Player: Fedor Gorst
Event: Mosconi Cup
Location: London, U.K.
Date: December 8, 2023



The drama of last year's Mosconi Cup was all but extinguished by the last match of Night 3, with Team Europe dominating the Americans, 9-1, in the race-to-13 competition. But moments of brilliance can come at any time when 10 of the best players in the world are around one pool table in one arena in London. This month's Stroke of Genius focuses on one of the few bright spots for Team USA in a tough week.

In this match, Shane Woodward and Fedor Gorst, newly in the red, white and blue after receiving his American citizenship after representing Team Europe in 2020, faced Jayson Shaw and Francisco Sanchez Ruiz. After taking the first rack in the race-to-5, Team USA found itself in the unenviable position shown in the diagram after trading safeties.

With the 3-7 cluster standing between Gorst and the 2 ball, he didn't have many options for defense —only the 8 ball was on the same side of the table as the 2, minimizing available hiding spots. But the jump shot into the 2 was available, though the difficult backcut into the top right corner wasn't the easiest angle, regardless if the cue ball needed to get airborne before contact.

Lucky for the desperate Americans, Gorst is on the short list of the world's best with the jump cue. He popped the cue ball over the cluster and into the 2, which sped straight into the top corner. Perhaps more amazing that the shotmaking, Gorst was able to send the cue ball around the 8 ball and across the table to get shape on the 3 in the lower right corner.

The American duo went on to win the set, 5-3, before the Europeans ended things the next night for an 11-3 Mosconi Cup victory.


(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)