Billiards Digest — Pooldawg Stroke of Genius, Pool Videos

Player: Efren Reyes
Event: 2006 Derby City Classic
Date: Jan. 13, 2006

In the midst of perhaps the greatest single performance in the history of one-pocket finals — which, not coincidentally, would lead to perhaps the shortest one-pocket final in history — Efren Reyes briefly found himself in a bit of trouble that would require some of the Filipino’s patented magic.

Barely 15 minutes into the final of the 2006 Derby City Classic’s one-pocket division, Reyes already had a 2-0 lead over upstart opponent Jason Miller in the race-to-3 set, and was halfway home in the third game. He had run 19 consecutive balls (not including a ball that Miller had pocketed for him in a defensive maneuver) shooting both right-handed and left-handed, and weaving the cue ball in and around the pack like he was knitting a phenolic afghan.

Then he hit a snag as his cue ball glanced off the 4 ball and landed a bit short for his next shot. He faced an ultra-thin cut on the 10 that would send the cue ball screaming uptable and the back down to who-knows-where.

Not in the mood to play safe, Reyes stroked the cue ball with extreme-right English, splitting the corner pocket with the 10, and then watched as his spin effectively killed the cue ball on the rails and allowed it to float gently down to an unobstructed look at the 7 ball.

Reyes eventually polished off the match, 3-0, after just 20 minutes and 40 seconds of play. Accu-Stats commentator Billy Incardona heaped on the praise after the match — Reyes’ fourth one-pocket title in the tournament’s eight-year history. But “The Magician” begged to differ.

“I think I played better in the 1970s,” he said with a grin.

See January's shot: Reyes' "Greatest Shot Ever"
See February's shot: Varner's "Astonishing" five-rail draw
See March's shot: Strickland’s two-rail kick-combo on the 9
See April's shot: Van Boening’s jump-kick safety at the U.S. Open
See May's shot: Souquet’s force-follow in Derby title match
See June's shot: Davenport Doubles the Points
See July's shot: Reyes’ Cross-Side Bank Break
See August's shot: Deuel’s Electric Draw at U.S. Open
See September's shot: Frank’s Killer Kick at Derby City
See October's shot: Reyes Thinks Thin, Kills Shot
See November's shot: Ulrich Says, “Might as Well Jump”
See December's shot: Parica’s Crazy Combo
See January's shot: Mika’s Mighty Combo
See February's shot: The Rocket’s Aerial Carom
See March's shot: One-Pocket Wonder
See April's shot: Three-Cushion’s First
See May's shot: Archer’s Cut
See June's shot: For the Match...
See July's shot: Earl’s Pearl...
See August's shot: Buddy’s Escape...
See September's shot: Miz Goes Four Rails...

(Check out Accu-Stats’ full library of great shots and amazing matches at www.accu-stats.com)