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Photo provided courtesy of Dan Meadows.

When you think of 'money' players, you think of the Filipino players. Bustamante, Parica, Pagulayan. They are all notorious for their ability when the money is riding on the game. As feared as these players are, none of them is as feared as Efren Reyes.

Recently named, by Billiards Digest, the 29th best player of the century, Efren has won over $150,000 in 1999 alone in professional pool tournaments. Not bad when you consider that there are 2 more major events on Efren's schedule this year.

Efren, nicknamed The Magician, is best known for his quiet nature at the table. When watching him play, you can see why they call him "The Magician." The shots he make, the safeties he plays, the position he gets, are like magic! "How did he do that?" and "ooohh" followed by clapping can be heard throughout the crowds that gather to watch his table performance.

As talented as Efren is at tournament pool, the players know him as being even more dangerous after the tournament is over and Efren is matching up for money. Efren has been known to gamble at just about any game from poker to mahjong, backgammon to chess. Pool is still his best game however. Efren, age 45, has been playing pool since he was eight years old and beating some of the best players in the business for money since he was twelve.

Born in Pampanga, Philippines, Efren is now one of the most well known sports personalities in his home country. Efren was elected the Most Admired Sportman by the Filipino people, over Olympic medal winning and world champion boxers, for 1999.

Players Votes Votes Player 13 Efren Reyes 6 Francisco Bustamante 3 Corey Deuel

Fans Votes Votes Player 31 Efren Reyes 21 Corey Deuel 7 Francisco Bustamante