Tran Quyet Chien's unbeaten streak at the HBSF Tour MIN Table Cup ended abruptly when Tran Thanh Luc put together a 17-point run, turning around a match that had seemed firmly in Chien's control. Despite the 40-29 defeat, Chien's earlier results were enough to secure his place in the knockout stage. According to Thanh Niên, Chien finished as runner-up in Group C with three points, while Chim Hong Tai took first place with five points.
Chien started strong, building a 20-10 lead after eleven racks, including a nine-point sequence. His steady play and tactical approach set the pace for most of the match. The decisive group stage game took place on September 10, 2026, during Round 4 of the HBSF Tour 2 MIN Table Cup in Ho Chi Minh City, as reported by Thanh Niên.
"The HBSF MIN Table Cup 2026 gathered around 310 players across four disciplines, with Group C dubbed the 'group of death' due to its lineup of top contenders including Chien, Thanh Luc, Chim Hong Tai, and Chung Thanh Nhan."
Vietnam.vn
The momentum shifted in the second half. Down 20-26 in the sixteenth rack, Thanh Luc, 36, from Binh Duong, rattled off 17 straight points with a series of difficult shots that stunned the crowd and left Chien unable to recover. That run flipped the score to 37-20 and effectively decided the match. Thanh Luc closed it out after 19 innings-his only win in the group, according to Thanh Niên.
Qualification drama and group standings
Even with the upset, the group's qualification outcome was straightforward. Chien's earlier win and draw gave him three points and second place in Group C, enough to move on. Chim Hong Tai led the group after beating Chung Thanh Nhan, finishing with five points from two wins and a draw. Báo Mới reports that both Thanh Luc and Chung Thanh Nhan ended with two points each, which was not enough to advance.
For Thanh Luc, the late surge was a final highlight. With two earlier losses, his lone victory was not enough to keep him in the tournament.
"By September 10, the list of players advancing to the round of 16 was already confirmed, with Tran Quyet Chien, Bao Phuong Vinh, Tran Thanh Luc, and Chim Hong Tai among those named as qualifiers."
Vietnam.vn
Who else made the cut?
In Group A, Bao Phuong Vinh won all three matches and posted a 13-point run against Dinh Duy Tuan. Nguyen Tran Thanh Tu also reached the last sixteen, highlighted by a nine-point opening run and a twelve-point finish in his matches.
The confirmed knockout stage players now include Nguyen Nho Lu, Nguyen Ho Thanh, Cao Van Triet Luan, Nguyen Tran Thanh Tu, Nguyen Chi Long, Nguyen Nhat Hoa, Pham Quoc Thich, Thuy Hoang Hoan, Vo Quoc Thang, Dinh Duy Tuan, Nguyen Van Tong Em, Tran Chi Thanh, and Nguyen Thanh Tong.
What's next for the HBSF Tour
The group stage ended with several dramatic swings, setting up a knockout bracket full of high scorers and comeback threats. Chien's progress despite a heavy loss shows the importance of steady results across the group phase, while Luc's exit is a reminder that a single big performance can't always make up for earlier setbacks. The next rounds will be tighter, with little room for error and every rack carrying extra weight.
Full match details and updates are available in the official tournament report.
