In the world of billiards, where precision, calculation and steel spirit are vital factors, no one can deny the great position of Efren “Bata” Reyes – who is known as The Magician because of his seemingly impossible shots but succeeded in the astonishment of everyone. However, not everyone knows how to respect what he has achieved.
Especially some young players, eager to assert themselves, mistakenly think that age will be a weakness that will help them easily overcome him. And it is that arrogance that leads to one of the most memorable lessons in the career of a young European talent – who once publicly criticized Reyes because of his age… until he was “knocked down” by a divine shot.
That young man entered the match with a confident, even somewhat arrogant look. In a pre-match interview, he said:
“I used to watch him play when I was a kid, he was good, but now he’s too old to make a difference. I’m faster, more accurate, Reyes’ time is over.”
That statement was like a declaration of war against a living symbol. The audience was both surprised and somewhat annoyed by that disrespectful attitude. But Efren Reyes – like many other times – said nothing. He just smiled gently, bowed to the audience, then took the cue and walked to the table. No rebuttal. No anger. Just a cold calmness – a sign that something was being prepared behind that silence.
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The match started with the advantage leaning towards the young player. He took advantage of every opportunity, moving the ball smoothly, decisively and confidently. Many in the audience began to think that maybe this time Reyes would not be able to turn it around. Billiards leaves no room for age – and time seems to be on the side of the younger.
But just when it seemed like the newcomer would win, Reyes started to fight back. He waited for just the slightest mistake – just a weak shot – to start his show. And then, the magic happened. With an unpredictable shot, Reyes used the cue ball to lightly touch the object ball, the ball rolled in a strange arc, avoiding the obstacle, crossing two short rails, and then swishing, scoring a point in front of everyone’s astonished eyes – including his arrogant opponent.
The audience erupted in applause. The commentator was almost speechless:
“We just witnessed something unbelievable! How did he come up with that shot? How did he execute it so perfectly? This is a level that no one can copy!”
That shot not only changed the game, but also changed the opponent's mentality. The young player began to panic, his subsequent shots lacked precision, losing his initial confidence. On the contrary, Reyes played more and more firmly, more and more calmly. He gradually took control of the game, shortened the score and then surpassed it gently, but sharply like a knife. Needless to say, Reyes was teaching the young guy a lesson in humility - with the art of playing billiards at its peak.
One of the most memorable moments was when Reyes made a shot called "divine strike". In an extremely difficult situation, the cue ball was stuck behind a row of obstacles, and there were not many possible options. But Reyes - with a head full of experience and an artistic soul - calculated an extremely difficult 5-cushion touch.
The cue ball ran as if it had a soul, gliding over all obstacles, hitting the exact spot on each cushion and the miracle happened: the perfect shot scored. The whole audience exploded. The young player stood still, not believing his eyes. He put his head down on the table, sighed.
That bewildered look was not only disappointment at being behind, but also shock at having to accept: he had just been taught a lesson by an "old man" that he would probably never forget in his life.
At the end of the match, Reyes won a resounding victory. But he did not celebrate, nor was he proud. He just approached, shook his opponent's hand and said gently:
"You have talent, but never let your belief turn into arrogance. Billiards is not just about physical strength - it is a lifetime."
That sentence lingered in the audience's mind even more than the previous divine shot. On social media, a series of praises for Reyes were posted: “He was not just a player – he was a teacher”; “A shot, a lesson, a legend”; “Never underestimate age – because that is where character is accumulated”.
The incident also became a hot topic in the billiards world for many weeks after that. And the young player – despite losing the match – admitted his mistake. In a post, he wrote:
“I was wrong to think that he was old and weak. I have never seen anyone play billiards with such soul. Reyes did not just win the match – he changed me.”
