Tran Quyet Chien and Duc Minh are pioneers: Will Vietnamese Billiards defend the throne at home?

Vietnam's top players such as Tran Quyet Chien, Tran Duc Minh... will aim to defend their championship titles at the next 3-cushion carom billiards World Cup in 2025, taking place at home in Ho Chi Minh City this coming May.

The first stage of the 3-cushion carom billiards World Cup took place in Bogota - Colombia at the end of February. At this tournament, Tran Quyet Chien could not defend his championship (he had previously won in 2024). However, another player named Tran, Tran Thanh Luc, was excellently crowned, and the most recent World Cup title still belonged to Vietnamese billiards.

Tran Thanh Luc had an impressive journey to the top of the podium at the 2025 Bogota Billiards World Cup, defeating many strong opponents. Notably, the tournament in Colombia was the first time the Binh Duong player reached the semi-finals, then the final of a World Cup stage. With Thanh Luc's latest title, 3-cushion carom billiards currently owns a total of 6 World Cup championships. Previously, Tran Quyet Chien won 4 times (in 2018, 2023 and 2024), and Tran Duc Minh won 1 time (in 2024).

Tran Quyet Chien won his first World Cup billiards championship in his career at home in Ho Chi Minh City in 2018.

PHOTO: FIVE&SIX

Ho Chi Minh City witnessed Tran Quyet Chien and Tran Duc Minh crowned

The next World Cup in 2025 will be held in Ho Chi Minh City, from May 19 to 25. At the home tournament, Vietnamese billiards still aim to defend the championship. Tran Quyet Chien and Tran Duc Minh are expected to continue to take advantage of the home field, when there are many fans "fueling" the spirit. At the Ho Chi Minh City Billiards World Cup 2024, Tran Duc Minh was convincingly crowned, to the surprise of 3-cushion carom enthusiasts around the world . The Hue-born player overcame many qualifying rounds and went all the way to the final, before defeating Kim Jun-tae (Korea) and stepping up to the podium to receive the trophy. Tran Quyet Chien also won his first World Cup in Ho Chi Minh City in 2018, which was also a turning point in the career of Vietnam's number 1 billiards player.

Besides Tran Quyet Chien and Tran Duc Minh, Tran Thanh Luc is also not out of the game. The 35-year-old player has shown rapid progress recently, when he won the runner-up position at the 2024 World Championship and won the 2025 Bogota World Cup. Meanwhile, Bao Phuong Vinh's best achievement at the Billiards World Cup was the runner-up position in Ankara (Türkiye) in 2024. Therefore, the player born in 1995 is very eager to win the first World Cup championship title. The young player born in 1999, Chiem Hong Thai, has also shown rapid progress and is worth waiting for.

Tran Duc Minh created a big surprise when he won the 2024 Ho Chi Minh City Billiards World Cup

PHOTO: DONG HUYEN

At the 2025 Ho Chi Minh City Billiards World Cup, Tran Quyet Chien, Tran Thanh Luc, Bao Phuong Vinh and Chiem Hong Thai will be given a special entry from the final round (32 players), because these 4 Vietnamese players are in the top 14 in the world. Tran Duc Minh will compete from the 4th qualifying round (the last qualifying round).

The World Carom Billiard Federation (UMB) has officially authorized the Ho Chi Minh City Billiards and Snooker Federation (HBSF) to host the Billiards World Cup in Ho Chi Minh City for 3 consecutive years, from 2025 to 2027.

The first qualifying round of the 3-cushion billiards World Cup in Ho Chi Minh City 2025 has concluded and the first 8 Vietnamese players have been determined to win tickets. Notably, the appearance of veteran player Ly The Vinh, 63 years old, will be announced. The second qualifying round will take place from April 7 to 11, aiming to find the next 8 names to participate in the 3-cushion billiards World Cup in Ho Chi Minh City 2025.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tran-quyet-chien-duc-minh-tien-phong-billiards-viet-nam-bao-ve-ngoi-vuong-tren-san-nha-185250318155614171.htm