The illustrious list of winners of the title of 3-cushion billiards world champion has been enriched by a completely new name. Phuong Vinh Bao, until recently a totally unknown billiard player from Vietnam, grabbed the 2023 world three cushion billiard title at the tournament held in Ankara, Turkey.
In a demonstration of skill and class, Tayfun Tasdemir has won the 2022 UMB 3-cushion world title. In Donghae City, South-Korea, he defeated Ruben Legazpi in a one-sided final: 50-14 in 15/14 innings. For Turkiye, it had been a nineteen-year wait since Semih Sayginer was world champion in 2003.
Pedro Piedrabuena defeated long-time rival and former champion Miguel Torres to win his 11th USBA 3-Cushion National Championship title.
His play throughout the event was nearly perfect and included an incredible come-from-behind victory against Kang Lee in the penultimate Semi-final round.
Many of our readers will already know this, but it's important to remember that not all billiard chalk is created equal. Some brands just don't seem to stick, leaving a mess all over your hands, ball, and table. And there are so many different types of chalk for sale at the moment, it can be extremely difficult to know what to get.
Here's how to find the right chalk for three-cushion billiards.
Three cushion billiards has a long history of championship events and a celebrated list of the players who emerged victorious. Modern records for the World Championship usually begin in 1928 with the UMB as the listed governing body and Mr. Edmond Soussa of Egypt as the first winner in the event held in Reims, France. It is there that we start our hunt to solve the Mystery of the Medal.
The sport of carom billiards is a relative newcomer to Houston, Texas. A decidedly pocket billiards / pool-player's town since the 1940’s, the city was famous for rooms such as Big Tyme Billiards, Legends Billiards, and Bogey’s Billiards. When I moved to Houston in 1979 I played pool at LeCue Billiards and later at The Cushion & Cue - both long since shuttered. But beginning with the turn of the millennium the carom games have arrived or - depending on whom you ask - have been re-discovered. Carom billiards rooms seem to be sprouting up like mushrooms, leading to a resurgence of interest in the sport here in Houston.