Even the great Bata

Shown in order as the placed in Banks, One-Pocket, and 9-Ball (T means "tied for"):

1st ($20,000) -- Orcollo: 1, T4, T4

2nd ($3,000) -- Van Boening: T11, T8, 1

3rd ($2,000) -- Reyes: T25, 1, T6

4th ($0) -- Bustamante: 2, T4, T21
Thank you!
 
Just before flying back to the DCC he was in some tense action at Hard Times and won around 10 geese.

Sure he doesn't have the endurance he once had and occasionally misses a ball he wouldn't have in the past.

But he is and was the MAGICIAN!--with a humility seldom, if ever, seen in a champion. We have been lucky to have lived in his era.
 
Father time beats everybody sooner or later. Sad but true. I'm grateful that this is the age of youtube, so I can watch the modern masters at their peak.

Efren doesn't need to prove anything today. His record is clear. He has indeed "been there-done that".

No doubt he is the Tiger Woods for Pool, he will be back!! i am happy for Accu-stats they had few good top seller DVDs this time, even though i watched Efren matches live, i am buying all his DVD's when available.
 
Efren played great all week at DCC, a testament to his still awesome skills. All he needs is a few weeks of practice and he is ready to take on the best in the world at any game. This year he came prepared to play! Every time people want to write him off he makes yet another comeback.

Always smiling and always happy, Efren still loves to play and compete. He lives for pool and the next game. Pool is his life and he embraces it wholeheartedly. He will go down in history with Greenleaf and Mosconi as the greatest of his era. :wink:
 
I know he is older, but he is not that old. He will snap off a big 9 ball or 10 ball tourney sooner than later! Do not ever doubt Efren he has a lot of years left of great pool!
 
During the nine ball finals Efren was in action with some random player - just doing what he does - always playing always gracious.

Immediately after DCC he flew back to LA and was in action again. As Ben Franklin said the used key is always bright.
 
I just got back from the DCC. I made it a point to watch all of the matches Reyes played. As the week ensued you could tell he was getting tired and he was missing more often. His final 9-ball match against Dennis Orcollo was tough to watch. The "Magician" had a look of resignation in his eyes. Absolutely broke my heart. The energy and concentration needed to compete against the best in the world has forever taken leave from the greatest of all-time. Father time spares no one,not even the magnificent "Bata".

OMG you have to be kidding.
 
Efren is no longer the dominant player he once was in 8/9/10 ball some years ago but he is still pretty much competitive against younger players. the fact that he could still compete and beat top younger players just shows his skill level. despite his seniority and grandpa status, he is virtually untouchable in one billiard discipline that younger players have more chances on winning. and that tells a lot of this man's skill level. 1P is a long thinking game and would surely tire out those old bodies. this is why I don't believe that older players have more chances on winning 1P than younger guys. heck, Efren could have been a 1P champion at age 20-30 if the sport have been that popular or was already known to him at those stage in his life.

if he is still that dominant in 1P today, just imagine if he was on his peak age playing 1P. I'd say what a scary monster. he could possibly spot any of today's top players 3 ball up if he was 30.
 
Yada, Yada, Yada.......He is the greatest pool player that ever lived. PERIOD.
Next subject......:boring:
 
this year was the best i see efren play for years.. he played awesome in the 9ball awesome just come up against two great players and the break let him down.. against dennis was huge match with all around on the line dennis handled the situation better and deserved to win.. Still awesome tournament from efren great to see him shooting straight again.

Daz
 
this year was the best i see efren play for years.. he played awesome in the 9ball awesome just come up against two great players and the break let him down.. against dennis was huge match with all around on the line dennis handled the situation better and deserved to win.. Still awesome tournament from efren great to see him shooting straight again.

Daz

Daz, u have played all the greats from this era. Do you feel that Efren is the best u ever played?
Would like to add that I love watching u play as well. The way you move around the table is a work of art. Congrats on all your accomplishments. :thumbup:
 
Daz, u have played all the greats from this era. Do you feel that Efren is the best u ever played?
Would like to add that I love watching u play as well. The way you move around the table is a work of art. Congrats on all your accomplishments. :thumbup:

efren at his best yes.. around 2006 and 2007 he was amazing.. these days not so much..

but obviously he the greatest in my eyes..

best i played against in recent years WU CHAI CHING but he not around enough to call him the worlds best player.

then you got dennis/alex/shane/chang/ko pin yi/ralf/corteza/carlo.etc .. all animals.
 
And that is daz being the humble champion that he is.

I think daz may be the greatest rotation player of our time and as he learns other games, may end up being the best, without the word 'rotation' in front Of it.

Daz, you are one bad dude and we are lucky to be clinking glasses with you.
 
I just got back from the DCC. I made it a point to watch all of the matches Reyes played. As the week ensued you could tell he was getting tired and he was missing more often. His final 9-ball match against Dennis Orcollo was tough to watch. The "Magician" had a look of resignation in his eyes. Absolutely broke my heart. The energy and concentration needed to compete against the best in the world has forever taken leave from the greatest of all-time. Father time spares no one,not even the magnificent "Bata".

As an Efren fan also, sorry to hear that you think he was broken down a bit, but I agree Father time spares no one. I think he will always be my favorite player, win or lose. ;)
 
efren at his best yes.. around 2006 and 2007 he was amazing.. these days not so much..

but obviously he the greatest in my eyes..

best i played against in recent years WU CHAI CHING but he not around enough to call him the worlds best player.

then you got dennis/alex/shane/chang/ko pin yi/ralf/corteza/carlo.etc .. all animals.

hey darren, i was there when you beat Wu in 2008 10-ball in Manila. heard his southwest cue got stolen so he had to borrow a cue from someone. i remember it being a close match, 13-10 or something. you played great though.
 
Last edited:
hey darren, i was there when you beat Wu in 2008 10-ball in Manila. heard his southwest cue got stolen so he had to borrow a cue from someone. i remember it being a close match, 13-10 or something. you played great though.

One of the all time best Finals I ever saw! Wu was coming on strong, playing God like pool and Darren had to dig down deep to pull out the win. I saw it and I'm still not sure how he did it. A lesser man and player would not have won in that spot! Darren has gone on to become one of the world's top players since then, winning tournaments everywhere he goes.
 
efren at his best yes.. around 2006 and 2007 he was amazing.. these days not so much..

but obviously he the greatest in my eyes..

best i played against in recent years WU CHAI CHING but he not around enough to call him the worlds best player.

then you got dennis/alex/shane/chang/ko pin yi/ralf/corteza/carlo.etc .. all animals.

I saw a challenge match on YouTube between Efren and Wu from just a couple years ago. Effie made Wu look like a beginner with defensive play. He also made some amazing caroms and kick safes that Wu thought he was just lucky. It was possible that he was, but I doubt it. Anytime he does something that is luck, it's only because he has the ability to get to balls with the right speed and control. Which no one else thinks is possible. Efren is usually transparent when he gets lucky. You can see it on his face. Anyway, he just stunned Wu with defense, and Wu's confidence crumbled. If it had turned into a breaking and shot making game, Wu would have run away with it.

Match is listed under Efren Reyes vs Wu Chia Ching Philippines Big Time Billiards, 10 Ball

iirc Efren has the best three consecutive shots that I've ever seen during one match. The last shot was a carom combo shot from 2 diamonds on side rail to across corner pocket. Dead center of pocket.
 
Last edited:
I saw a challenge match on YouTube between Efren and Wu from just a couple years ago. Effie made Wu look like a beginner with defensive play. He also made some amazing caroms and kick safes that Wu thought he was just lucky. It was possible that he was, but I doubt it. Anytime he does something that is luck, it's only because he has the ability to get to balls with the right speed and control. Which no one else thinks is possible. Efren is usually transparent when he gets lucky. You can see it on his face. Anyway, he just stunned Wu with defense, and Wu's confidence crumbled. If it had turned into a breaking and shot making game, Wu would have run away with it.

Match is listed under Efren Reyes vs Wu Chia Ching Philippines Big Time Billiards, 10 Ball

iirc Efren has the best three consecutive shots that I've ever seen during one match. The last shot was a carom combo shot from 2 diamonds on side rail to across corner pocket. Dead center of pocket.


Awesome match! One of my faves, just wish it wasn't recorded with a microwave.
 
I just got back from the DCC. I made it a point to watch all of the matches Reyes played. As the week ensued you could tell he was getting tired and he was missing more often. His final 9-ball match against Dennis Orcollo was tough to watch. The "Magician" had a look of resignation in his eyes. Absolutely broke my heart. The energy and concentration needed to compete against the best in the world has forever taken leave from the greatest of all-time. Father time spares no one,not even the magnificent "Bata".

Efren went through the entire 1 pkt. field (300 players) without losing a single match! Every other player got beat 2 times.

Efren took third in the all around which means over the entire event only two players played better than him (Shane and Dennis).

I think there are a bunch of players that would love to have as bad a tournament as Efren.
 
yeh efren at the derby rolled back the years he was shooting so good which sometimes these days lets him down because nerves age eyes not the same.. but this derby he was awesome eyes were in foucs and he hit the ball great.. amazing man at 60.. but in the long run playing rotation games now better players..

to wu. i see him play efren in manila few years ago and was amazing..

the match with me and wu was a classic i never gave him much of a chance first half of the match but the 2nd half he played unbelievable but thankfully at 12-11 he come dry and i somehow managed to run out a tough table..

from 20005-2008 the guy was a animal.. but recent years dealt few bad hands of the table with illness /politics/and lack of play/tournaments.. but few times i played him since that final he played flawless every time and i guess he still only 23-24 lol.. be good to see him get back in full swing.

Darren
 
Back
Top