Trần Đức Minh celebrates winning the World Cup Three-Cushion 2024 with the joy of fans. — Photo SNS

By Thanh Nga

After leaving the World Carom Billiards Federation (UMB) tournament system to seek a new direction in his career, Trần Đức Minh has made a triumphant return, shining brightly on the world stage.

The 43-year-old cueist recently thrilled Vietnamese fans by winning the World Cup Three-Cushion 2024 held in HCM City in May. This victory marks only the second time in Vietnamese carom billiards history that a player has won the World Cup, following in the footsteps of the renowned star Trần Quyết Chiến.

“In an athlete's career, competing and stepping onto the highest podium of a world-class tournament is more than enough. I don’t know what the future holds, but this is my lifelong achievement,” Minh said.

Minh secured a breathtaking victory over his South Korean opponent, Kim Jun-tae, in the final to claim the title.

Earlier, after halting the progress of his renowned compatriot Chiến, ranked world No 2, in the round of 16, Minh, as the only home player to reach the quarter-finals, went on to defeat Berkay Karakurt (world No 25) in the quarter-finals and Kiraz Tolgahan (No 17) in the semi-finals, earning the right to compete in the final against Kim.

The match between world No 415 Minh and world No 4 Kim was one for the history books. Few expected an almost unknown figure in the world of carom billiards to surpass a championship contender by such large margins in more than two-thirds of the final.

Even when Kim rallied, scoring a series of incredible points to turn the situation around, Minh remained calm and composed, delivering the decisive points to clinch the World Cup title convincingly. Fans watched with bated breath as Minh celebrated the most remarkable achievement of his career.

Notably, Minh had never competed abroad in tournaments under the UMB system, participating only in World Cups and Asian tournaments held in HCM City. As a result, his world ranking was low, and he was not as widely known as Chiến and Bao Phương Vinh. This led many to describe Minh’s victory as a fairy tale. However, once again, Việt Nam has proven its leading position in the global billiards community.

For the second time in the history of Vietnamese carom billiards, Trần Đức Minh has won the World Cup after the famous star Trần Quyết Chiến. — Photo Hải Long

“I have never had the opportunity to compete abroad. Almost all the international tournaments I’ve participated in have been World Cups held in HCM City. Winning the world championship is incredibly exciting because it brings joy to Vietnamese audiences,” Minh said.

Before winning the World Cup Three-Cushion 2024, he claimed the national championship in 2020 and triumphed at the National Sports Games in 2022.

Minh’s path to success was far from easy. He overcame numerous challenges in his pursuit of billiards, working various jobs from factory worker to sausage seller to support himself. These experiences, he said, helped shape his character.

“My life has been full of hardships since childhood. I was born in Huế, grew up in Vũng Tàu, moved with my family to Đắk Nông, and then returned to Biên Hòa City in Đồng Nai Province. For more than 10 years now, I’ve lived in Thủ Dầu Một City in Bình Dương Province,” Minh said.

“During that time, my wife and I went through many difficulties. When I was in Biên Hòa, I worked as a factory worker. In Thủ Dầu Một, I continued working in a factory while also making and selling sausages, delivering them daily to customers.

“For me, life and billiards are intertwined. You have to endure ups and downs, experience failure and bitterness, to truly appreciate success. In billiards, just as in life, you must strive to play each match or make each shot to the best of your ability.”

Minh began playing billiards professionally later in life, around the age of 40, compared to his peers.

“There used to be a carom table near my house, and I’d watch the older guys play. I started playing whenever I had free time. Even when life was tough, I never lost my passion for the game," Minh said.

“In 2019, I decided to quit all my other jobs to focus solely on billiards. That year marked a turning point when I reached the national championship final and won the silver medal. After that, a Japanese company sponsored me, allowing me to pursue professional billiards full-time.”

Trần Đức Minh competes in the World Cup Three-Cushion 2024 held in HCM City in May. — Photo Hải Long

Winning the World Cup earned Minh about VNĐ400 million (US$16,000), a substantial sum for him.

“I’ve never received such a large amount of money in my career. After deducting travel and accommodation expenses for the World Cup, I still have enough to take care of my family and invest in a three-cushion carom room to practise and teach others who are passionate about the game,” Minh said. VNS