In a match against local opponent Reiner Prohaska at the German Tour 2015, the Filipino player led 6-2, needing just one more game to secure victory. During the deciding game, Reyes pocketed the 9-ball, leaving the cue ball precisely in front of the side pocket. Upon seeing the cue ball's position, "The Magician" smiled, an idea for a spectacular shot apparently forming in his mind.

Efren Reyes' creative shot.

From this position, Reyes could have easily pocketed the 10-ball directly into the top left corner pocket. Instead, he aimed his cue towards the left side pocket, signaling his intention to pocket the 10-ball there. The audience chuckled, perceiving it as a jest.

Reyes, however, struck the 10-ball towards the top short rail, sending it to the long rail, before it rebounded to touch the cue ball, which remained stationary in front of the side pocket. The 10-ball then used the cue ball's side to guide itself into the side pocket. To execute this, Reyes employed a "dead stroke", ensuring the cue ball stayed put after its initial contact with the 10-ball.

Behind the table, a man reacted with visible astonishment, then applauded. Other spectators joined in, applauding the then 61-year-old player's creative shot. Reyes himself smiled broadly as the 10-ball dropped, concluding the match with a 7-2 victory.

Reyes' cueing position.

According to German player Andre Schickling, 36, Reyes' shot isn't overly difficult for a professional. Schickling himself, when attempting to replicate a similar ball position, managed to hit the 10-ball off the short rail and use the cue ball to pocket it on his first attempt.

The true challenge of Reyes' shot, however, was the 10-ball's contact with the long rail before it rebounded to the cue ball. While renowned as a pool player, Reyes also excels at carom, having won a bronze medal in the individual 3-cushion carom event at the 2011 SEA Games.

To achieve the 10-ball's triangular trajectory, hitting two rails before returning to its initial position, Reyes employed precise spin. The cue tip's contact point was to the right of the cue ball, imparting spin onto the 10-ball. The strike was also slightly below the cue ball's center, ensuring it remained stationary in front of the pocket. This technique allowed the 10-ball to effortlessly drop into the pocket upon its return contact with the cue ball.

When the cue ball imparts spin, the 10-ball also acquires spin. This phenomenon occurs because billiard balls, though spherical, are not geometrically perfect. They often have microscopic dust particles or imperfections, creating a subtle 'gear-like' effect. Consequently, when two balls collide, the spin of one transfers to the other.

The imparted spin causes the 10-ball, after hitting the top short rail, to rebound at a greater angle of reflection than its angle of incidence, thus contacting the long rail. Reyes' deep understanding of billiards physics and diamond systems allowed him to precisely aim the shot, ensuring the 10-ball returned to the cue ball's exact position after hitting two cushions.

Illustration of why cue ball spin causes 10-ball spin.

It took Schickling 12 attempts to successfully replicate Reyes' shot from the match. This highlights "The Magician"'s exceptional billiards talent, given that he executed it flawlessly on his first attempt, and under match-deciding pressure. Beyond the technical prowess, Reyes' innovative concept alone was enough to astonish fans.

By Xuan Binh