Efren Reyes – ‘The Magician’

Efren Reyes is considered one the best billiards player ever to play the game of pool by just about every billiards magazine or professional billiards player.

He has become famous for his use of â??kickingâ? which he used with pinpoint accuracy to win many tournaments and titles. He had numerous accolades from his distinguished style and ability to win making most people believe the man from the Philippines is the best billiards/pool player ever.

Efren Reyes was born in Pampanga in 1954 but at the age of only 5 he moved to Manila with his family. This is where he had his first experience with billiards as he worked in his Uncleâ??s billiards hall. This is also where he gained his famous nickname Bata which means kid, used to distinguish him from the older Efren who frequented there.

This is where he started playing billiards and learnt his unique style. He continued playing in the Philippines and was considered a one of the best there before he was ever heard of in the USA.

His career in the game of pool has been a long one spanning many decades but he only became famous when he went to America and won the US open Nine Ball Championship in 1994.

This began his career in the western world as he won numerous titles throughout, becoming the first Filipino to win the US championship in 9 ball and several other titles previously only held by western citizens. For over 4 years he won the most money in billiards history, competing in competitions with record breaking payouts. His solo achievements include winning the first televised WPA World 9-ball championship, the international billiards tournament in 2001, the WPA World eight ball championship in 2004 making him the first man to win WPA championships in two different types of billiards. These achievements have made him world famous.

He has also had his share of combined championships earning the world championship for the Philippines with Francisco Bustamante when they beat the US team of Earl Strickland and Rodney Morris in 2006. They then backed this up by beating the German team of Ralf Souquet and Thorsten Hohmann in a very close match in 2009.

Throughout his career Efren Reyes has won a lot of competitions in the game of pool, rising up from winning in the Philippines to winning all the major events in the USA and rest of the world. Winning world titles for himself and his country he has established himself as the best billiards player ever to play the game.