Nobuaki Kobayashi

Template:Japanese name Kobayashi Nobuaki (often given as Nobuaki Kobayashi in the West) is a Japanese professional three-cushion billiards player. After placing 2nd to Belgium's Raymond Ceulemans three times (1970, 1972 and 1973) in the UMB World Three-cushion Championship, Kobayashi turned things around and defeated Ceulemans for the world title in 1974. This win ended Ceulemans' 10-year reign as champion. A decade later, he won it again at the expense of Ludo Dielis. He defended it unsuccessfully the following year, losing to Ceulemans again. He is the only Asian native (not counting Sang Lee who represented the United States at the time) to win a World Three-cushion Championship. His son, Kobayashi Hideaki, is also a three-cushion billiards player.