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.
The games of billiards and poker share several things in common, namely skills, strategy, and high-stakes competition. But these beloved pastimes share another aspect that is so obvious, it is often overlooked—the felt!
When it comes to billiards, people often think of pool and while that might be the most popular variation, it’s just one of many different games of its type. Where pool is a form of pocket billiards, there are also multiple carom variations, with one of the best and most popular being 3-cushion billiards.
Whether you’re a long-time fan of 3-cushion billiards or you’re completely new to the sport, 2023 has some fantastic events in store. Below are some of the main ones to look forward to and get stuck into on trusted sites like PowerPlay.
Three-cushion billiard players hail from all around the world, with top competitors representing Belgium, France, Vietnam, Turkey, South Korea and the USA. But the sport is currently attracting plenty of interest in the Netherlands, in part due to the recent success of the new world champion Dick Jaspers. The Sint Willebrord-born player is a true 3-cushion specialist and has enjoyed a hugely lucrative year in 2018. As a result, his homeland appears to be fully embracing the sport in every way.