In 1988, at the World Pro 9-Ball Championship, the entire billiards world held its breath when one of the most epic and landmark matches in the history of the sport took place – the uncompromising confrontation between “The Magician” Efren “Bata” Reyes and veteran American player Nick Varner. At that time, Reyes was still a new name to many Western audiences, while Varner was a living legend, having won many major tournaments and was considered one of the most intelligent, strategic and experienced players in the world. Therefore, when these two names met at the world championship, no one thought the result would be such an earthquake.
Before the match, most experts and fans believed that Nick Varner would easily control the game with his calmness and experienced skills. He is known as the “Master of Calculations”, famous for his solid defense and tactically perfect shots. Meanwhile, Efren Reyes – a Filipino with a quiet, reserved appearance, is considered an unproven “unknown”. Although he has a reputation in Asia, on the world stage, he is still an “outsider”.
The semi-final match between them quickly became the stage for Reyes to explode. Right from the first games, people witnessed a strange phenomenon: Nick Varner – who is almost infallible – began to show unusual erratic and inaccurate play. Meanwhile, Efren Reyes performed a billiards magic that left even the most experienced commentators speechless.
With unbelievable corner shots, seemingly hopeless “kick shots” that turned into spectacular goals, Reyes completely caught Varner in a whirlwind of helplessness.
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One of the moments that brought the crowd to their feet was when Reyes was stuck behind three balls, with no straight shot to the target ball – yet he still found a very strange touch – spin – bounce that made the target ball roll right into the pocket, as if someone had controlled it by hand. “That’s not a normal shot – that’s magic,” an American commentator exclaimed in amazement.
It seemed that every time Reyes picked up the cue, the audience was transported to another universe – where the laws of physics were bent by creativity and genius ball sense. In complete contrast to Varner’s classic tactical play, Reyes brought a new concept – billiards is art, emotion, extraordinary intuition. Many times the camera had to slow down to explain how he created those magical shots.
What surprised people more was Reyes’s coolness and absolute concentration. He did not celebrate after his brilliant shots. He did not show any arrogance. He just walked lightly around the table, observed carefully, then hit the shot – and the ball continued to follow his wishes, as if he himself had drawn the map for them.
Varner, who had been the mental leader, began to lose his stability. He missed simple shots, and at times shook his head helplessly when Reyes turned a difficult situation into a magic show. The match ended with a shocking score difference – a true “earthquake” in the world of billiards. No one expected that Varner, who was rated higher in every aspect, would be “destroyed” by Reyes in such a way.
Immediately after the match, the leading American sports newspapers ran big headlines:
🔴 “The Magician from the Philippines Just Changed the Game Forever!”
🔴 “Efren Reyes Is No Longer a Mystery – He’s a Monster on the Table!”
🔴 “Nick Varner Shocked by Reyes’ Sorcery – A New King Has Arrived!”
This victory not only brought Reyes to the finals, but also marked a major turning point – the beginning of his journey to becoming a living legend. Fans from all over began to learn about the mysterious man from the Philippines, who could play billiards as if he were drawing pictures with a cue.
As for Varner, after the loss, he shared in an interview: “I have never seen anyone play like that. He read the table as if it was already drawn in his head. It was really – I was mesmerized.”
And from then on, the nickname “The Magician” – Magician – was attached to Efren “Bata” Reyes. That historic victory became a golden milestone, not only because he defeated one of the American legends, but because he opened a new era for world billiards – where creativity, technique and emotion blend into a perfect symphony.
