Female Cueists Compete in Two Contrasting Events at 'Vietnam Billiards World Cup': A Tune-Up Before the World Championship in France

The HBSF Billiards Tour 2 – Cup MIN Table is taking place in Ho Chi Minh City from September 7 to 12, 2026, bringing together nearly 310 cueists competing in four events. The event has been dubbed the "Vietnam Billiards World Cup" due to its scale and professional quality. Especially, a wave of beautiful female cueists such as Nguyễn Đức Yến Sinh, Bùi Xuân Vàng, and Huỳnh Hoa is creating a fever on social media. Yet beyond their appearance, they are delivering remarkable technical performances. The centerpiece of the tournament is the return of national women's pool champion Bùi Xuân Vàng, who decided to compete in two contrasting disciplines: pool and carom 3-cushion. This is a substantial challenge because the differences in technique, cue-ball control, and tactical thinking between the two games are significant. On September 8, Vàng played her first carom 3-cushion match against Nguyễn Thị Thu and narrowly won 22-21. She also entered her first pool match the same day. A tight schedule forces Vàng to shuttle between two playing areas, which experts see as a test of endurance and concentration. "I know playing both events is quite ambitious, but I want to take the opportunity to learn and improve my skills," Bùi Xuân Vàng shared after her thrilling victory. "Carom 3-cushion and pool are very different, but switching helps me become more flexible in my cue-ball touch." Not only Bùi Xuân Vàng, but the tournament also witnessed the dominance of Asian champion Nguyễn Đức Yến Sinh. In her opening women's carom 3-cushion match, she defeated Mỹ Duyên 25-9—a scoreline that demonstrates her superior strength. Yến Sinh, along with Nguyễn Thị Liên and Nguyễn Thị Bích Trâm, are cueists who will travel to France for the Women's World Championship after this event. Thus, the HBSF Tour is considered a crucial tune-up to sharpen form. "Domestic tournaments are where I test what I have practiced. Before going to France, playing against local opponents helps me keep my competitive rhythm," Nguyễn Đức Yến Sinh said. "25-9 is a good result, but I am not complacent because the opponents at the world championship will be much stronger." Another remarkable new face is Huỳnh Hoa, born in 2026, from Cần Thơ. In her first tournament, she impressed with a close contest against veteran Lê Thị Ngọc Huệ, a SEA Games gold medalist. Although she lost narrowly, Huỳnh Hoa received praise from experts. "This is a valuable lesson. I will return at the next stop with higher determination," she shared. Hoa's presence shows that Vietnam's women's carom 3-cushion pool is undergoing a generational transition, no longer relying only on a few key figures. On the men's side, the tournament notes the absence of current Vietnam No. 1 Dương Quốc Hoàng (Hoàng Sao), creating a gap in expertise. However, this does not diminish the event's appeal, as other male talents like reigning national champion Nguyễn Đức Chiến and Tú Trinh still provide high-level matches. A notable detail is the sponsorship of MIN Table, showing the close link between equipment manufacturers and the domestic professional tournament system. This cooperation helps improve playing conditions and provides a good environment for players to develop. After the group stage concludes, knockout matches will take place from September 10-12. With many female players aiming to use this tournament as a springboard for the world championship in France, time pressure is significant. Organizers scheduled the women's carom event to finish early on September 11, allowing players to travel. However, those advancing deep may face a packed schedule and fatigue. Overall, the HBSF Billiards Tour 2 – Cup MIN Table is a successful event that gathers a large number of players, offers a quality playground, and nurtures young talents. The media spotlight on beautiful female cueists also helps popularize billiards to the public, though it sometimes overshadows professional aspects. When the balls roll, all must bow to technique, and these beauties are not just about looks—they have the ability to make opponents wary. As Vietnamese billiards reaches out to the world, events like the HBSF Tour are an important bridge. The fact that many female players are sent to compete internationally shows serious investment by the HCM City Billiards Federation and the potential of the sport in Vietnam. Fans have reason to hope for a new golden generation, ready to compete on the big stage.