A high-stakes marathon at the Peri Pool Arena in Da Nang, Vietnam turned theatrical on the second day as Jayson Shaw sparked another bizarre ‘chalkgate’ confrontation against Duong Quoc Hoang.
The Taom Challenge x J Flowers showmatch between two of the world’s top cueists lived up to its billing on day two, with dramatic momentum shifts and some procedural standoffs that left the crowd buzzing.
Shaw had a magnificent fightback against Duong Quoc Hoang, erasing a 12-rack deficit down to just four as their gruelling race-to-120 reached its midpoint.
‘Eagle Eye’ caught fire midway through the session, stringing a dozen racks to level the score at 45-45, but it was Duong who came out of the dogfight victorious and retained his narrow lead, 60-56.
Yet the day’s defining storyline was the constant ‘chalkgate’ pause that interrupted the match momentum.
Virtually every time the Vietnamese star left the table, Shaw immediately instructed the referee to clean the cue ball.
While requesting a white-ball wipe is standard practice before important shots, the frequency stunned both the commentators and the audience and sparked online debate over potential sharking tactics by the trailing Scotsman.
Shaw quickly took to social media, explaining the controversial incident: “Duong is using black Turning Point chalk. It’s all over the cues. It’s crazy how much chalk is on the cue ball; that’s why I want it cleaned.”
Event organiser Khong Ten corroborated Shaw’s complaints on the live broadcast, confirming from the commentary booth that visible chalk residue had indeed been coating the cue ball.
Duong has served as an official brand ambassador for Turning Point since 2024, debuting the chalk at that year’s Hanoi Open Championship before making it a permanent fixture across his WNT and WPA campaigns, including his maiden Premier League Pool triumph in March.
Apart from the chalk story, the British star also voiced frustration with arena conditions, citing the lack of air conditioning with 200 people packed around the table.
With the psychological warfare in full swing, two sessions remain in the 120-rack marathon between Shaw and Duong, with day three set to run until the first player reaches the 90-rack milestone.
