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Ko Pin-yi

{{short description|Taiwanese pool player, two time world champion, born 1989}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}

{{Infobox pool player

| name = Ko Pin-yi

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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1989|05|31|df=yes}}{{Cite web |title=Pin-Yi KO - AZBilliards.com |work=azbilliards.com |access-date=8 August 2018 |url=http://www.azbilliards.com/people/4492-pin-yi-ko/ }}

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| sport country = {{TPE}}

| nickname = "Prince of Pool"

| professional = 2005

| game = Nine-ball, Ten-ball

| best finish =

| major wins =World Cup of Pool, (2015)

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| other wins =

| world champ = Nine-ball (2015),
Ten-ball (2015)

| current ranking =

| highest ranking = 1{{Cite web |title=Ranking – WPA Pool |work=WPA Pool |access-date=31 December 2018 |url=https://wpapool.com/ranking/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181216135023/https://wpapool.com/ranking/ |archive-date=16 December 2018 |url-status=dead }}

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Ko Pin-yi (born 31 May 1989) is a Taiwanese professional pool player. He became multiple World Champion in the disciplines of Nine-ball and Ten-ball in 2015.{{Cite web |title=Ko Becomes Pool's Hardcore Man |work=azbilliards.com |access-date=8 August 2018 |url=http://www.azbilliards.com/news/stories/12237-ko-becomes-pools-hardcore-man/ }}{{cite web |author=Ted Lerner |url=http://www.wpa-pool.com/web/index.asp?id=17&pagetype=event_news&eventid=213&eventnewsid=225 |title=Ko becomes Pool's hardcore Man |work=wpa-pool.com |publisher=World Pool-Billiard Association |date=18 September 2015 |access-date=28 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828112258/http://www.wpa-pool.com/web/index.asp?id=17&pagetype=event_news&eventid=213&eventnewsid=225 |archive-date=28 August 2016 |url-status=dead }}

Career

Ko won the World Nine-ball Junior Championship twice in his junior career, in 2007 and 2008.

Ko became a multiple world champion in 2015, winning three world titles in a single calendar year. He defeated Carlo Biado, 11–9 in the final of the 2015 WPA World Ten-ball Championship,{{Cite web |title=Ko Pin Yi outlasts Carlo Biado to crown himself new World 10-Ball champion |url=https://www.spin.ph/billiards/ko-pin-yi-outlasts-carlo-biado-to-cronw-himself-new-world-10-ball-champi |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=Spin.ph |language=en}} followed by beating Shane Van Boening, 13–11 in the 2015 WPA World Nine-ball Championship final,{{Cite web |last=wpapool-admin |date=19 September 2015 |title=KO BECOMES POOL'S HARDCORE MAN |url=https://wpapool.com/ko-becomes-pools-hardcore-man/ |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=WPA Pool |language=en-US}} Ko also captured its country's first World Cup of Pool title alongside Chang Yu-lung, defeating England B of Mark Gray and Daryl Peach, 10–8 in the final.{{Cite web |title=World Cup of Pool 2015 Results: Winner, Final Results and Prize Money |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2572659-world-cup-of-pool-2015-results-winner-final-results-and-prize-money |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}} Ko was named Billiard Digest's "Player of the Year" in 2015.{{Cite web |title=Billiards Digest – Pool's Top Source for News, Views, Tips & More |url=https://www.billiardsdigest.com/new_current_issue/feb_16/bb_index.php |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=www.billiardsdigest.com}}

In 2022, Ko won the Asian Pool Federation's Asian Nine-ball Open in Singapore, defeating James Aranas of the Philippines, 13–11 in the final.{{Cite web |last=Pool |first=Matchroom |date=28 August 2022 |title=KO PIN YI RISES INTO WORLD'S TOP TEN AFTER APF ASIAN 9-BALL OPEN WIN |url=https://matchroompool.com/news/ko-pin-yi-rises-into-worlds-top-ten-after-apf-asian-9-ball-open-win/ |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=Matchroom Pool |language=en-GB}} He was also able to defend it the following year, winning 13–6 over 16-year-old Filipino Albert James Manas.{{Cite web |date=3 December 2023 |title=Ko Pin-Yi scuppers incredible run from 16-year-old Manas to defend Singapore title |url=https://absolute-pool.com/2023/12/03/ko-pin-yi-scuppers-incredible-run-from-16-year-old-manas-to-defend-singapore-title/ |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=Absolute Pool |language=en}}

In 2023, Ko Pin Yi became the first Taiwanese player to win the World Pool Masters title in Brentwood, Essex England with 13–5 win against Albania's Eklent Kaci.{{Cite web |date=14 May 2023 |title=Ko Pin-yi becomes first Taiwanese to win 2023 World Pool Masters – Focus Taiwan |url=https://focustaiwan.tw/sports/202305140008 |access-date=2024-02-20 |website=Focus Taiwan – CNA English News |language=en-US}}

In 2024, team Asia ruled the inaugural Reyes Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila, Philippines. The team consists of Johann Chua, Carlo Biado, Ko Pin Yi, Duong Quoc Hoang, and Aloysius Yapp, which is coached by the tournament namesake and greatest of all time Efren Reyes.{{Cite web |last=Pool |first=Matchroom |date=2024-10-18 |title=TEAM ASIA CLAIM VICTORY AT THE INAUGURAL REYES CUP |url=https://matchroompool.com/reyes-cup/team-asia-claim-victory-at-the-inaugural-reyes-cup/ |access-date=2024-10-21 |website=Matchroom Pool |language=en-GB}}

They defeated the European team with a decisive 11–6 final score. Team Europe is made up of Jayson Shaw, Eklent Kaci, Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, David Alcaide, and Mickey Krause. Aloysius Yapp of Singapore was named the first-ever Reyes Cup most valuable player award for his outstanding performance throughout the event.{{Cite web |last=Villar |first=Joey |title=Reyes Cup: Singapore’s Yapp caps off Team Asia’s mastery over Team Europe |url=https://www.philstar.com/campus/sports/2024/10/19/2393732/reyes-cup-singapores-yapp-caps-team-asias-mastery-over-team-europe |access-date=2024-10-21 |website=Philstar.com}}

Personal

Pin Yi is the oldest of three brothers. His younger brothers, Ko Ping-chung and Ko Ping Han, are also professional pool players.

Career titles and achievements

References

{{reflist}}

External links

{{AZB|http://www.azbilliards.com/people/4492-pin-yi-ko/}}

{{World pool champions}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ko, Pin-yi}}

Category:WPA World Ten-ball Champions

Category:WPA World Nine-ball Champions

Category:Taiwanese pool players

Category:1989 births

Category:Living people

Category:Asian Games medalists in cue sports

Category:Asian Games bronze medalists for Chinese Taipei

Category:Medalists at the 2010 Asian Games

Category:Cue sports players at the 2010 Asian Games

Category:Medalists at the 2017 Summer Universiade