In the fierce world of billiards, where technique, composure and strategy play a decisive role, only a few names are honored as living legends. And among them, no one can deny the mythical status of Efren "Bata" Reyes - the man known as "The Magician", the master of all situations on the billiard table. The strange and haunting story of Mika Immonen - the champion from Finland, when he dared to challenge Reyes, has become an unforgettable lesson in the history of world billiards.
Mika Immonen, with his cool and precise playing style, won the 9-Ball World Championship and is considered one of the best players in Europe. He entered the match with Efren Reyes with great confidence. He was not shy. He was not afraid. And he certainly did not believe that anything unusual would happen. But what Mika was not prepared for was the "magic" that Reyes had always kept hidden - until his opponent started to lose control.
The match took place at a major international tournament, where all eyes were on the table between two icons of two generations - Immonen representing the modern, machine-like precision of the game, while Reyes was the embodiment of creativity, inspiration and mystery.
Right from the first shots, Mika showed his concentration and formidable form when taking advantage of every opportunity Reyes left, quickly leading with a difference of 3-0. The audience thought that this would be the day Reyes would be defeated. But that was just the beginning of a real nightmare.
When Reyes started to regain the right to play after a small mistake from Mika, no one expected the upcoming performance to take everyone's breath away. An eerily accurate ice shot sent the white ball back to its optimal position. A "kick shot" made the cue ball spin three times across the table and then lightly hit the target ball - as if Reyes controlled the ball with his mind. Mika, from the waiting chair, gradually lost confidence. He no longer saw Reyes as a normal opponent - but as an inexplicable phenomenon.
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In the following rounds, Reyes showed his mastery by continuously scoring from impossible ball positions. At one point, the cue ball was completely blocked by three other balls, but Reyes only needed a side shot combined with a backspin to send the cue ball through a narrow gap of less than 5cm. The audience could not believe their eyes. The commentator began to repeat the phrases "impossible", "real magic", "this is Reyes". And Mika? He began to sit still, sweating, sometimes sighing, sometimes closing his eyes, as if trying to wake himself up from a bad dream.
What is remarkable is that Reyes did not need to show too much emotion. He did not cheer, did not smile, nor did he look at his opponent with a provocative gaze. He simply did what he had done all his life: play billiards with emotion, with a mindset that transcends all stereotypes, and let his heart guide his arms. Mika Immonen was no longer a world champion, but a student being “taught” by a giant teacher. Each shot that Reyes performed was like a lesson in humility, creativity, and the difference between technique and art.
The score was quickly leveled, then Reyes took the lead. The audience seemed to explode every time he launched an “unbelievable” shot. But the one who suffered the most was definitely Mika.
When Reyes scored the winning point in the final game with a beautiful “three-rail bank shot” – the cue ball spun around three cushions, hitting the target ball as if it had been programmed – Immonen could only stand up, shake Reyes’s hand in complete admiration. There was no longer any pride. There was no longer the initial coldness. Mika just nodded silently. He understood – “Never challenge a legend.”
After the match, the media called it “Mika Immonen’s worst nightmare,” and fans nicknamed the performance “Nightmare Reyes.” In later interviews, Mika also admitted that facing Reyes was an experience “beyond logic, like playing against the hands of fate.” He said: “Reyes doesn’t play pool like we do. He paints, he breathes life into every shot.”
That’s why no one should underestimate legends. Because they not only possess experience, but also an unshakable spirit and talent honed over decades. Mika Immonen, with all his titles and skills, fell into the same “magic trap” that Reyes had set for so many other world-class players. And that’s what makes Efren Reyes an unforgettable name.
That day, Mika challenged a legend – and got a career-long nightmare in return. Their story will be told in forums, books and billiards commentaries around the world. And every young player who thinks they are good enough to surpass “The Magician” will always be reminded:
"Never Challenge a Legend – Especially If That Legend Is Named Efren Reyes."
