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

JoeyA

Efren's Mini-Tourn BACKER
Silver Member
Okay here you go.

I think arguably Efren Reyes is or was the best all-around pool player that is still alive. Maybe no longer in his prime but arguably the best all around player alive.

Who would you pick as 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th?

Not necessarily your FAVORITE pool player but the best all around player STILL ALIVE TODAY and in your preferred order.

If you want to give a reason why to justify your picks and order please feel free to do so.

Thanks,
JoeyA
 

Koop

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have to give a nod to Alex for all around play. Dennis O is up there too
 

King T

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
There's three

All games, there has never been anybody close to Efren. No one else has won a championship in every discipline, played everybody and gambled as good as they played tournaments for 20 years!!!

Today, bodies beating Busty, Alex or Shane.
 

Mole Eye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Nick Varner comes to mind, as does Mike Sigel. Everyone has an opinion, and here's mine. Mike Sigel was the best ever, period.
 

M.G.

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Nils Feijen, because he came back spectacularly after his injury.
Also, because he is a player who has to work - he's not naturally gifted, but did work for his success.
Did you see him play? It's beyond.
 
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JoeyA

Efren's Mini-Tourn BACKER
Silver Member
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



Nils Feijen, because he came back spectacularly after his injury.
Did you see him play? It's beyond.
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Dennis O. for players still at it. Tuff to beat at any game. The more they bet the better he plays.
 
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AtLarge

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
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

He's one of the best at 14.1. Won the World 14.1 in 2008 and the American 14.1 in 2016.

Has at least a couple high finishes in 1-Pocket at DCC/Southern Classic, including 2nd in 2016.
 

Roy Steffensen

locksmith
Silver Member
Okay here you go.

I think arguably Efren Reyes is or was the best all-around pool player that is still alive. Maybe no longer in his prime but arguably the best all around player alive.

Who would you pick as 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th?

Not necessarily your FAVORITE pool player but the best all around player STILL ALIVE TODAY and in your preferred order.

If you want to give a reason why to justify your picks and order please feel free to do so.

Thanks,
JoeyA

Efren Reyes

Then Pagulayan and Bustamante next two
 

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Okay here you go.

I think arguably Efren Reyes is or was the best all-around pool player that is still alive. Maybe no longer in his prime but arguably the best all around player alive.

Who would you pick as 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th?

Not necessarily your FAVORITE pool player but the best all around player STILL ALIVE TODAY and in your preferred order.

If you want to give a reason why to justify your picks and order please feel free to do so.

Thanks,
JoeyA
So if you're considering the best living all around player, the way they played in their prime, Efren Reyes is the obvious choice. Parica and Bustamante would both be very close. Not too many of the American greats who are 50 plus like Strickland, Archer, Sigel, Hall, and Ray Martin spent much of their careers playing one-pocket or banks as many of the top younger players do now. The top younger players now like SVB, Alex and Dennis can play all the games well, including 14.1, so you'd probably have to consider them too.
 

Z-Nole

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So if you're considering the best living all around player, the way they played in their prime, Efren Reyes is the obvious choice. Parica and Bustamante would both be very close. Not too many of the American greats who are 50 plus like Strickland, Archer, Sigel, Hall, and Ray Martin spent much of their careers playing one-pocket or banks as many of the top younger players do now. The top younger players now like SVB, Alex and Dennis can play all the games well, including 14.1, so you'd probably have to consider them too.

Ray has played more one pocket than all of those young guys. But he’s 160 years old so it stands to reason he would.
 

iusedtoberich

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Nils Feijen, because he came back spectacularly after his injury.
Also, because he is a player who has to work - he's not naturally gifted, but did work for his success.
Did you see him play? It's beyond.

There is not a pro player alive, or dead, who is/was not naturally gifted with hand-eye coordination well above the vast majority of people.
 

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Ray has played more one pocket than all of those young guys. But he’s 160 years old so it stands to reason he would.
I wasn't aware of that. I'm thinking Ray is likely is the oldest living 14.1 former world champion. I've heard at 82, he still plays pretty sporty!
 

boogeyman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Nick Varner comes to mind, as does Mike Sigel. Everyone has an opinion, and here's mine. Mike Sigel was the best ever, period.

That's interesting, Mole Eye.
I have no problem with someone saying Sigel was the best ever.
Just wanna know how you come to that conclusion.
Again, I'm not criticizing your choice...
 

boogeyman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So if you're considering the best living all around player, the way they played in their prime, Efren Reyes is the obvious choice. Parica and Bustamante would both be very close. Not too many of the American greats who are 50 plus like Strickland, Archer, Sigel, Hall, and Ray Martin spent much of their careers playing one-pocket or banks as many of the top younger players do now. The top younger players now like SVB, Alex and Dennis can play all the games well, including 14.1, so you'd probably have to consider them too.

Good break down, Chrisin.
I think the reason it's easier to be a better all-around player today than yesteryear is because of the table conditions.
Today, it the stroke is closer in all games because of the fast cloth and relatively more pristine conditions.

Anybody have any take on that?
 

Hungarian

C'mon, man!
Silver Member
I'd say Jeremy Jones is on the short list.

  1. Strong rotation player
  2. Excellent bank player
  3. Perfect 8 ball patterns
  4. Top 4 in the world in One Pocket
 
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ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Good break down, Chrisin.
I think the reason it's easier to be a better all-around player today than yesteryear is because of the table conditions.
Today, it the stroke is closer in all games because of the fast cloth and relatively more pristine conditions.

Anybody have any take on that?
Yes, that makes sense. Also, most of those top US players back in the 70s, 80s and 90s, once the game of choice switched from 14.1 to 9-ball, were too busy playing decent purse 9-ball tournaments regularly to bother with having much time to play the other games such as one pocket.

Nowadays, with so few well paying tournaments for the top players to play, they spend much more of their time matching up in sessions against other top players in games other than rotation games, particularly one pocket.

Derby City also has contributed a lot in terms of an incentive for the top players learning to play all the different disciplines well, in hopes of winning the Derby City all around title.
 
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