWNED!!

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CUE-DEAN-“œE”TM TALENT SEARCH STAR PERFORMERS CROWNED!!

JASON “œTHE MICHIGAN KID” LYNCH BECOMES NEXT “œTABLE TROTTER” OF POOL!!

One of the most unique events ever to take place in the billiard industry occurred November 21, 2009 at The Bank Shot Bar & Grill in Laurel, MD. In Search of Cue-Dean-“œE”TM was done in association with the Dr. Cue Classic Artistic Cup III, APPA (Artistic Pool Playing Artists), and The Foundation of R.A.C.K. This was the 1st time an “œartistic pool” event has ever been streamed ““ Cue & A Promotions Ray Hansen, aka, “œBig Truck” traveled from Texas to film each act of this amazing “œshow” entertainment concept, as well as each Artistic Pool “œsport” round from the Dr. Cue Classic Artistic Cup III from 11/20 to 11/22.

CHAMPIONS CROWNED AT DR. CUE CLASSIC “ARTISTIC” CUP III

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Nick “œQuick Nick” Nikolaidis raced to the “œartistic” victory circle on November 20, 21, and 22, 2009 at The Bank Shot Bar & Grill in Laurel, MD. Nick displayed burning focus, poise, and brilliant skill shot execution in the process. Ray Hansen of Cue and A Promotions did a live stream at the event, which was the 1st time an “œartistic pool” event has ever been covered online. You may view all round play, the awards ceremony, and Cue-Dean-“œE” at: www.ustream.tv/channel/drcue2009.

Artistic shot

<br />This issue I want to teach you to shoot a shot that comes up every now and again, but is often overlooked. There are occasions where your cue ball will be frozen to a ball, in this case one of your own. It is difficult to decide how to proceed because you must make a legal hit on a ball and since you are frozen, many opponents will accuse you of a double-kiss if you shoot through the ball.

ANDY SEGAL WINS 2009 TRICK SHOT MAGIC TITLE

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ANDY SEGAL WINS 2009 TRICK SHOT MAGIC TITLE

The 2009 ESPN ZONE BILLIARDS SHOOTOUT was held September 17 in Las Vegas. Andy Segal defeated Sebastian Giumelli for the TRICK SHOT MAGIC title and the lion’s share of the $30,000 purse. ESPN Zone Las Vegas was host to the event which was taped for three 1-hour telecasts on ESPN November 22.

Machine Gun Masse

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Masse shots come in all shapes and sizes.  Once your discover that you can elevate the cue, strike down on the cue ball, and create such a massive amount of spin, your creative mind will begin to wonder what exactly you are capable of doing with such a stroke.

Go Fetch by Eric Yow Trick Shot

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I’ve been preparing to compete in the 2009 ESPN2 “œTrick Shot Magic” competition which films September 16-17 at the ESPN Zone in the NYNY Hotel in Las Vegas.

Circular Follow By Eric “The Preacher” Yow

Circular Follow By Eric “The Preacher” Yow

In this issue’s instructional article, I want to teach you the concept of Circular Follow.  When I was on “œESPN 3 Cushion Grandmaster,” the first shot I performed against Semih Sayginer was a form of Circular Draw well known in 3-cushion billiards.  In our professional Artistic Pool competitions we have adapted such a concept to the pool table to perform the bottom shot in the diagram.  To perform the circular draw shot, you must capitalize on the rebound of the cushion and the effect that follow and sidespin have on the cue ball’s trajectory when a significant amount of spin is maintained.  As you begin to work on this shot, please do not get discouraged.  My first rule in studying artistic pool is to “œchange one variable at a time,” a lesson I learned from Rick Malm, creator of the Artistic Pool CD-Rom.  The problem with this shot, however, is that there are so many variables to consider that it is difficult to fine tune your stroke so as to be able to duplicate it with relative consistency.  Admittedly, this shot is not a hanger, even for me.

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