How well does Efren play chess?

arsenius

arsenius

Nothing ever registers...
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I've heard it mentioned several times that Efren is a good chess player. Does anybody on here know how good he is? Approximate Elo rating? Has anybody on here played him at chess? Any stories of him (or any other pool players) gambling at it? Are there any other good players that play chess well? I think Alex does.
 
I have a few friends who play chess and they have all watched or played with Efren. They are all in agreement that he plays to a 1700-1800 rating. Of course, these guys all play jam up (2000 rating and up) having played competitve chess for most of their respective lives.

These guys all play pool league now for kicks and they all had the pleasure of meeting Efren in Vegas one year. He was playing someone a few games (chess) and they got in the rotation. It was fun for them or so I'm told.

They didn't gamble with Efren, but the offer was made and declined.
 
nice story! Thanks for sharing.....so, i'm guessing your friends won and regretted not taking him up on the offer?
 
Interesting thread. I've always thought of the mental side of pool being a lot like chess.

Which pool game do you guys think is the most chess-like? One pocket, maybe?
 
219Dave said:
Interesting thread. I've always thought of the mental side of pool being a lot like chess.

Which pool game do you guys think is the most chess-like? One pocket, maybe?
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Agree on the one-pocket. If he's at 1700-1800 USCF that's a relatively strong club player level.
 
fd_colorado said:
Agree on the one-pocket. If he's at 1700-1800 USCF that's a relatively strong club player level.
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From what i hear that is correct. But of course he never studied chess or read the books-he was playing pool. If he did, I'd bet on him.
 
He beat me the one time I played him, and then he leaned back and cackled at me with his biggest shit eating grin. :D
 
1700-1800 is indeed strong! I'm guessing that's a touch below shortstop in the chess world! :p

1500-1600 is a decent club player from what I recall. Most average people are probably in the 900-1100 range. I play in the 1200-1400 range (depending on the time constraints). I guess I'd better not challenge Efren to chess or one pocket! :)
 
Santos also plays very well also. I dont think he plays Efren speed, a few times I have seen these guys playing chess in between matches in Sac. at Hardtimes.
 
Samiel said:
1700-1800 is indeed strong! I'm guessing that's a touch below shortstop in the chess world! :p

1500-1600 is a decent club player from what I recall. Most average people are probably in the 900-1100 range. I play in the 1200-1400 range (depending on the time constraints). I guess I'd better not challenge Efren to chess or one pocket! :)
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It's been a while since I played chess, but I played at around a low 1500 rating. I'm a skill level 6 in the APA. I think if we compared the APAs 9-ball skill levels, 1700 - 1800 would be like a strong 6 or weak 7 in the APA.
 
blueridge said:
It's been a while since I played chess, but I played at around a low 1500 rating. I'm a skill level 6 in the APA. I think if we compared the APAs 9-ball skill levels, 1700 - 1800 would be like a strong 6 or weak 7 in the APA.
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Wait till you become an 8-9 in 9 ball and you won't hold that opinion. I think 1700-1800 in chess is above a 9 level in APA.

Some 9's can give other 9's big weight.
 
blueridge said:
It's been a while since I played chess, but I played at around a low 1500 rating. I'm a skill level 6 in the APA. I think if we compared the APAs 9-ball skill levels, 1700 - 1800 would be like a strong 6 or weak 7 in the APA.
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I haven't played chess in a long time and it shows with my accessment here. 1700 - 1800 chess players would be much better than APA skill level 6 and 7 players.

Alex Kanapilly said:
Wait till you become an 8-9 in 9 ball and you won't hold that opinion. I think 1700-1800 in chess is above a 9 level in APA.

Some 9's can give other 9's big weight.
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I remember playing the players in the 1700 - 1899 range when I was a 1500 player, and I think you are very close to being right. I think a player with rating with between a 1700 and 1850 rating would be like a skill level 8. 1851 - 1999 would be a skill level 9. 2000 or above chess rating would be the equivalent of a professional player.
 
Nostroke said:
From what i hear that is correct. But of course he never studied chess or read the books-he was playing pool. If he did, I'd bet on him.
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At 1700-1800 you can still get by without an encyclopedic knowledge of chess openings.

Of course, I've never known anyone to actually fall asleep while shooting a pool shot. However, chess books can be quite soporific.

:boring2: :boring2: :boring2: :boring2:
 
If I remember correctly the scale is as follows

2400 and above: Grand Master
2200 - 2399: International Grandmaster
2000 - 2199: Expert
1800 - 1999: Class A
1600 - 1799: Class B
1400 - 1599: Class C
1200 - 1399: Class D
1000 - 1199: Class E


Which would make Efren a B player.
 
fd_colorado said:
At 1700-1800 you can still get by without an encyclopedic knowledge of chess openings.

Of course, I've never known anyone to actually fall asleep while shooting a pool shot. However, chess books can be quite soporific.

:boring2: :boring2: :boring2: :boring2:
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Bobby Fisher thought that in order to get around the standard openings which everyone knew, that the pieces should be randomly placed on the back row at the start of the game. Then the best player would win in his opinion.

Chess was just one more thing that I had no talent for. I bought one of those chess computers 15 years ago or so and could never consistently beat it at any level. I finally found one game (opening moves etc) that I could trap the computer and quickly checkmate it. I used to play it over and over to get even with that damn machine! How retarded is that?
 
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Samiel said:
1700-1800 is indeed strong! I'm guessing that's a touch below shortstop in the chess world! :p ...
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According to Wikipedia, there are about 20,000 players rated at 2200 and above. Judging from the distribution versus rating shown there, the number of players above a certain rating goes up by a factor of 10 for each decrease of 200 rating points, more or less. Also, a 200-point rating difference means that the better player will win about 75% of the games played.
 
I believe he is the favorite over all the pool players I can think of with the exception of Danny Barouty
 
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