Players Tran Quyet Chien and Bao Phuong Vinh both won dramatically in the semi-finals to enter the 2023 world carom 3-cushion finals for the first time.
In the 95-year history of the 3-cushion carom billiards world championship, there have only been three times when the final match was between two players from the same country: Argentina in 1938, Belgium in 2017 and this time Vietnam. While Quyet Chien eliminated defending champion Tayfun Tasdemir with a score of 50-47, Phuong Vinh only narrowly won 50-48 against "Korean prodigy" Cho Myung-woo.
Tran Quyet Chien at the 2023 World Carom 3-Cushion Championship in Ankara, Turkey. Photo: FiveandSix
Quyet Chien led his opponent from the beginning of the match on the afternoon of September 10, at times with a gap of nearly 20 points. When the score was 47-35, he missed six of the next seven shots. The only point scored by Vietnam's number one player in this series was when his opponent made a mistake, giving him the right to start. The home player then gradually reduced the score to 44-48, then 47-49, causing Quyet Chien to sigh.
However, the defending champion's winning streak was stopped by a shot that missed by just a few millimeters, causing him to hold his face in regret. This time Quyet Chien did not miss the opportunity, hitting a straight A to score the decisive point and win after 32 turns, then threw down his fists in celebration. The Turkish audience still applauded the two players, even though Tasdemir became the former champion.
In the second semi-final a few hours later, Bao Phuong Vinh also won against Cho Myung-woo in an equally dramatic 50-48. Like Quyet Chien, Phuong Vinh led his opponent for most of the time, at times 32-16, then 46-33. The 28-year-old Vietnamese player then hit a set and continuously failed to score, while the Korean representative had a 10-point series and then tied the match at 48-48. Finally, Cho made an error and the decision returned to Phuong Vinh, this time he made no mistake as he scored two more points to win the match.
Player Bao Phuong Vinh at the 2023 World Championship in Ankara, Turkey. Photo: FiveandSix
In the 3-cushion carom tournament system of the International Billiard Federation (UMB), the World Cup and World Championship always gather the top players. The World Cup takes place about six or seven times a year, and any player can participate. The World Championship only invites the top players on the planet and continents, and takes place once a year. Before this year, Vietnam had only one player in the final round, Nguyen Duc Anh Chien in 2019.
Just like the World Cup final in Ho Chi Minh City in 2018, the host had both representatives Quyet Chien and Ngo Dinh Nai. This time, Vietnam continued to make history without needing the final result, the difference being that the two players are competing in Ankara, Turkey.
The final match between Quyet Chien and Phuong Vinh takes place at 8pm today, Hanoi time.
Vnexpress.net
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