Roy Steffensen said:I guess you have never heard of the German players Klaus Zobrekis, Christian Reimering, Harald Stolka, Nicolas Otterman, Kevin Becker, Michael Schmidt +++.... Do not forget the upcoming youth players as Thomas Luttich and Nico Vehner, which are both top 5 of best youth players I have ever seen.
However, I still believe the Filipinos are the best poolcountry in the world. I have just been here in Manila for 4 days now, playing pool all day and night. There is so much talent here, it's incredible... I am amazed and shocked. I can pick 5 almost random and unknowned players here, and they would do good on every 9-ball tournament in America or Europe.
Btw: Yesterday I had the pleasure of being at Side Pocket poolhall, which looks like an old farm, really dirty place with 12 pooltables. Except for 2 new pooltables, the other ones are old, all different from eachother, bad tables. I guess there were like 100 people around the tables making sidebets all the time, and when you played you had to remove people before shots... If you master those conditions, you master everything...
When I walked in everyone wanted to play me, the only white guy. They had never seen me play, but everyone, even the 10 year old kids wanted to give me handicap in long races...
I picked one, got 4 - 0 to 11 for 1000 pesos, lost both set, 11 - 9 and 11 - 7. A lot of nerves, scary to play when everyone have judged you to be a really bad player before you start...
After the two sets I played him one-pocket even, and beat him for 500 pesos. Then I wanted some air, and outside I run into Efren Reyes. I got 10 - 5 in handicap in one-pocket, and played race to 3 for 2000 pesos.
It was packed around the table when we started, and I got up 2 - 0 really fast. Then he won the first set 3 - 2. The next set I took the lead 2 - 0 again, he reached the hill, and I won the second set. Then we played a last set for 3 000 pesos, I up 1 - 0 again, then he got me 3 - 1. Now the time is 8 in the morning, and know what? Efren asks to play more!!! He is incredible... I had to pass, but we will perhaps match up again on Wednesday. He liked to play one-pocket with me, because almost no Filipinos know how to play it... And I LOVED it, have played one-pocket for only 4 weeks, and then I get the chance to play the master... Lovely...
However, back to topic. After my match I had got a lot more respect, but still ALL of them would like to gamble with me in 9-ball. And at 8 in the morning, still the 10 year old kids are standing there waiting for bets... It's almost scary to watch, these kids are super good already...
What's 3000 pesos in American money?