A native of the Philipines, Efren Reyes first introduced himself to the US pool scene by showing up for the 1985 Red’ s 9-Ball, an imposing field of many of the best players of the time, which he blitzed through under the temporary pseudonym Cesar Morales. Not yet acquainted with One Pocket, Reyes was conspicuously absent from the One Pocket event that immediately followed (won by Grady Mathews). However, Reyes quickly found the game very much to his liking after spending some extended visits to the Chicago area, including time with One Pocket sage Freddy Bentivegna, and to Philadelphia, where he developed a long-lasting friendship with his state-side advisor, Mike LeBron.
Often called the ‘Magician’ because of his knack for delivering impossible looking shots in key game situations, Reyes certainly displays an uncanny imagination, drawing on his solid background in a variety of cue disciplines, including Rotation and Billiards. He may have been late discovering One Pocket, yet the game is clearly tailor made for his unique combination of talent and creativity.
* As a tournament player, Efren has won many major One Pocket events, including topping the huge and talented fields at the Derby City Classic five times:
- 1999 Derby City Classic One Pocket
- 2000 US Open One Pocket
- 2004 Derby City Classic One Pocket
- 2005 Derby City Classic One Pocket
- 2006 Derby City Classic One Pocket
- 2007 Derby City Classic One Pocket
- 2009 Galveston World Classic
* In his after hours play, Efren has been known to give out seemingly impossible spots to very good players, and even against the very best — or next best, it could be said — he has been known to offer a ball, yet still he comes out on top.
Mike LeBron and Efren
* Efren’s imaginative approach to the game has made him a spectator favorite, as even advanced players enjoy trying to guess what he is going to come up with when he contemplates the table. Indeed, more often than not, he finds some unusual angle to work his magic, and yet again he leaves the crowd — and his opponent — shaking their heads in wonder.