Breaking Balls, Breaking records.
After showing his formidable performance, Bacolod’s Johann “Bad Koi” Chua made history in the Philippine billiards history, upsetting compatriot Anton Raga, 11-9, to become the first Filipino champion of the Philippines Open Pool Championship on Saturday, Oct. 24, at Gateway Mall in Quezon City.
Chua captured the championship in the tournament’s second edition since its introduction in 2025.
He also survived the threatening appearance of fellow Filipino billiards standouts Carlo Biado and Jeffrey Ignacio on his way to the championship round.
Both teams exchanged impressive shots in the early going. But Chua headed for a comfortable victory after dominating the early exchanges and racing to a commanding 5-0 advantage.
Trailing in the opening, Raga refused to go down without a fight, winning six of the next eight racks to narrow the deficit to 7-6 and turn the championship showdown into a tightly contested battle.
With his early advantage nearly wiped out, Chua regained control by capturing the 14th and 15th racks to stretch his lead to 9-6.
Raga’s comeback suffered another blow when he failed to execute a shot before the shot clock expired, allowing Chua to move within a rack of the championship at 10-7.
In a sudden exchange of scenario, Raga mounted one final charge, claiming two consecutive racks to close the gap to 10-9 and keep his title hopes alive.
The decisive moment came when Raga scratched on the break, giving Chua the opportunity he needed to finish off his compatriot and sealed the hard-fought 11-9 victory.
The championship marked a historic achievement for Chua and Philippine billiards, with the Bacolodnon cue artist becoming the tournament’s first homegrown champion and took home the US$125,000 prize.IMT
