Efren Reyes: Personal Life, Career & Net Worth

Efren Manalang Reyes is a professional Filipino pool player known as The Magician and Bata.

Moreover, Efren Reyes has won over 70 international titles.

He was the first player in pool history to win world championships in two different disciplines.

Furthermore, Efren took home the greatest single event purse in pool history of one hundred thousand dollars. 

Many commentators, fans, current and past players consider Reyes the best pool player of all time.

This article has mentioned the Filipino-born pool player’s life, career, net worth, and more.

Quick Facts

Here are some quick facts about Efren Reyes:

Full Name	Efren Manalang Reyes
Birth Date	August 26, 1954
Birth Place	Pampanga, Philipines
Nickname	The Magician, The Maestro, Bata
Nationality	Filipino
Ethnicity	Not Available
Hobbies	Chess, Pool
Food Habit	Non-vegetarian
Education	Not Available
Zodiac Sign	Virgo
Father’s Name	Pedro Reyes
Mother’s Name	Romana Manalang
Siblings	Eight Siblings
Age	69 Years Old
Height	5 feet 9 inches (180 cm)
Sexual Orientation	Straight
Weight	190 lb (73 kg)
Eye Color	Black
Hair Color	Black
Profession	Pool player and Actor
Coach	Not Available
Marital Status	Married
Wife	Susan Reyes
Children	Frennie Reyes, Chelo Reyes & Rose Reyes
Net Worth	$3 million (as of 2024)
Social Media	Instagram
Merch	Los Reyes Del Pool (Spanish Edition), Start Winning Pool: Learn the Filipino Secrets
Last Update	April, 2024

Efren Reyes: Age, Height, and Weight

Reyes is a pool player from the Philippines. He is 69 years old right now.

His astrological sign is Virgo. Virgo’s approach life in a logical, practical, and methodical manner.

In addition, this earth sign is also a perfectionist at heart. They aren’t afraid to work hard and consistently to improve their skills.

Efren is a tall man, standing 5 feet 9 inches (180 cm) tall. At the same time, the player weighs around 190 pounds (73 kg).

Efren Reyes: Early Life

Efren Reyes was born in Pampanga, Philippines. The Filipino player was born on a Thursday on August 26, 1954.

Pedro Reyes and Romana Manalang gave birth to him. Reyes has eight siblings, but he rarely stayed with his parents.

Efren moved in with his uncle when he was five years old. His uncle ran a pool hall.

Moreover, due to the influence of his uncle and the pool hall, Reyes began to develop an interest in pool games.

Reyes started playing pool when he was nine years old. As a result, Reyes did not receive a proper education.

Hence, the Filipino pool player shifted his focus entirely to playing and abandoned his studies.

Sadly, his parents were unable to afford his education.

Furthermore, Efren Reyes began gambling at a young age, winning his first match and money at nine.

He then continued to compete in 3-cushion billiards in the 1960s and 1970s.

Promoters discovered Reyes; this enabled Reyes to compete in larger tournaments.

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Efren Reyes: Personal Life

Susan Reyes is the wife of Efren Reyes. The couple had been married for a long time.

In addition, the couple got married after a long relationship.

The pool player and his wife have three children: one son and two daughters. Frannie Reyes is their son, and Chelo and Rose Reyes are their daughters.

The Reyes family lives a peaceful and happy life. The pool player has five grandchildren.

Moreover, Reyes is well-known for his imaginative play. As a result, the player is frequently referred to as “Bata,” which translates to “Kid” in Filipino. 

Close friends gave him the nickname to distinguish him from an older Efren who also played pool. 

Due to his ability to play kick shots, Reyes earned the nickname “Magician.” 

When Reyes first arrived in the USA, he went by the name Cesar Morales.

Because he knew players had heard his name but hadn’t seen what he looked like, and he wanted to keep hustling.

Efren Reyes has also received numerous awards, and Billiards Digest Magazine named him Player of the Year in 1995.

The following year, he was ranked first on the Pro Billiards Tour in the United States.

Reyes was the first Asian to be inducted into the Billiard Congress of America’s Hall of Fame in 2003.

Efren Reyes: Playing Style

Reyes is well-known for his unconventional cueing technique.

Firstly, he applies a very light grip on the cue by using only his forefinger and thumb. 

Then, a warm-up stroking routine includes wrist and shoulder movement, giving the impression of a moving piston.

Thirdly, Reyes releases the cue from his grip in a controlled manner after the final forward delivery.

This gives him good timing on the cue ball and allows him to generate power with minimal effort.

The pool player is widely regarded as a pioneer in the art of “kicking.”

Reyes also popularized a positional play method that used multiple rails. Furthermore, he uses cushions to control the cue ball’s speed.

Efren Reyes: Career

During the 1980s, when Reyes was regarded as a top-tier player in his home country.

Reyes claims to have made $80,000 in a single week, making him a folk hero in his home country of the Philippines.

He won the first televised World Professional Pool Championship in 1999.

The World Pool Association, which ran its own event, did not recognize the tournament.

Though they later acknowledged it as an official world championship.

In the inaugural World Cup of Pool, he teamed up with Francisco Bustamante to represent the Philippines.

Going International

Initially, he was not yet internationally recognized. Reyes then went to the United States to hustle.

Then the pool player exploded as he began winning tournaments in the United States, Europe, and parts of Asia, gaining international attention and recognition.

Reyes rose to prominence after winning the US Open 9-Ball Championship in 1994.

After finishing third in 1985, he defeated Nick Varner in the finals to become the first non-American to win the event.

Reyes competed in the 2001 Tokyo Open, which had over 700 participants.

The champion won the 2002 International Challenge of Champions after defeating Mika Immonen in the final rack.

He advanced to the finals of the 2004 WPA World Eight-Ball Championship, where he faced Marlon Manalo.

Moreover, Reyes became the first player in WPA history to win world championships in more than one discipline.

The pool player Reyes won the 2005 IPT King of the Hill eight-ball Shootout, which had the most top prize of any pool event up to that point.

In addition, it was a prize of a massive two hundred thousand dollars.

Similarly, in 2006, Reyes defeated Rodney Morris to win the IPT World Open Eight-Ball Championship and won $500k.

However, due to IPT’s financial problems, Efren has been unable to collect his winnings.

The Filipino native Efren is the most successful player in the Derby City Classic’s history, having won the overall championship five times.

Films and TV

Reyes co-starred in the 2003 Filipino film Pakners with late actor Fernando Poe Jr. before running for President in 2004.

Furthermore, Reyes has also appeared in the 2007 short film Nineball. Also, in one episode of the television show Magpakailanman.

The plot revolves around a young Efren Reyes, played by Anjo Yllana.

The story follows Reyes as he progresses from a money player to a tournament contender in his early pool playing days.

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Efren Reyes: Net Worth

Efren Reyes has a net worth of $3 million. He’s amassed this much wealth as a result of his successful pool career.

His largest single event chase in pool history was for $100,000. In 1997, he defeated Earl Strickland.

Furthermore, he has increased his net worth by appearing in several TV shows and movies.

Reyes has also been endorsed by several companies and has won nearly all of the major pool championships.

Efren Reyes: Accolades

Efren Reyes has been called “indisputably the best player in the world” by Billy Incardona.

Billiards Digest Magazine named Reyes “Player of the Year” for the first time in 1995.

Furthermore, in 2003, he became the first Asian pool player to be inducted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame.

Again, he was appointed as the Philippine Sports Ambassador for the South East Asian Games in 2005. 

Similarly, in 2007, Reyes was ranked second in Billiard Magazine’s “Fans’ Top 20 Favorite Players.”

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Efren Reyes: Social Media

Efren Reyes is not very active on social media. However, the Filipino pool player can be found on Instagram.

Moreover, he has over 23.1k followers on the platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Efren Reyes referred to as the goat?

Reyes is known as the Greatest of All-Time(GOAT) because he excelled in various billiards disciplines and was the best in the world in his prime.

What brand of pool cue does Efren Reyes use?

Efren uses a pool cue made by Mezz Efren.

Mezz Efren created this Limited Edition Cue in collaboration with Efren Reyes, the “Magician.” The pool cue is tailored to his playing style.

It features Mezz Cues’ second-to-none craftsmanship, resulting in a one-of-a-kind.

Why is Efren Reyes so talented?

Efren is the first WPA player to win world championships in two different sports.

He was named the top-earning pool player on the AZ Billiards Money List five times.

He has also received the Philippine Legion of Honor and the Philippine Order of Lakandula’s “Champion for Life Award.”

What is Efren Reyes up to these days?

Reyes is still competing in the professional pool as of 2021.

The champion is the most successful player in the Derby City Classic’s history, having won the overall championship five times.