Efren Reyes

Efren Reyes — universally called **The Magician** — is widely regarded as the greatest all-around pool player who ever lived. Born in Pampanga, Philippines, he learned the game working as a houseboy at a Manila pool hall and went on to dominate every cue-sports discipline he entered.

Reyes was the first player to win world championships in two different pocket-billiards disciplines: the 1995 World 14.1 Continuous Championship and the 1999 WPA World Nine-ball Championship. He also captured the World Pool League, the World Cup of Pool (twice with Bustamante), and an unmatched run at the US Open One-Pocket.

His trademark is creative pattern play, kick shots that observers initially read as flukes, and a relentlessly cheerful court demeanour. He was inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame in 2003.