Vietnam secured its spot in the world three-cushion carom team final for the third consecutive time after a thrilling semifinal clash against former champions Sweden. The match culminated in a decisive doubles shootout following split results in the individual games.
In the first individual game, Quyet Chien defeated billiards legend Torbjorn Blomdahl 40-36 in 19 innings, giving Vietnam an early lead. However, in the other game, Thanh Tu, despite leading David Pennor 36-35 at one point, ultimately lost 38-40 in 29 innings. This forced the match into a doubles shootout, where all four players competed on one table, playing to 15 points.
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Tran Quyet Chien at the world three-cushion carom team championship in Viersen, Germany on 28/2/2026. Photo: UMB |
The Vietnamese duo started the shootout strong, scoring an 11-point series in the very first inning to take an 11-1 lead. The game then reached a deadlock at 12-7 when the red ball was tucked into the corner pocket, leading to seven consecutive innings without a score. Quyet Chien then broke the scoring drought, allowing both Vietnamese players to add points and secure a 15-7 victory in 13 innings.
This marks Vietnam's third consecutive appearance in the world three-cushion carom team final. In 2024, Quyet Chien and Bao Phuong Vinh clinched Vietnam's first championship title, narrowly defeating Spain 15-14 in a final doubles shootout. Last year, Quyet Chien and Phuong Vinh lost the title to the Netherlands in the final.
The other semifinal match of this edition, between Germany and Colombia, is currently underway. Germany is a four-time champion, while Colombia's best performance was a runner-up finish in 2022.
The final will take place immediately following the conclusion of the second semifinal match.
The world three-cushion carom team championship has been organized annually since 1990. This season, 16 teams competed, divided into four groups of four. A single round-robin format determined the eight teams advancing to the quarterfinals. The tournament is held from 26/2 to 1/3 in Viersen, Germany.
Each matchup consists of two games played on separate tables, with each player from a team facing a corresponding opponent. In the group stage, Vietnam finished second with 5 points, behind host Germany (6 points). Mexico and France were eliminated with 2 points each. In the quarterfinals, Quyet Chien and Thanh Tu eliminated Turkey.
On their path to the final, Quyet Chien won all five of his matches, while Thanh Tu won one, drew one, and lost three.
Xuan Binh
