The Most Knowledgeable One Pocket Player? IMO it is a 3 word answer:
EFREN BATA REYES
Grady said: "he is one the greatest pool minds of this century"
Asked if this guy would have beaten him if he played him in his golden years Ronnie answered: " he probably would have, but he'll be too tired to enjoy it"
I asked Grady 15 years ago why he thought this player is so good and he said: "his incredible creativity" . He also said: " he is such a mild mannered person, but he is a killer on the pool table."
I asked Ernesto the same question that Lenny asked, and he said: Efren, because of his mastery in handling the white ball, no one even comes close.
I watched Efren gamble with a famous pro in Hard Times in Sacramento, $500 a game, giving him the break and 2 balls. The "pro" would break then he'd pick any 2 balls off the table. I have never seen a player with such focus, determination and level of concentration. After 4 hours, the final score was:
Efren: 12 Opponent:2
A well thought of commentator on one of the Accustat tapes said that Efren is no longer allowed to enter Ballkline tournaments in the Philippines. He would hang around until the end of the tournament, then would challenge the winner giving him a spot of 150 balls in a 500 ball game. BTW, Efren says that ballkline is his best game.
I watched with awe Efren shoot a cross side pocket bank playing Mike Siegel early in a strait pool championship match, go 3 rails, break the stack then run 141 balls. To run 141 balls is certainly not a record, but to have the confidence, courage and skill to shoot that shot playing a guy like Mike? How many players do we know would even consider it?
Its for for the above reasons and then some that I think Efren is the most knowledgeable player. He ranks up there with some of the greats. Having said all that, he of course is not unbeatable. No one is. His skill level is no longer as sharp (and we all know why) but he is still a force to be reckoned with.
This is my humble opinion.