Quite a few in Taichung. I went to two and found several more easily with some local help.
Three Ko Brothers Playing at the International 9-Ball Open
- Thread starter kkdanamatt
- Start date
Quite a few in Taichung. I went to two and found several more easily with some local help.
I'm more familiar with the Taipei area and Kaohsiung. Taichung City should have pool halls, I'm sure. It a metro area.
I guess my point is that Taiwan is not a Pool crazed country like the PI, for example. It's not close. For that matter, an argument can be made that Pool is more popular and gets more support in mainland China, now, vs Taiwan.
Eric
They differ from us, in that they already have state-sponsored billiard training academies...unlike here, where there are a few legitimate training academies, but they receive no government assistance. Not to mention that the mindset here is go out and gamble to get better! 
Scott Lee
Director, The SPF National Pool School Tour
Scott Lee
Director, The SPF National Pool School Tour
Bee Gees Rocks
Night fever, night fever
We know how to do it
Gimme that night fever, night fever
We know how to show it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ihs-vT9T3Q
Love the Bee Gees notwithstanding the bell bottoms, big collars, long sideburns
Saturday Night Fever is still best selling soundtrack album of all time more than 50 million sold. :thumbup:
Night fever, night fever
We know how to do it
Gimme that night fever, night fever
We know how to show it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ihs-vT9T3Q
Love the Bee Gees notwithstanding the bell bottoms, big collars, long sideburns
Saturday Night Fever is still best selling soundtrack album of all time more than 50 million sold. :thumbup:
Are you sure about this? I think it might not be completely accurate. You might be thinking of China. While there are youth elective courses in school (junior high/high school), I've don't think they have State sponsored academies?
From what I understand, the government used to give stipends to help support the pro pool players but it was literally a stipend and not a complete free ride.
Eric
LOL, Hu. Guess I'm hoping against hope.
I don’t think the Taiwanese govt helps their pool players in any way. That is the whole reason Wu changed his citizenship from the Republic of China to the People’s Republic of China.
For a Taiwanese to switch citizenship to mainland China is huge. The Taiwanese consider themselves a big step up. It would be like an American trading his citizenship to Mexico. For Wu to have done that, the difference in state subsidies must have been night and day.
From Wu's Wikipedia page
In 2011 Wu applied for and obtained citizenship of the People's Republic of China. Ostensibly, Wu did this, to allow himself to compete in more international events.
Wu stated the decision was made for sporting reasons and should not be regarded in a political light.
As of April, 2011, Wu has not given up his Republic of China nationality.
Republic of China Deputy Minister of the Interior Lin Tzu-ling stated that "An ROC national who wants to give up his or her citizenship must go through certain procedures.
So far, I do not think we have received any application from him (Wu) to do so".
The Minister noted that “As long as he is still an ROC national, he will be drafted into the military if he comes back to Taiwan.” The Republic of China's Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area stipulates that both the “Taiwan Area” and the “Mainland Area” are parts of the ROC, and the “Mainland Area” is legally defined as “ROC territory outside of the Taiwan Area.”
In addition, the law does not recognize PRC citizenship and defines PRC citizens as “people of the Mainland Area” who “have household registration in the Mainland Area.” Article 9-1 of the same law prohibits “the people of the Taiwan Area” from obtaining household registration in “the Mainland Area,” those who break the law are banned from voting and serving in office, while their household registration in “the Taiwan Area” is annulled.
I heard that Wu had suffered some sort of physical ailment that would have made him feel uncomfortable in the military, and that was a factor in his decision to become a PRC citizen. This has not been verified to me first hand.
In 2011 Wu applied for and obtained citizenship of the People's Republic of China. Ostensibly, Wu did this, to allow himself to compete in more international events.
Wu stated the decision was made for sporting reasons and should not be regarded in a political light.
As of April, 2011, Wu has not given up his Republic of China nationality.
Republic of China Deputy Minister of the Interior Lin Tzu-ling stated that "An ROC national who wants to give up his or her citizenship must go through certain procedures.
So far, I do not think we have received any application from him (Wu) to do so".
The Minister noted that “As long as he is still an ROC national, he will be drafted into the military if he comes back to Taiwan.” The Republic of China's Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area stipulates that both the “Taiwan Area” and the “Mainland Area” are parts of the ROC, and the “Mainland Area” is legally defined as “ROC territory outside of the Taiwan Area.”
In addition, the law does not recognize PRC citizenship and defines PRC citizens as “people of the Mainland Area” who “have household registration in the Mainland Area.” Article 9-1 of the same law prohibits “the people of the Taiwan Area” from obtaining household registration in “the Mainland Area,” those who break the law are banned from voting and serving in office, while their household registration in “the Taiwan Area” is annulled.
I heard that Wu had suffered some sort of physical ailment that would have made him feel uncomfortable in the military, and that was a factor in his decision to become a PRC citizen. This has not been verified to me first hand.
I came across this Big Ko interview (in Mandarin) the other day:
https://youtu.be/TDQ7q7dgKOY
Starting at 9:00 he tells of his relationship with his classmate Wu. Quite interesting.
https://youtu.be/TDQ7q7dgKOY
Starting at 9:00 he tells of his relationship with his classmate Wu. Quite interesting.
It was very interesting.
The most interesting part to me was that I didn't understand a word they said.
It was very interesting.
The most interesting part to me was that I didn't understand a word they said.
Basically, Ko says he and Wu were not very close because back in their school days, Wu was already a hero but he hadn't made his name yet. They didn't get to see each other often as Wu skipped a lot of classes due to his involvement in tournaments. Ko says he envied Wu and Chang JL (same school, 2 years senior and was also doing great in competitions) and that became his motivation which paved the way for his success today.
Ko also says in the interview that other than Efren, he admires Shaw a lot, who is very nice and willing to share his skills with him.
I watched Shaw coaching the two Ko brothers on a side table at Turning Stone a few years back—coaching them on how to break with different racks and spots. Jayson was extremely generous with the knowledge he was dumping on them and the Brothers were all smiles as they practiced breaks and actually getting the intracies of it all.
Also at that time, I remember hearing that the youngest brother had the most raw talent out of any of them. I was waiting for Ping Han to make landfall in the USA eventually, and here it is.
Great times.