Billiards

Cueist Nguyễn Hoàng Minh will compete at the K-Eight Ball Championship 2025 which will deliver a huge bonus for players with outstanding performance from January 7-11 in HCM City. Photos of organisers

HCM CITY — The K-Eight Ball Championship will be the opening event of the 2025 billiards season, paying out huge bonuses to winners.

The 8-ball tournament is back after over a decade, since the national championship in 2014 when Lê Quang Trung took the title.

The K-Eight Ball Championship will be held from January 7 to 11 at the Hồ Xuân Hương Gymnastics in District 3, HCM City.

Up to 128 Vietnamese players will compete for a record VNĐ888,888,888 (US$34,900) in prize money, with VNĐ388,888,888 going to the overall champion.

Players will be divided into 16 groups of eight competing in the double elimination format. The top four will then advance to the next round.

In the group stage, players will race to eight to win. They will race to 10 in the last 64 and quarter-finals, race to 11 in the semi-finals and race to 13 in the final match.

A poster of the K-Eight Ball Championship 2025.

In addition to the cash, the winner will win a place at the Predator Vietnam Challenge of Champions playing against Dương Quốc Hoàng, reigning 9-ball champion and Lường Đức Thiện, 10-ball defending champion.

"HCM City is one of largest sporting hubs of Việt Nam, having a high number of great quality billiards clubs, so the sport is well developed in the city gathering many talented players and a huge number of supporters. These are ideal conditions for us to hold large-scale competitions," said Lý Kim Luân, general secretary of the HCM City Billiards & Snooker Federation (HBSF).

"We choose 8-ball pool because of its popularity, competitiveness and suitability. The 8-ball pool has more familiar and accessible rules, especially for younger players, compared to other billiards events. It is easy to attract a wide range of players, from amateurs to professionals.

"With matches played at a fast past and typically some great shots in every game, it attracts a huge audience. We hope that this tournament will help to push the development of the 8-ball game even better in the community."

The K-Eight Ball Championship 2025 is jointly organised by the HCM City Billiards & Snooker Federation and the Keight Fashion & Entertainment group, played under World Pool Association's rules. VNS