Vietnamese billiards World Cup player shines on home turf

Player Tran Thanh Luc closed out the international 3-cushion carom billiards tournament HTV - Becamex IJC 2026 Cup with an impressive display, beating Dinh The Vinh 50-18 in the final to become champion for the first time and earn an 80 million VND reward.

On the afternoon of August 16 at HTV Theater, the final matchof the international 3-cushion carom billiards tournament HTV - Becamex IJC 2026 Cupwas highly anticipated, featuring a showdown between Tran Thanh Luc and Dinh The Vinh.

On one side was a player who had won the Bogota World Cup 2025, on the other was a tournament sensation who had continuously overcome formidable opponents to reach the championship match.

However, the final turned out to be quite one-sided.Tran Thanh Lucdemonstrated the caliber of an international champion, maintaining consistent scoring ability and quickly building a large lead over his opponent.

The player born in 1990 did not need extremely large series of points. Thanh Luc consistently executed effective shots, scoring 4, then 5, then 6 points to put pressure on Dinh The Vinh. After just 9 innings, the World Cup champion led 26-9 and entered the break with a huge advantage.

After the break, Dinh The Vinh tried to find opportunities but could not produce enough large series to close the gap. Meanwhile, Thanh Luc maintained complete control of the match, keeping a steady performance and gradually approaching victory.

In the end, Thanh Luc won by a decisive marginof 50-18 after just 17 innings, achieving an average efficiency of 2.94 points per inning. This performance highlighted the difference in composure and experience in the most important match of the tournament.

Winning the championship of the international 3-cushion carom billiards tournament HTV - Becamex IJC 2026 Cup also held special significance forTran Thanh Luc. This wasthe first time this player had won the tournament, after his previous best result was only reaching the quarterfinals.

With the championship, Thanh Luc receiveda prize of 80 million VND. Dinh The Vinh took the runner-up position and received40 million VND, while the two joint third-place players, Mai Tan Huyen and Nguyen Nhat Hoa, received20 million VND each.

This victory further affirmed the status ofThanh Lucin the Vietnamese 3-cushion carom scene. Previously, he had made a major milestone by winning theBogota World Cup 2025, becoming the third Vietnamese player after Tran Quyet Chien and Tran Duc Minh to claim a World Cup leg title.

Following his successes on the international stage, Thanh Luc's rise to the top at this year's home tournament further demonstrates the form and composure of one of Vietnam's leading players. Earlier, highly rated South Korean players were eliminated from the quarterfinals. Beloved players such as Tran Quyet Chien and Bao Phuong Vinh also could not advance far.