Defeating Bao Phuong Vinh, young cueist becomes Vietnam's last hope in billiards at the World Cup
The biggest surprise in the round of 16 of the 2026 TP.HCM World Cup 3-Cushion Billiards happened this afternoon, May 23, as young talent Chiem Hong Thai staged a comeback to beat ex-world champion Bao Phuong Vinh 50-47 in 34 innings, making him the sole Vietnamese player in the quarterfinals.
The domestic derby between two top Vietnamese billiards talents was thrilling from the start.Bao Phuong Vinhstarted stronger and built a significant lead in the first half.
Although both players delivered impressive scoring runs—Bao Phuong Vinh with a run of 5 points and Chiem Hong Thai with a run of 6—the former world champion still entered the break with a 21-12 advantage.
Young cueist Chiem Hong Thai is regarded by experts as having a solid playing style learned from his mentor Quyet Chien, and he is showing remarkable maturity. Photo: PL
However, the turning point came after the break. Chiem Hong Thai played with great composure, maintaining excellent cue ball control and scoring consistently.
The player born in 1999 could spring more surprises while competing on home soil this time. Photo: PL
Runs of 6 and 5 points helped the 1999-born cueist gradually close the gap before taking the lead at the decisive moment. While Bao Phuong Vinh only managed one additional run of 5 in the second half, Chiem Hong Thai capitalized on his opportunities to complete a spectacular comeback, winning 50-47 overall.
This victory further confirms the growth of Chiem Hong Thai, one of the brightest talents inVietnamese 3-cushion carom billiards. The cueist from Can Tho previously won third place at the Porto World Cup in 2022 and the national championship in 1-cushion carom in 2024.
While Chiem Hong Thai soared, the other Vietnamese representatives all bowed out. Tran Thanh Luc fought hard but lost to Dutch legend Dick Jaspers 40-50 after 18 innings. Nguyen Tran Thanh Tu also failed to surprise Kim Do Hyeon, suffering a 37-50 defeat.
In other notable matches, Frederic Caudron defeated world number one Cho Myung Woo 50-45 after 21 innings in a high-level clash. Eddy Merckx overcame Martin Horn 50-43, Tayfun Tasdemir beat Kiraz in a nail-biter 50-49, while Marco Zanetti and Heo Jung Han also booked their places in the quarterfinals.
After an emotional day of competition at Nguyen Du, Chiem Hong Thai became the last hope for Vietnamese billiards in the quest for the titleWorld Cupon home soil.
With his current form and confidence, the 26-year-old cueist is fully capable of continuing to produce surprises in the upcoming rounds.
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