Who was/is best all around pool player, still alive today?

[Andrew Manning]

The player who was the best all around, and is still living, will be Efren until he dies.

A more interesting question is best all around right now, which is constantly subject to change. I put Orcullo ahead of Alex, and I don't see why Alex gets so many mentions. Orcullo plays rotation games a lot better, 14.1 a lot better, and one pocket almost even with Alex.

 

[nine_ball6970]

The player who was the best all around, and is still living, will be Efren until he dies.

A more interesting question is best all around right now, which is constantly subject to change. I put Orcullo ahead of Alex, and I don't see why Alex gets so many mentions. Orcullo plays rotation games a lot better, 14.1 a lot better, and one pocket almost even with Alex.

No way would Dennis give weight to him in any game you say Dennis is supposedly a lot better at. Alex gets so many mentions because he doesn't have to lose to anybody in any game. Nobody wants to play him even one pocket. He destroyed Justin Hall on his home table giving weight. He was won the last couple rotation tournaments he has played in. Even though he doesn't play much straight pool, his high run on video is still over 270.

 

[jay helfert]

People like to say I'm biased toward Filipinos. And I am for good reason. I happen to admire great pool players wherever they come from. My list of the greatest all around players still alive today would begin with Efren and include Alex, Dennis, Parica, Sigel, Varner and Hopkins with Rempe and Buddy not far behind. Shane cannot be mentioned in this group until he shows some ability in 14.1, a game which he seems to dislike. The greatest all around player of all time in my book has to be Harold Worst, who excelled at every cue game he tried.

 

[Black-Balled]

The player who was the best all around, and is still living, will be Efren until he dies.

A more interesting question is best all around right now, which is constantly subject to change. I put Orcullo ahead of Alex, and I don't see why Alex gets so many mentions. Orcullo plays rotation games a lot better, 14.1 a lot better, and one pocket almost even with Alex.

I dunno...Dennis may go to 11, but Alex is 10+ and one only has to hit volume level 7 to play rotation games perfectly.

One pocket? I am not convinced Dennis is better. He may have a slight execution advantage, but I don't think that has to Trump Alex's knowledge. One can often get away with a substandard shot choice through accurate execution, but over the long haul...

Other games don't count in today's pro environment...Imo :duck:
But Alex wins at snooker, 14.1 is a pick-em and Alex rules Dennis in basketball.

 

[jay helfert]

I dunno...Dennis may go to 11, but Alex is 10+ and one only has to hit volume level 7 to play rotation games perfectly.

One pocket? I am not convinced Dennis is better. He may have a slight execution advantage, but I don't think that has to Trump Alex's knowledge. One can often get away with a substandard shot choice through accurate execution, but over the long haul...

Other games don't count in today's pro environment...Imo :duck:
But Alex wins at snooker, 14.1 is a pick-em and Alex rules Dennis in basketball.

Dennis has a 15 year old son named Ralph that would pound Alex in basketball. The kid has game! :smile:

 

[Swighey]

Niels, is no doubt a great player and hold many titles. Has he done quite well at one pocket, straight pool and banks?

Thanks,
JoeyA

One pocket and banks are not pool. They are contrived games played on a pool table. An all around pool player is one who excels at 8 ball, rotation games and straight pool. Can’t ever imagine anyone regarding some guy who might make £20k a year on some future snooker banks tour being regarded as a better snooker player than Ronnie O’Sullivan.

One pocket and banks are good games, worthy of respect equal to that of the recognised pool games. They are niche games though.

My guess is that Niels has only ever played one pocket and banks for fun, for beers, or for small change. I’d be surprised (or even asleep) if he hasn’t played straight pool and I would expect that it has been documented that he’s pretty good at it. He’s a great player but probably not in the conversation regarding the greatest all round.

Is “sensible answers only” an unreasonable request?

 

[fan-tum]

One pocket and banks are not pool. They are contrived games played on a pool table. An all around pool player is one who excels at 8 ball, rotation games and straight pool. Can’t ever imagine anyone regarding some guy who might make £20k a year on some future snooker banks tour being regarded as a better snooker player than Ronnie O’Sullivan.

One pocket and banks are good games, worthy of respect equal to that of the recognised pool games. They are niche games though.

My guess is that Niels has only ever played one pocket and banks for fun, for beers, or for small change. I’d be surprised (or even asleep) if he hasn’t played straight pool and I would expect that it has been documented that he’s pretty good at it. He’s a great player but probably not in the conversation regarding the greatest all round.

Is “sensible answers only” an unreasonable request?

Since it seems that all top players are playing and excelling at one pocket these days, then this 'niche' game should be included, at least as a final decider, whenever the very best players are discussed.

 

[AtLarge]

... I’d be surprised (or even asleep) if he hasn’t played straight pool and I would expect that it has been documented that he’s pretty good at it. ...

Feijen:

2016 -- 1st, American 14.1 Championship
2008 -- 1st, World 14.1 Championship

 

[Andrew Manning]

No way would Dennis give weight to him in any game you say Dennis is supposedly a lot better at. Alex gets so many mentions because he doesn't have to lose to anybody in any game. Nobody wants to play him even one pocket. He destroyed Justin Hall on his home table giving weight. He was won the last couple rotation tournaments he has played in. Even though he doesn't play much straight pool, his high run on video is still over 270.

You're right he wouldn't give him weight, but he'd beat him more often than not at 9b, 10b, and 14.1.

I think Alex is the better 1p player, but it's very close.

 

[Runner]

The player who was the best all around, and is still living, will be Efren until he dies.

A more interesting question is best all around right now, which is constantly subject to change. I put Orcullo ahead of Alex, and I don't see why Alex gets so many mentions. Orcullo plays rotation games a lot better, 14.1 a lot better, and one pocket almost even with Alex.

^^^^This^^^^

I mentioned Efren as the GOAT before. Now?.. I gotta go with Dennis here, his
One Pocket game is getting better and better. No dis on Alex, but I've seen
him lose his determination in a match. $.02

 

[jay helfert]

One pocket and banks are not pool. They are contrived games played on a pool table. An all around pool player is one who excels at 8 ball, rotation games and straight pool. Can’t ever imagine anyone regarding some guy who might make £20k a year on some future snooker banks tour being regarded as a better snooker player than Ronnie O’Sullivan.

One pocket and banks are good games, worthy of respect equal to that of the recognised pool games. They are niche games though.

My guess is that Niels has only ever played one pocket and banks for fun, for beers, or for small change. I’d be surprised (or even asleep) if he hasn’t played straight pool and I would expect that it has been documented that he’s pretty good at it. He’s a great player but probably not in the conversation regarding the greatest all round.

Is “sensible answers only” an unreasonable request?

One Pocket and Banks are not pool? You lost me there. The game of pool has evolved just like many other sports. Football did not allow a pass at one time and in baseball three balls was once a walk. For me one of the beauties of this game is how it has evolved into many different disciplines, all of them requiring unique skill sets.

There are more people playing One Pocket today then there are playing Straight Pool. I can assure you of that. Does that now make Straight Pool a "niche" game as well? Is this sensible enough for you to understand?

 

[Black-Balled]

Dennis has a 15 year old son named Ralph that would pound Alex in basketball. The kid has game! :smile:

Alex is an old fart, by basketball standards though.

One would not think the Philippines is rabid about basketball...but it is.

 

[Bob Jewett]

... Shane cannot be mentioned in this group until he shows some ability in 14.1, a game which he seems to dislike. ...

Well, a 305 in practice and a 198 at the last DCC on a Diamond have to count as a start on showing some ability. He does have to get past his problem of losing matches to old guys. He won $3850 at DCC this year at 14.1.

 

[Tooler]

I've always thought, that if Shane put the same effort into 14.1 that he put into his break, this 526 number would fall. He has said in the past, that it's boring. Not my cup of tea....yada yada.

 

[billiardthought]

One pocket and banks are not pool. They are contrived games played on a pool table. An all around pool player is one who excels at 8 ball, rotation games and straight pool. Can’t ever imagine anyone regarding some guy who might make £20k a year on some future snooker banks tour being regarded as a better snooker player than Ronnie O’Sullivan.

One pocket and banks are good games, worthy of respect equal to that of the recognised pool games. They are niche games though.

My guess is that Niels has only ever played one pocket and banks for fun, for beers, or for small change. I’d be surprised (or even asleep) if he hasn’t played straight pool and I would expect that it has been documented that he’s pretty good at it. He’s a great player but probably not in the conversation regarding the greatest all round.

Is “sensible answers only” an unreasonable request?

There are above and below average comments in every thread. This one just happens to be severely below average.

 

[Black-Balled]

There are above and below average comments in every thread. This one just happens to be severely below average.

But if we take a step back and suspend our American perspective, 1p and banks become far less mainstream


I think swigger is from another land, yuh know?

 

[jrctherake]

I've always thought, that if Shane put the same effort into 14.1 that he put into his break, this 526 number would fall. He has said in the past, that it's boring. Not my cup of tea....yada yada.

If Shane "wanted" to be the goat.... he would be the goat.

He's where he "wants" to be and is happy. Not many ever even think they'll get there.

 

[billiardthought]

But if we take a step back and suspend our American perspective, 1p and banks become far less mainstream


I think swigger is from another land, yuh know?

I understand, but what's the difference between banks as a game, and a nine ball player who banks really well? what's the difference between one pocket, and an 8 ball player who runs the balls really well and plays insightful safeties? We have access to games (banks, one pocket) that the rest of the world may not be as interested in; that's fine. but the information we are able to obtain from these games still has value regardless of whether the game is not as popular across the pond. The way that Swighey dismisses these two games is borderline ignorant. The topic at hand is best all around player. You'd think discussing as many different games as possible would be the goal in this setting.

 

[Bob Jewett]

... You'd think discussing as many different games as possible would be the goal in this setting.

Well, then we might have to start considering black ball, carolina, snooker, pink ball, English billiards, pin billiards, golf, one-cushion, 47/2, and fantasie classique. Where would the madness end? Bumper pool?

 

[billiardthought]

Well, then we might have to start considering black ball, carolina, snooker, pink ball, English billiards, pin billiards, golf, one-cushion, 47/2, and fantasie classique. Where would the madness end? Bumper pool?

That's a fair point. Banks and One pocket are part of the decision making process for master of the table at DCC, which some here have concluded is very (and possibly most?) prestigious award in pool. I think these games make the distinction from bumper pool in that regard.