In the world of billiards, where skill, strategy and psychology are equally important, there is one name that has become a living legend – Efren "Bata" Reyes, a Filipino known as "The Magician". For decades, he has amazed audiences around the world with his seemingly impossible shots. He has had many challengers, from world champions to enthusiastic young players. Among them, there was a young female player who was so confident that she publicly declared: "I believe I am ready to beat Efren Reyes." But then… that confidence quickly disappeared.
That girl is a rising phenomenon from Europe – a young talent dubbed by the media as the "Queen of the Cue Table", who has won many international awards and is considered the future of world billiards. She not only has excellent technique but also possesses a cool, confident and even somewhat arrogant playing style. When asked about her upcoming friendly match with Efren Reyes, she smiled slightly and replied: “I respect him, but times have changed. We – the new generation – play with more modern speed and strategy.”
The stage for the confrontation was a major exhibition tournament in Asia. The audience was packed, eagerly awaiting the clash between two generations: one side was the legend who had been making waves for three decades, the other side was the new symbol of the young wave. All eyes were on the green table in the middle of the stage, where all the pride, courage and skills would be fully exposed.
The match started with a lively atmosphere. The young girl won the right to open the first shot. The shot was strong, confident and accurate – she sent the cue ball along the table, pushed a ball into the pocket and opened with a series of smooth strokes. The audience was amazed, cheered, and many people thought that maybe she would really make it.
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But, like a gentle but persistent wave, Efren Reyes began to make a difference. No noise, no fanfare, he just silently observed, nodded and when it was his turn, began to draw magic lines. A safety shot left the cue ball perfectly behind another ball, completely blocking his opponent's vision. The young girl frowned, no longer smiling like at the beginning of the match. Every time she tried to counterattack, Efren responded with incredible calmness and calculation. An unbelievable combo, an absolutely accurate jump shot, then a crazy curved masse - the audience exploded in amazement.
The girl began to falter. Her technique was not bad, but her mentality began to waver. Her initial subjectivity made her unprepared for the "illogical" shots from her opponent. In an interview before the match, she said: "I have watched all his videos, I understand how he plays." But in reality, the video is only a small part of the picture – Reyes in real life is many times more dangerous.
With each passing round, the difference became more and more obvious. Efren did not need to use his strength, he only used his sharp eyes, his divine sense of the ball and the experience that had been honed from tens of thousands of matches. Meanwhile, the young girl gradually lost her direction. Her originally simple shots also began to go wrong. The pressure from Reyes's terrifying silence, combined with his calm and challenging eyes, made her feel like she was being swallowed up.
A decisive shot made the whole audience hold their breath – Efren Reyes was behind by one ball and was forced to create a series of “run-outs”. In a series of magical ball movements, he guided the ball through each difficult position, then ended with an extremely soft backspin. The audience exploded in applause. The girl stood next to him, eyes wide open, seemingly unable to believe what she had just witnessed.
The match ended in a resounding victory for Reyes. Without any fanfare, he just smiled slightly, shook hands and said: “You played very well. But the match was not just about technique – it was about how you controlled yourself.”
The girl bowed her head, forcing a smile. Perhaps, she did not expect that a man nearly 70 years old could teach her such an important lesson – a lesson about humility, about never underestimating an opponent, especially when that opponent was Efren Reyes – a man who could turn every stroke into a miracle.
That day, she left the stage not in victory, but in maturity. And when asked after the match, she was no longer as arrogantly confident as before. Instead, she sighed and said, “I thought I was ready… but clearly, I have a lot to learn. Efren is not just a player – he is an artist.”
