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Korean billard player Cho Myung Woo |
Regarded as the "virtuoso" of Korean Billiards - Cho Myung Woo - and the Vietnamese Billiards "wunderkind" - Bao Phuong Vinh - will finally come face to face. This remarkable moment unfolds as these emerging talents from both nations find themselves grouped in Group E of the 2023 Billiards World 3-Cushion Survival tournament, scheduled to commence on August 17 in South Korea.
Within the international billiards realm, Cho Myung Woo is hailed not just as a "prodigy" in Korean Billiards but on a global scale. Born in 1998, this talented cueist has showcased exceptional skill, placing him among the top ranks of the world's elite at a remarkably young age.
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Cho Myung Woo will have the opportunity to face Bao Phuong Vinh. |
Beyond his three junior world championships, Cho Myung Woo swiftly claimed a third-place finish in the World Cup when he was 18 years old. By 19, he had secured twice the third position in the Three-Cushion World Cup. Ultimately, in 2022, at the age of 24, Cho Myung Woo solidified his inaugural Three-Cushion World Cup championship. Notably, seasoned figures in the global billiards arena, including Dick Jaspers -the top-ranked player, Blomdahl, and Zanetti, have all faced defeat at the hands of the sixth-ranked player in the world.
Meanwhile, Bao Phuong Vinh has just been part of the global billiards arena for less than two years. Nevertheless, despite this relatively brief period, the cueist born in 1995 has displayed an impressively rapid advancement, swiftly building a notable reputation on the international platform.
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In under two years, Bao Phuong Vinh has transformed from an unknown player to achieving a global ranking of 21st. |
In under two years, Bao Phuong Vinh has transformed from an unknown player to achieving a global ranking of 21st. Similar to Cho Myung Woo, this 28-year-old Vietnamese player has triumphed over several of the globe's leading competitors, including Dick Jaspers. Consequently, admirers also affectionately dub Bao Phuong Vinh a "prodigy," much like Cho Myung Woo. Up to this point, these two individuals have not crossed paths, heightening the fervent anticipation within the billiards community for these two young talents to clash and reveal the outcome.
Based on the drawing results of the 2023 Billiards World 3-Cushion Survival tournament, where the main round kicks off tomorrow, Bao Phuong Vinh finds himself in Group E. He shares this group with Cho Myung Woo and two other South Korean contenders, Kim Haeng Jik and Jeong Sung Ye, all competing in the Survival format.
In this format, four players will compete on a shared table. The tournament organizers will provide a certain number of points in advance. When a player scores, they will receive 3 points, and the other three players will each lose 1 point. A match consists of two sets, with each set lasting for 45 minutes. After 90 minutes, the two players with the highest scores will advance to the next round, while the two players with the lowest scores will be eliminated.
Being the sole participant among three Korean players in the Survival mode places Bao Phuong Vinh at a disadvantage. Nevertheless, it presents an opportunity for the Vietnamese billiard "prodigy" to demonstrate his prowess and courage when confronted with challenging circumstances.
The 2023 Billiards World 3-Cushion Survival is presented by the World Billiards Union (UMB). This competition boasts a significant total prize pool of US$218,000 and showcases the involvement of 24 players. Among them, 14 are globally recognized top-tier players and four slots have been reserved for wildcard entries. The final six positions will be secured by the most outstanding performers from the qualifying rounds.
Presently holding the 10th global ranking, it is evident that billiards player Tran Quyet Chien is taking part in the tournament alongside the emerging young talent Bao Phuong Vinh. Meanwhile, billiards player Dao Van Ly has impressively clinched one of the six tickets from the qualifying round to join the tournament.
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According to the draw results, Tran Quyet Chien and Dao Van Ly have been placed in Group D together, along with Tayfun Tasdemir and Berkay Karakurt, both from Turkey. This forms a fairly balanced group between the billiards players from Vietnam and Turkey.
Here are the draw results for some other groups:
In Group A, the top-ranked billiards player in the world, Dick Jaspers, is joined by Heo Jin Woo, Kim Tae Jun (South Korea), and Martin Horn (Germany). Group B features Marco Zanetti (Italy), Heo Jung Han (South Korea), Ruben Legazpi (Spain), and Alessio Dagata (Italy). Group C consists of Blomdahl (Sweden), Cho Chi Yeon, Cha Myeong Jong (South Korea), and Polychro (Greece). Group F encompasses Eddy Merckx (Belgium), Sameh Sidhom (Egypt), Choi Wan Young, and Lee Jung Hee (South Korea).
