Quyet Chien competes against billiards masters on home ground.

The 2026 Asian Carom Billiards Championship is scheduled from May 7 to 10 at the Ho Xuan Huong Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City, bringing together numerous leading players from the region. Particularly, the men's three-cushion carom event is expected to be the centerpiece, featuring an attractive competition format and substantial prize pool.

2026 Asian Carom Billiards Championshipwill feature four categories: men's three-cushion carom, U22 three-cushion carom, women's three-cushion carom, and one-cushion carom.

Among these, the men's three-cushion carom competition, taking place from May 7 to 8, is regarded as the most exciting, bringing together 32 elite players.

The players will be split into eight groups, competing in a single round-robin format to determine the 16 qualifiers. In the group stage, each match goes to 40 points with a shared inning, enabling participants to fully showcase their abilities.

However, starting from the knockout rounds, the pressure intensifies as matches extend to 50 points without shared innings, demanding nerves of steel and pinpoint accuracy.

The tournament this year boasts a total prize pool of 23 million won (approximately 411 million Vietnamese dong). Despite being a continental competition, the technical level of the men's three-cushion carom event is exceptionally high, as Asia currently serves as the cradle of the sport, featuring two powerhouses: Vietnam and South Korea. It is also one of the few sports where Vietnam can compete on equal footing at the world level.

Local fans are particularly looking forward to the outstanding performance ofTran Quyet Chien, who was the 2019 Asian champion. The breathtaking 40-39 victory over Cho Myung Woo in the final that year is still an unforgettable memory. Since then, both have risen to world-class status with numerous major titles, hinting at the possibility of another blockbuster final.

In addition to Tran Quyet Chien,Vietnamese billiardsalso boasts numerous skilled players like Bao Phuong Vinh, Tran Thanh Luc, Nguyen Tran Thanh Tu, and other potential dark horses. Meanwhile, South Korea continues to field a formidable squad featuring names such as Heo Jung Han, Kim Haeng Jik, among others.

With the advantage of playing at home and the impressive form of their players, fans hope that Vietnamese billiards will continue to assert its standing in the Asian arena, even aiming for the title on home soil.