During the Big Ko vs Mike Dechaine match last night at Turning Stone XXV, I was able to have a great conversation with the Ko Brothers' translator. It was my chance to ask a few questions I have seen pop up here on the board or ones that I have been wondering myself, but also pick up some extra interesting facts along the way.
Since we are going to see these guys quite a lot in the near future, hopefully this helps get to know them a bit more (and Kevin Cheng as well since he is in this group traveling together)
Here is the list in no particular order:
1. The Ko Brothers were very jet-lagged for this tournament. They flew in at 11 PM Tuesday night, and made the trip up to start on Thursday. They are on a 13 hour time difference. When Big Ko was playing Dechaine at 9 PM, it was 10 AM in the morning for them.
2. Ko brothers chose not to fly in early because they wanted to spend the holidays with friends and family. So they did fly back after the US Open. Kevin Cheng has been here straight through from the US Open because he played in the Accu Stats Invitational. (So he is acclimated to the time difference already)
3. The Ko's are staying in New York City and will be playing/practicing out of Steinway Billiards until Derby.
4. The Ko's and Kevin Cheng will stay in the States for the Derby and play set-up money matches against other pros in the mean-time. Other than the Big Ko vs Orcollo match coming up, their camp is looking to set-up some big matches including doubles against other top pros.
5. The Ko's first names are Pin Yi and Ping Chung. In Chinese culture, when formally addressed, it is a formality to state the last name first, then first name last. So when announced or presented on a placard at the tournament, the names are written "Ko, Pin Yi" and "Ko, Ping-chung". Likewise, Ga-Young Kim (who is South Korean) would be displayed "Kim, Ga-Young" and Xiaoting Pan would be "Pan, Xiaoting" So choosing an American name cuts all the confusion.
6. Kevin Cheng is fluent in English, hence he already chose an American first name for himself in Kevin. Big Ko speaks very limited English, and Little Ko speaks absolutely nothing in terms of English. They are still deciding on an American first name for themselves. Right now the working name for little Ko is "Charlie Ko" but it hasn't been settled on. Big Ko is still thinking. So until then Big Ko and Little Ko will have to do.
7. Big Ko is 27 and Little Ko is 20, they have a younger brother who is 18, and he is exceptional in pool but doesn't want to pursue a career in it. Instead he is a professional Dart player and is taking the sport by storm.
8. Big Ko's girlfriend was here for the US open but not here for this trip because she herself is also a professional Dart player and is in competition at this time.
9. In Taiwan, all the players play each other regularly in money matches. Absolutely no spots are given, always even. They are not used to the spot giving side of American pool gambling. Even the female players play them without a spot. Ga Young Kim when she is in Taiwan regularly gambles with the Ko brothers EVEN and has taken down some wins against them (which explains her (and other taiwanese ladies) dominance on the women's side of the sport)
10. The Ko Brothers play no Chinese 8-ball whatsoever and they have turned down invitations to play in Chinese 8-ball events. They also play very limited if at all 1-pocket. Their focus is solely on the pool table in particular, rotation. But that will not stop them from competing in different disciplines at derby.
11. Big Ko will be playing on the 10-foot Big Foot challenge at Derby this year. Little Ko is the first alternate on the list for that event should there be a cancellation.
12. Big Ko wanted to play the accu stats 10 ball invitational, but the voting came down to him or Kevin Cheng, and since Kevin Cheng won the US Open, he received the invitation and Big Ko flew back home for the holidays.
13. The Ko brothers will not be at the next Turning Stone Classic in late-August, because there are a number of Asian tournaments they will be competing in at that time. However, the Taiwan camp has some big plans for October 2016, with as many as 12 players (including the #1 female player) making the trip to the USA to compete in the US Open and some big challenge matches as well.
14. The Ko Brothers and Kevin Cheng are true gentlemen and class acts. The way they were all smiles and interacting with fans was a credit to them being that they were so out of their time-zones. After both Ko's lost to Dechaine, they sat off to the side and were smiling, laughing, taking photos and playing with Jayson Shaw's baby daughter. On Friday, I saw Keving Cheng sitting in the front row next to Danny DiLiberto and talking to him for a while. I wonder what words of wisdom were passed.
On his commentary, Danny DiLiberto stated he never saw better pool played in a tournament than Kevin Cheng's play at the US Open back in October. Those are pretty powerful words coming from a man who's literally seen it all.
**** Special Thanks to Mandy from the Predator Tour-interpreter and friend to the Taiwanese players for taking the time to answer my questions and bring us all a little closer to these talented players***
Since we are going to see these guys quite a lot in the near future, hopefully this helps get to know them a bit more (and Kevin Cheng as well since he is in this group traveling together)
Here is the list in no particular order:
1. The Ko Brothers were very jet-lagged for this tournament. They flew in at 11 PM Tuesday night, and made the trip up to start on Thursday. They are on a 13 hour time difference. When Big Ko was playing Dechaine at 9 PM, it was 10 AM in the morning for them.
2. Ko brothers chose not to fly in early because they wanted to spend the holidays with friends and family. So they did fly back after the US Open. Kevin Cheng has been here straight through from the US Open because he played in the Accu Stats Invitational. (So he is acclimated to the time difference already)
3. The Ko's are staying in New York City and will be playing/practicing out of Steinway Billiards until Derby.
4. The Ko's and Kevin Cheng will stay in the States for the Derby and play set-up money matches against other pros in the mean-time. Other than the Big Ko vs Orcollo match coming up, their camp is looking to set-up some big matches including doubles against other top pros.
5. The Ko's first names are Pin Yi and Ping Chung. In Chinese culture, when formally addressed, it is a formality to state the last name first, then first name last. So when announced or presented on a placard at the tournament, the names are written "Ko, Pin Yi" and "Ko, Ping-chung". Likewise, Ga-Young Kim (who is South Korean) would be displayed "Kim, Ga-Young" and Xiaoting Pan would be "Pan, Xiaoting" So choosing an American name cuts all the confusion.
6. Kevin Cheng is fluent in English, hence he already chose an American first name for himself in Kevin. Big Ko speaks very limited English, and Little Ko speaks absolutely nothing in terms of English. They are still deciding on an American first name for themselves. Right now the working name for little Ko is "Charlie Ko" but it hasn't been settled on. Big Ko is still thinking. So until then Big Ko and Little Ko will have to do.
7. Big Ko is 27 and Little Ko is 20, they have a younger brother who is 18, and he is exceptional in pool but doesn't want to pursue a career in it. Instead he is a professional Dart player and is taking the sport by storm.
8. Big Ko's girlfriend was here for the US open but not here for this trip because she herself is also a professional Dart player and is in competition at this time.
9. In Taiwan, all the players play each other regularly in money matches. Absolutely no spots are given, always even. They are not used to the spot giving side of American pool gambling. Even the female players play them without a spot. Ga Young Kim when she is in Taiwan regularly gambles with the Ko brothers EVEN and has taken down some wins against them (which explains her (and other taiwanese ladies) dominance on the women's side of the sport)
10. The Ko Brothers play no Chinese 8-ball whatsoever and they have turned down invitations to play in Chinese 8-ball events. They also play very limited if at all 1-pocket. Their focus is solely on the pool table in particular, rotation. But that will not stop them from competing in different disciplines at derby.
11. Big Ko will be playing on the 10-foot Big Foot challenge at Derby this year. Little Ko is the first alternate on the list for that event should there be a cancellation.
12. Big Ko wanted to play the accu stats 10 ball invitational, but the voting came down to him or Kevin Cheng, and since Kevin Cheng won the US Open, he received the invitation and Big Ko flew back home for the holidays.
13. The Ko brothers will not be at the next Turning Stone Classic in late-August, because there are a number of Asian tournaments they will be competing in at that time. However, the Taiwan camp has some big plans for October 2016, with as many as 12 players (including the #1 female player) making the trip to the USA to compete in the US Open and some big challenge matches as well.
14. The Ko Brothers and Kevin Cheng are true gentlemen and class acts. The way they were all smiles and interacting with fans was a credit to them being that they were so out of their time-zones. After both Ko's lost to Dechaine, they sat off to the side and were smiling, laughing, taking photos and playing with Jayson Shaw's baby daughter. On Friday, I saw Keving Cheng sitting in the front row next to Danny DiLiberto and talking to him for a while. I wonder what words of wisdom were passed.
On his commentary, Danny DiLiberto stated he never saw better pool played in a tournament than Kevin Cheng's play at the US Open back in October. Those are pretty powerful words coming from a man who's literally seen it all.
**** Special Thanks to Mandy from the Predator Tour-interpreter and friend to the Taiwanese players for taking the time to answer my questions and bring us all a little closer to these talented players***
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