Chao Fong-pang
Encyclopedia
Chao Fong-pang (b. September 15, 1967 in Kaohsiung
, Taiwan
) is a Taiwan
ese professional pool
player.
He won the WPA World Nine-ball Championship
in 1993 against Thomas Hasch of Germany. Thus, he became the first Asian to win a world title in pocket billiards.
In 1995, he won the International Challenge of Champions
against Japan's Takeshi Okumura
, a player who won the world nine-ball the year after he did.
Three year later, he won the gold medal in the eight-ball event of the Asian Games.
Chao regained the world nine-ball championship in 2000 by defeating Mexico's Ismael Paez, 17-6. The lead of that score was the largest deficit ever made in a world championship final.
By 2001, Chao won for the International Challenge of Champions for the second time, defeating Francisco Bustamante
who won the event back in 1999. He won it again for the third time in 2005 with a victory over Thomas Engert
, the 2004 winner.
Chao Fong-pang is renowned for his , relying on them considerably more frequently that most other pros. One notable instance was when he played versus Francisco Bustamante at the 2001 ICC tie-breaker: Bustamante had made a good behind a ball, leaving Chao in a difficult position. But Chao went for the jump, and made it to win the and the title.
While a majority of Taiwanese players play with open , Chao is among the few who play with a closed or loop bridge.
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung is a city located in southwestern Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait on the west. Kaohsiung, officially named Kaohsiung City, is divided into thirty-eight districts. The city is one of five special municipalities of the Republic of China...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
) is a Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
ese professional pool
Pocket billiards
Pool, also more formally known as pocket billiards or pool billiards , is the family of cue sports and games played on a pool table having six receptacles called pockets along the , into which balls are deposited as the main goal of play. Popular versions include eight-ball and nine-ball...
player.
He won the WPA World Nine-ball Championship
WPA World Nine-ball Championship
The WPA World Nine-ball Championship is an annual, international, professional nine-ball pool tournament, founded in 1990, sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiard Association , and principally sponsored and organised by Matchroom Sport...
in 1993 against Thomas Hasch of Germany. Thus, he became the first Asian to win a world title in pocket billiards.
In 1995, he won the International Challenge of Champions
International Challenge of Champions
The International Challenge of Champions is an annual nine-ball pool tournament held at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut. It has always been broadcast on ESPN and is sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiard Association...
against Japan's Takeshi Okumura
Takeshi Okumura
is a Japanese professional pool player.-Professional career:He started playing pool at 16 and turned professional ten years later....
, a player who won the world nine-ball the year after he did.
Three year later, he won the gold medal in the eight-ball event of the Asian Games.
Chao regained the world nine-ball championship in 2000 by defeating Mexico's Ismael Paez, 17-6. The lead of that score was the largest deficit ever made in a world championship final.
By 2001, Chao won for the International Challenge of Champions for the second time, defeating Francisco Bustamante
Francisco Bustamante
Francisco Bustamante is a Filipino professional pocket billiards player from Tarlac, and the 2010 World Nine-ball Champion., nicknamed "Django", after the lead character of the film of the same name, and sometimes also called "Bustie", especially in the United States.-Early life:Bustamante is the...
who won the event back in 1999. He won it again for the third time in 2005 with a victory over Thomas Engert
Thomas Engert
Thomas Engert is a German professional pool player. Engert won the 2004 International Challenge of Champions beating fellow German Thorsten Hohmann in the finals...
, the 2004 winner.
Chao Fong-pang is renowned for his , relying on them considerably more frequently that most other pros. One notable instance was when he played versus Francisco Bustamante at the 2001 ICC tie-breaker: Bustamante had made a good behind a ball, leaving Chao in a difficult position. But Chao went for the jump, and made it to win the and the title.
While a majority of Taiwanese players play with open , Chao is among the few who play with a closed or loop bridge.
Tournament wins
- 1993 WPA World Nine-ball ChampionshipWPA World Nine-ball ChampionshipThe WPA World Nine-ball Championship is an annual, international, professional nine-ball pool tournament, founded in 1990, sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiard Association , and principally sponsored and organised by Matchroom Sport...
- 1995 International Challenge of ChampionsInternational Challenge of ChampionsThe International Challenge of Champions is an annual nine-ball pool tournament held at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut. It has always been broadcast on ESPN and is sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiard Association...
- 1998 Asian Game gold medalist (eight-ball)
- 2000 WPA World Nine-ball Championship
- 2001 International Challenge of Champions
- 2005 International Challenge of Champions