In the world of billiards, where precision, strategy and nerves of steel determine success or failure, the name Efren "Bata" Reyes has long been familiar. He is known as the "Billiard Wizard" - not only because of his superb billiard skills but also because of his ability to read the game, handle situations and create shots that ordinary people would never dare to think of. However, not everyone recognized that value from the beginning. The story between Efren Reyes and an arrogant Dutch player has become a valuable lesson - not only in billiards, but also in life.
The match took place at a major international tournament in Europe. The Dutch player - a rising star at that time - was famous for his cool, confident and... sometimes arrogant style. Before the match began, he was heard saying something that caused a stir in the audience: "He may have been a legend, but Reyes' time is over. I will show him what the new era is like."
Those words were nothing more than a provocation in public. Many European spectators nodded, thinking that Reyes – at over 60 years old – was probably too old to compete with the youth, precision and power of an opponent at the peak of his form. But they forgot one thing: "A legend is never overshadowed by time – it is time that makes the legend shine."
Right from the first shots, the Dutchman showed his clear superiority: decisive, fast, strong and full of confidence. He kept scoring points, while Reyes sat and watched – not a word of protest, just silence, with a very slight smile. Many people thought that this match would end quickly. A few sarcastic laughs came from the Dutch fans, and some even stood up to take pictures with the “winner” when the match was only halfway through.
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But at the moment when people started to look down on him – Efren Reyes rose like a fierce wave that no one could stop. The Dutch player unexpectedly missed a simple shot – maybe because he was too subjective, or maybe because of the invisible pressure from Reyes’ calm eyes. And that was the moment when the stage officially belonged to the “Wizard”.
Reyes’ every stroke became magical. He moved lightly, leisurely like a person walking in the park, but each shot was incredibly accurate. He turned the game around, turning seemingly hopeless situations into spectacular goals. His shot flew past three balls and hit the right corner of the table to bring the cue ball to the perfect position, causing the audience to stand up and applaud – no one could believe that this man was over 60 years old.
The audience moved from disbelief to excitement, from doubt to admiration. The Dutch opponent began to stagger. His eyes – which were full of confidence at first – now turned to panic. He could no longer maintain his composure, each shot revealed urgency. But Reyes was the opposite – the more he played, the slower, calmer, and… scary he became.
One of the most memorable moments was when Reyes was cornered – seemingly unable to score. People saw him standing in contemplation for nearly 30 seconds, then made a side shot with extremely light force, the cue ball went around the table, hit the target ball, fell into the pocket and… opened up a new game. The audience exploded. Even the referee had to laugh, shaking his head in admiration.
Finally, Reyes ended the match with a diagonal shot – as light as a feather – but carrying the weight of an illustrious career. He won to the surprise of his opponent and the applause echoed throughout the auditorium.
After the match, the Dutch player walked over, bowed and shook Reyes' hand. The arrogance was gone, replaced by genuine respect. He didn't say much - just a short but sincere sentence: "I misjudged you. Sorry, and thank you for today's lesson."
Reyes smiled, put his hand on his young opponent's shoulder, and replied:
"Billiards is not just about skill or strength, but about the head and the heart. You have both - just a little bit of humility."
That moment made people realize something profound: Sometimes, losing a match doesn't mean defeat - but can be the beginning of a journey of learning and growing.
