By Pool is a Cue sport that is not very popular but people who know the game are die-hard fans of the sport. It is a gentlemen’s game where everybody is dressed in a 3 piece suit. It is played on a rectangular table with 4 Sides and 6 Pockets, 4 on each corner and 2 along the rails. Every year, The governing body of Pool, WPA (World Pool & Billiards Association) organises various tournaments in different classes of pool like 8-ball pool, 9-ball pool, Single pocket, straight pool, etc. But the most burinig question is who are the best pool players ever?
Answering the question as to who is the best pool player ever is very tough. The pool is like tennis where it has divisions like an 8-ball pool and a 9-ball pool. This makes it difficult for the experts to compare players as each one of them has a different style of playing.
Regardless of that, people have always come up with what they consider to be the best pool player ever. Today we have compiled a short list of the best pool players ever. So without any further ado, let’s start.
How Do You Play Pool?
Pool is a very simple game to learn but it requires a lot of practice and skills to master it. The rules of the pool are also very simple, all you have to do is to pocket your balls. Which ball to pocket is either determined by their number or the kind of ball they are. There are 2 types of balls in the pool, solid and stripes and people decide which one they want by pocketing it after the break. Whoever finishes their balls first takes the black ball with the number 8 on it and wins the game.
List Of Best Pool Players In The World
There have been a lot of pool players t but today we will look at the best ever to play it. We have compiled this list on the basis of the championship win and the influence on the sport.
1. Efren “Bata” Reyes
Efren is a Filippino national who is a legend of the sport and widely considered one of the best pool players ever. His trick shots are very clean and something to behold. This is why he is nicknamed ‘The Magician’. His game strategies have always amazed the audience. He turns the table just when you think Efren is losing the game, He won hundreds of championships and was inducted into the hall of fame of Billiard’s Congress Of America. He was the first person in the history of Pool to win WPA tournaments in 2 different classes. Efrenis also a 14-time derby city classic champion.
Total Championships- More than 100
WPA Championships- 2( 9 ball pool- 1999; 8 ball pool- 2004)
U.S. Open championships – 3
2. Earl ‘The Pearl’ Strickland
Earl ‘The Pearl’ Strickland is an American professional Pool player who is considered one of the best pool players ever in history. He won the largest cash prize to date in the pool when he won $1 million In a PCA tournament. Earl won the prize after achieving 10 consecutive stacks. This means that in 10 consecutive games, he pocketed all the balls. He is the most achieved 9-ball pool player in history having won the world title three times.
Total Championships- 100
WPA Championships- 3
U.S. Open Championships- 5
3. William Joseph Mosconi
William Joseph Mosconi, also known as Willie Mosconi, is one of the most influential and one of the best Pool players ever in the history of Pool. He was an American Pool player who had a lot to do with the popularity of the sport especially in America. To honor the legacy of Willie Masconi a special tournament was started from 1994 onwards called the Mosconi Tournament. He was from an era when WPA and other organisations were not around so it’s very hard to compare him with today’s players but that being said he was able to achieve something that is unheard of. He won 19 straight pool championships in his career.
BAA Championship- 19
4. Shane Van Boening
Shane Van Boening is an American pool player who is one of the best pool players ever and he is the current 9-ball pool world champion. He is also known as ‘The South Dakota Kid’. He won his first 9-ball world championship in 2022. Shane’s family has a long history in the game of pool and is grandfather, grandmother, mother and aunt were all pool players. He has won the Mosconi tournament on 3 different occasions.
Total Championships- More than 100
WPA championships- 1
U.S. Open Championships- 5
5- Mika Immonen’
Mika Immonen is a Finnish pool Hall of Famer who is widely known as ‘The Iceman’ due to the fact that Finnish people are cold in demeanour. He has won the Mosconi Cup a whopping 6 times. Mika is regarded as one of the best pool players ever and what makes him great is his exceptional playing skills and Domination in the game.. He is also a 2 class world champion having won the 9-ball pool world championship as well as the 10-ball world championship.
Total Championships-More than 100
WPA- Championships- 2
U.S. Open Championship- 3
Final thoughts
These are the legends of Pool who dedicated their whole life to mastering their craft. Pool is a fun game to play and these are the best pool players ever. This list is based on their championship prowess and their impact on the sport itself.
FAQs
Who is the best player in the Pool ever?
Efren Reyes is widely considered the best Pool player ever. He has won the most championships and was the first person to win WPA world titles in 2 different classes.
What are the types of ball in pool?
Pool has 2 types of balls. Solid and stripes. These balls are of different colors and numbers.
What is the standard pool table size?
A standard pool table is 8ft*4ft. They are small tables that can even be placed in a room.
Why is it called pool?
There is not one correct answer to this question. Some people say that the term “Pocket Billards’ coined the term Pool while others claim that in the 19th century pool tables were used to gamble on horse races and the total amount gambled was called pool so the table got the name of pool table.
