Kunihiko Takahashi

Kunihiko Takahashi
Born (1969-03-04) 4 March 1969 (age 55)
Nagasaki, Japan
Nickname"The Sniper"
Professional1996
Pool games9-Ball
Tournament wins
World Champion9-Ball (1998)
Medal record
Representing  Japan
Men's Eight-Ball
1998 Asian Games
Silver medal – second place 1998 Bangkok Individual

Kunihiko Takahashi (高橋 邦彦, Takahashi Kunihiko) (born March 4, 1969, in Nagasaki) is a Japanese professional pool player and a WPA World Nine-ball Champion. Nicknamed "the Sniper".

He began practicing pool at 17 and turned professional in 1996.[1] In 1998, he won the WPA World Nine-ball Championship by defeating the reigning champion, Johnny Archer, in the final match. He became the second World Nine-ball Champion from Japan, after Takeshi Okumura, who won it in 1994. In 1999, Takahashi won the ESPN Ultimate Shootout, earning him US$40,000.[2]

Four years later, Takahashi was three stages away from a second world title when he lost to Earl Strickland, who would later win the championship. Takahashi was critical of the Strickland's behavior during the match: "I lost up here. Strickland shows no sportsmanship. He played very well. But no sportsmanship." Strickland denied the allegation of unsportsmanlike conduct.[3]

  1. ^ "高橋 邦彦 Kunihiko Takahashi". Cosmo-Tokyo (in Japanese). 2001. Archived from the original on 27 March 2008. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  2. ^ "Other titles". Azbilliards.com. Archived from the original on 8 February 2012. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  3. ^ "Result in 2002 World Championship". Billiardsdigest.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2017.