Billiards 

Thanh Hà

Trần Quyết Chiến stunned the billiards world when he won his first World Cup title in 2018. Some dismissed it as luck.

But a second title five years later – followed by a rise to world No 1 in three-cushion – proved it was anything but. Today, Chiến leads a new generation of Vietnamese cueists transforming the country into one of the sport’s emerging global powers.

Chiến is no longer a lonely star for the country as others are rising to make the Southeast Asian nation a new force in the world of billiards.

Billiards was considered a casual pastime because of its association with gambling and betting, a prejudice rooted across generations of Vietnamese society. The sport struggled to develop even in local communities, and so Vietnamese players went to international competitions primarily with the mindset of simply gaining experience.

However, players like Chiến have changed people’s perception, showing that billiards is an intellectual sport requiring a combination of strategic thinking, spatial geometry, patience and physical fitness, and that players can enjoy the limelight of victory just like athletes in other sports.

Now in Việt Nam, tournaments are organised at different levels and lure in a large number of competitors, while many players cross borders to compete for high bonuses. Việt Nam has also become a hub for international billiards, hosting major events like the Hanoi Open and the World 10-Ball Championship for several years.

The first milestone was the gold and silver medals won by Lý Thế Vinh and Dương Hoàng Anh in the 1997 SEA Games.

Currently, Việt Nam is a premier force in 3-cushion. Among the world's top 25 players, four are Vietnamese. Chiến leads the way, followed by Nguyễn Trần Thanh Tự, Bao Phương Vinh and Chiêm Hồng Thái. Meanwhile, Dương Quốc Hoàng sits No 24 in the 9-ball pool ranking.

 

Rising status 

"The remarkable achievements are the result of a long and persistent investment process by the Vietnamese sports sector, the federation and players," Đoàn Tuấn Anh, head of the Billiards & Snooker Department of the Sports Authority of Việt Nam, told Việt Nam News.

"In billiards, to improve skill level, players need to compete internationally regularly. Our players have been sent to many high-level tournaments while Việt Nam has also hosted many world-class competitions in recent years, contributing to raising the status of Vietnamese billiards," he said.

Chiến's high level of performance in the last 10 years has played a key role in Việt Nam's progress.

He has not only dominated national competitions but has also picked up titles from the regional SEA Games, Asian Championships, World Cup and World Championships. 

His first World Cup victory came in 2018 in Bogota, Colombia. He repeated his success in the same venue in 2023 and 2024 and took his fourth title in 2024 in the Netherlands.

Chiến was the world individual runner-up in 2023 before pairing with Vinh to help Việt Nam earn its first ever world team championship title in 2024. He was the first Vietnamese player to reach the top of the world rankings in June that year.

 

After dropping to second position in 2025, Chiến came back strongly with new teammate Thanh Tự to top the world again earlier this month.

In the Viersen event, Chiến was the only player to win all six matches – a remarkable achievement reflecting his near-perfect form. He is unbeaten in 13 matches against world-class stars since December.

The title led to an international ranking boost, with Việt Nam moving up significantly to third place in the world, trailing only Turkey and South Korea. 

New champions

Vinh is another prominent top-level player. He was the man who made Chiến miss out on a world individual title in 2023 in Turkey. 

His historic world championship title marked a major milestone for Vietnamese billiards, along with a gold medal and a silver medal won with Chiến at the World Team Championship.

Chiến said that in order to stay in top form, he had to sacrifice precious private moments.

“I couldn’t fully celebrate Lunar New Year with my family because I had to start training early to be in the best form for the tournament, where many of the world’s strongest cueists were competing," he said.

"And that sacrifice yielded well-deserved results. In particular, winning the championship at the beginning of the new year has given us more confidence in our abilities when competing against the world's top players, paving the way for future goals and challenges."

Reviewing the rapid development of the sport in the country, Chiến said Vietnamese players were constantly improving their abilities. "In addition to experienced players, we have a large number of young talents. I think Việt Nam is now a world powerhouse in 3-cushion," he explained.

A few days before Chiến and Tự's win, Hoàng also made a big bang in the pool community when he triumphed in Premier League Pool 2026, considered one of the toughest competitions in the world.

He defeated world champion Francisco Sanchez Ruiz of Spain 7-4 in the final, bringing Việt Nam its maiden victory.

 

He was not only the first Vietnamese but also the first Asian cueist to secure such a major title.

It was the second major title in the World 9-Ball Tour after the Scottish Open in 2024 for the 37-year-old player, who is a regular member of the Asian team competing in the prestigious Reyes Cup team competition.

Vietnamese international champions have no time to rest on their victories, as many events are up ahead. While the 3-cushion players will take part in the World Master 2026 from March 31 to April 5 in Colombia and the World Cup from April 6 to 12 in Germany, the pool players will compete in the Poison St Louis Mixed Doubles Open from April 2 to 8 in the United States. — VNS

 

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