Yesterday I got the chance to meet and play Efren "Bata" Reyes for my first time.
They had the finals of the National Games in Manila and Efren was playing in it.
Efren played in the carom 3-cushion finals. The men 9-Ball finalists were unknown players to me. But strong for sure, to come by all the other players.
While Efren was playing in his 3-cushion finals, which he started pretty strong btw, he had a chess game going on right next to the table.
So after his inning at the table he would just go back to the chess game and make an other move.
No need to tell that he always likes to bet some. No matter what game he plays...
Either this chess game or Django who came by and made fun took some of his A game and he let the finals slip aways.
However Coach Boyet managed a game for me.
I was pretty nervous and not sure how much weight I could ask...
We decided to play Rotation 46 / 74 race to six. I would have liked two short sets, race to 3, but I guess Efren knew better :wink:
I got the break in the first game but came up dry. He made the 1 but missed the 2ball.
I got back to the table made the 2, 3, 4 and 5/10 carom. Then I was forced to play safe of the 5.
Efren somehow could see a bit of the 5ball and played it two-rails into the side pocket & run out the rest of the balls. 0:1
Efren broke dry. The 1ball & the cb ended up on the short rail 1ball next to the hole covered by the 4 and no open 1rail- or 2rail-kick.
I tried to get the 1 by going to the long rail with some reverse. I just got little to much on it and touched the 4.
He run the balls 1-9 but missed the 10ball and scratched into the side.
I was able to run out from there
1:1
An other dry break and Efren back at the table with some open shot at the low balls.
We exchanged some safeties on the 5ball, I almost kicked it in the corner but left it open for Efren. & he runs out. 1:2
Efren screws his breakcue together :wink: but still dry.
1ball is deep covered so I call spot. Efren misses the 1/14 combination but leaves me dark. I kick and miss the whole ball.
Efren runs till the 7ball then misses it.
I need to break up some clusters but its makable. Worked out well, but I miss my last ball.
Efren somehow gets the wrong angle on his 2nd last ball. He cheats the pocket and it wobbles out. 2:2
This table breaks hard. Dry again. Efren with a super thin cut on the 1ball full table length but misses it by hair.
I have to go rail first. Made it an the 2ball but over spun the 3.
Efren masse-shot on the 3 and runs some balls. Plays safe on the 7 and I foul.
He spots the 7 but misses the spot-shot Django brings him coffee...
I manage to run my balls out. 3:2 (this would have been my first set win..)
I finally made a ball on the break but no pocket for the one. Try to cover but leave it for Efren.
He misses it and leaves me a 1/9 combo. I made it and open up the cluster by the 2ball. Looks good so far.
Efren went to the CR again and showed up scratching his bare belly...
He might had got me in the right moment, cause i missed my easy 2ball just for the positionplay on the 3.
I get an other turn at the table and make the 5ball but
misjudge the safty on the 6ball. Efren runs out 3:3
Efren goes to the siderail to break. Still dry. I have a long 1/13 combo that i made but undercut the 1ball next to let Efren back at the table and he runs out. 4:3
He breaks from the side again with the same result. I am hooked on the 1ball, try to kick it in but missed it. Efren runs out. 5:3
The coffee might have finally kicked in and Efren makes a ball on the break and runs out for the win! 6:3
I have some more pictures under my albums. Thanks for reading my long post!
And pls excuse my poor english it's not my native tongue... Thanks!
They had the finals of the National Games in Manila and Efren was playing in it.
Efren played in the carom 3-cushion finals. The men 9-Ball finalists were unknown players to me. But strong for sure, to come by all the other players.
While Efren was playing in his 3-cushion finals, which he started pretty strong btw, he had a chess game going on right next to the table.
So after his inning at the table he would just go back to the chess game and make an other move.
No need to tell that he always likes to bet some. No matter what game he plays...
Either this chess game or Django who came by and made fun took some of his A game and he let the finals slip aways.
However Coach Boyet managed a game for me.
I was pretty nervous and not sure how much weight I could ask...
We decided to play Rotation 46 / 74 race to six. I would have liked two short sets, race to 3, but I guess Efren knew better :wink:
I got the break in the first game but came up dry. He made the 1 but missed the 2ball.
I got back to the table made the 2, 3, 4 and 5/10 carom. Then I was forced to play safe of the 5.
Efren somehow could see a bit of the 5ball and played it two-rails into the side pocket & run out the rest of the balls. 0:1
Efren broke dry. The 1ball & the cb ended up on the short rail 1ball next to the hole covered by the 4 and no open 1rail- or 2rail-kick.
I tried to get the 1 by going to the long rail with some reverse. I just got little to much on it and touched the 4.
He run the balls 1-9 but missed the 10ball and scratched into the side.
I was able to run out from there
1:1An other dry break and Efren back at the table with some open shot at the low balls.
We exchanged some safeties on the 5ball, I almost kicked it in the corner but left it open for Efren. & he runs out. 1:2
Efren screws his breakcue together :wink: but still dry.
1ball is deep covered so I call spot. Efren misses the 1/14 combination but leaves me dark. I kick and miss the whole ball.
Efren runs till the 7ball then misses it.I need to break up some clusters but its makable. Worked out well, but I miss my last ball.
Efren somehow gets the wrong angle on his 2nd last ball. He cheats the pocket and it wobbles out. 2:2
This table breaks hard. Dry again. Efren with a super thin cut on the 1ball full table length but misses it by hair.
I have to go rail first. Made it an the 2ball but over spun the 3.
Efren masse-shot on the 3 and runs some balls. Plays safe on the 7 and I foul.
He spots the 7 but misses the spot-shot
Django brings him coffee...I manage to run my balls out. 3:2 (this would have been my first set win..)
I finally made a ball on the break but no pocket for the one. Try to cover but leave it for Efren.
He misses it and leaves me a 1/9 combo. I made it and open up the cluster by the 2ball. Looks good so far.
Efren went to the CR again and showed up scratching his bare belly...
He might had got me in the right moment, cause i missed my easy 2ball just for the positionplay on the 3.
I get an other turn at the table and make the 5ball but
misjudge the safty on the 6ball. Efren runs out 3:3
Efren goes to the siderail to break. Still dry. I have a long 1/13 combo that i made but undercut the 1ball next to let Efren back at the table and he runs out. 4:3
He breaks from the side again with the same result. I am hooked on the 1ball, try to kick it in but missed it. Efren runs out. 5:3
The coffee might have finally kicked in and Efren makes a ball on the break and runs out for the win! 6:3
I have some more pictures under my albums. Thanks for reading my long post!
And pls excuse my poor english it's not my native tongue... Thanks!
It s like you rememer every move :thumbup:
