Billiards

Trần Thanh Lực takes second at the Bogota 3-Cushion World Cup 2026. Photo kozoom.com

HÀ NỘI — Trần Thanh Lực has become the best three-cushion billiards player in Việt Nam after winning second place at the Bogota 3-Cushion World Cup 2026.

As the defending champion, Lực gave an impressive performance against the world No 1, Cho Myung Woo of South Korea, in the title match on April 13 (Vietnamese time).

Cho made a strong start, taking an early lead with precise opening shots. Lực remained composed and surged ahead to 22-10 after the first 11 innings. However, from that point, Cho produced a remarkable comeback, displaying exceptional accuracy in position play and scoring to reclaim the advantage at 27-22.

The final unfolded with a high level of intensity, and after 22 innings, Cho secured a 50-35 victory.

Trần Thanh Lực (left) and Cho Myung Woo in the final match. — Photo kozoom.com

Although he failed to defend his title, his second place finish pushed Lực two steps up to the ninth spot in the world three-cushion rankings.

Lực's new ranking helped him overtake his senior teammate Trần Quyết Chiến to become Việt Nam’s highest-ranked player.

Chiến also took part in the Bogota World Cup as one of the favourites. However, he suffered a shock elimination from the group round, dropping him in the global rankings from sixth place to No 11.

Meanwhile Cho solidified his spot at No.1, followed by Eddy Merckx of Belgium, Dick Jaspers of the Netherlands, Tayfun Tasdemir of Türkiye and Marco Zaneti of Italy.

The next World Cup event will be held in HCM City from May 18 to 24 at the Nguyễn Du Gymnasium, where Jaspers will defend his title. Lực and Chiến are expected to have a big home ground advantage, with a lot of strong support.

Lực, a stunt player in Bogota

The World Cup in Bogota, Colombia was where Lực felt at home after winning his first major event there last year. This year, the 36-year-old stood proudly on the podium again in the South American country.

Trần Thanh Lực competing in the semi-finals. — Photo kozoom.com

As number 11 he was seen as an outsider, facing strong opponents this tournament. The lesser-known Lực successfully came from behind to defeat Jaspers in the quarter-finals and trounce Martin Horn of Germany in the semi-finals. These players were all seeded in the top seven and were title candidates in Bogota.

Lực was born in 1990 in the former Bình Dương Province, now HCM City. He began playing billiards in 2010. After two years of hard work and strong progress in his career, he secured a place among the nation's top 32 players.

But as his family’s breadwinner, he set aside his passion for several years before returning in 2019 as a professional player for HCM City, the nation’s strongest hub for billiards.

"I started playing billiards, three-cushion, when I was 20, which is definitely a bit late compared to many other players," he said.

"I didn't have much choice in the sport because I live in a rural area, but I also took up billiards because of my physical condition, which made me suitable for this kind of sport."

Lực is 1.65m tall. His talent was proved with a silver medal in the Asian championship in 2023, a silver from the world championship in 2024 and the Bogota World Cup trophy in 2025.

He was the third Vietnamese billiards player in history to top a World Cup event. The victory was praised widely, and he was called a new star in the three-cushion community.

"In Việt Nam, we have an expression: ’The job chooses you, you don't choose the job’. That’s what it was with me. After high school, I did my military service immediately, so that's why I didn't really have a profession," Lực said.

"I started playing three-cushion as a hobby. Surprisingly, I'm qualified for a national competition, even though I think I was lucky. Then, billiards chose me as a job."

"I have been playing for 15 years now and in all this time, billiards has become a significant, trendy sport in my country," he noted.

Trần Thanh Lực celebrates his first Bogota World Cup win in 2025. — Photo kozoom.com

Dutch expert Bert van Manen said he believes Lực is one of the most capable defensive players in billiards.

Lực only started competing regularly at international tournaments in 2022, but reached the four most important finals in the following three years: the Asian Championship, the World Championship and two World Cups.

According to van Manen, Lực often frustrates great players like Jaspers with his seemingly illogical shots, which nevertheless prove remarkably effective.

Meanwhile, billiards analyst Frits Bakker said Lực has proven himself to be a well-rounded player who can produce spectacular shots. He also demonstrates excellent tactical awareness and strong defensive skills when facing top-class opponents. — VNS