With the way billiards great Efren "Bata" Reyes talks, the Filipinos should not be worried about the locals’ chances in the Party Casino.net World Cup of Pool, the world’s biggest pool team competition set September 1-6 at the SM City North Edsa.

“We have a great chance of winning this tournament,” Reyes, the former double world champion, said. “Although every team is tough, I think our country has the best chance because we have great players.”

The 55-year-old Reyes will pair up anew with his long time buddy Francisco “Django” Bustamante as they try to lead the country to another triumph in the prestigious event that offers a lion's share of $60,000 (roughly P2,880,000) to the champion pair.

The duo actually ruled the inaugural staging of this tournament when they beat the United States’ pair of Earl Strickland and Rodney Morris, 13-5, in 2006 in Newport, England.

Bustamante, like Reyes, beams a ray of confidence in the tourney sanctioned by the World Pool Association.

“Every team has equal chances, but I think we have the experience and the capability to win,” said Bustamante of the $250,000 (P12 million) competition, which will held outside of Europe for the first time.

For playing host to the 31-nation event, the Philippines is entitled to field in two pairs, with former world champion Ronnie Alcano and former world No. 1 Dennis Orcollo making up the other team.

“Happy ako dito ginanap ang event na ito. Malakas ang teams natin kasi may junior at senior ‘Efren and Django’ teams dito. Napakalakas ng team natin at sa tingin ko kahit sino pwede nating padapain,” Orcollo said on Wednesday in the same press conference arranged by Solar Entertainment in Makati City.