In the high-stakes world of professional pool, there have been many legendary showdownsâbut few come close to the sheer tension, drama, and financial magnitude of the 1996 "Color of Money Challenge" held in Hong Kong. With a jaw-dropping $100,000 winner-takes-all prize, this three-day marathon match between Efren âBataâ Reyes, the quiet Filipino magician, and Earl âThe Pearlâ Strickland, the fiery American powerhouse, has become the stuff of billiards legend. It wasnât just about skill. It wasnât just about ego. It was war on green felt.
And at the heart of it all? A single rack. A controversial shot. A man with a heart of steel. And a layout so brutal it could break anyoneâexcept one.
Two Titans, One Table, and No Room for Error
This wasnât your average tournament. This wasnât even about trophies. The âColor of Money Challengeâ was created to mirror the energy and pressure of the iconic pool movie The Color of Money. Only this was real. No acting. No second takes. Just raw, unfiltered talent and nerve. With only one winner taking home the massive six-figure prize, the pressure was unlike anything ever seen in the sport.
Efren Reyes, already a legend in Asia and quietly earning global respect, entered with his trademark humility and calm. In contrast, Earl Strickland was fire incarnateâbold, vocal, emotional, and explosive. The contrast between the two couldnât be more stark, and it only heightened the tension.
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The Rack That Shook the Arena
It was deep into the match when one particular rack shifted the momentumâand perhaps history itself.
The table was a nightmare. Balls clustered, difficult angles, and cue ball positioning that left almost no margin for error. It was the kind of layout where even the most elite players would hesitate, calculate, and probably still miss. The air was thick with anticipation. The audience was silent. Cameras zoomed in. And thenâEfren made the move.
With stunning calm, he executed a bold, risky shotâone that sent the object ball gliding toward the corner pocket with just enough spin, while the cue ball barely cleared a blocking ball. It was a shot that defied textbook strategy. It was magical⊠but controversial.
Some viewers claimed it was too risky. Others whispered that there may have been a miscue, or even a foul. Earl, visibly tense, watched closelyâbut the referee signaled a clean shot. The ball dropped. The layout opened. The rack was Reyesâ. And the energy in the room changed instantly.
Cold as Ice: The Reyes Expression
What stunned the audience even more than the shot was Efrenâs face afterward. No smile. No celebration. No flicker of emotion.
He simply chalked his cue, walked away, and sat down.
It was this momentâthis chilling contrast to the chaotic intensity of the matchâthat made Efren Reyes not just respected, but feared. In the face of extreme pressure, in a match that could change careers, with $100,000 on the line and one of the most unpredictable opponents staring him down⊠Reyes didnât blink. That cold, unreadable expression became an image burned into the minds of every fan watching.
He wasnât just playing pool. He was controlling time.
Stricklandâs Response: Fire Meets Ice
To say Earl Strickland was affected is an understatement. Known for his intensity and volatility, Earl had been talking, pacing, and reacting emotionally throughout the match. After the controversial shot, his frustration boiled. At one point, he walked around the table muttering, clearly shakenânot just by the result of the rack, but by Reyesâ impenetrable calm. Strickland thrived on breaking opponents psychologically. But Reyes gave him nothing to work with.
For the rest of that session, Earl tried to regain control, pushing pace and taking aggressive shots. But the rhythm had changed. Efren was now a step ahead, mentally and technically.
Why This Match Was More Than Just a Game
The 1996 Color of Money Challenge wasnât just about two playersâit was a cultural moment for the sport. It put pool on the international stage. It fused drama, elite-level skill, and human psychology in ways rarely seen.
The match had everything:
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The most intense prize purse in pool history at that time
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Clashing personalities: the quiet genius vs. the loud showman
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Brilliant strategy, tough layouts, safety battles
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A crowd that was glued to every shot for 3 days straight
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And above all, moments that rewrote what was possible on a pool table
But if you ask fans today what they remember mostâitâs that rack.
That one shot. That unreadable stare. That moment where Reyes didnât just playâhe conquered.
The Legacy
Looking back, the 1996 Color of Money Challenge is still considered by many to be one of the greatest pool matches ever played. It cemented Efren Reyesâ status as not just a champion, but a phenomenon. The way he handled pressure, the intelligence behind each shot, and the emotional discipline he maintained over three grueling days are now studied by aspiring players across the globe.
As for Strickland, though he lost the match, he gained even more fame. Their rivalry became legendary, and Earl himself later admitted:
âEfren doesnât play like the rest of us. He sees things we canât.â
Thatâs what made this match special. Not the money. Not the fame. But the moment the world saw pool elevated to art, by a man who never needed to shout to show greatness.
Efren Reyes walked away with the $100,000âbut more than that, he walked away with immortality in cue sports history. And all it took was one cold look, one genius shot, and a heart that never wavered.
