ROTATION, the toughest game in billiards, returns to the scene when Hall of Famer Efren “Bata” Reyes and former double world champion Ronnie Alcano clash in a blockbuster matchup at the SM North Edsa in Quezon City on June 15.
Both pool icons launched their successful careers playing rotation.
“Rotation is the original pool game of the Filipinos and Reyes, who is widely regarded as one of world’s greatest billiards players, first made an impact on the sporting scene as a rotation player,” recalled a longtime billiards fan.
Now 55, Reyes, showing extraordinary talent with the cue stick, won the World Pool Championship in 1999. Alcano, 36, the only local player who has beaten Reyes in rotation, bagged the world 8-ball and the WPC 9-ball crowns in 2006.
Organized by Puyat Sports, this first-ever battle of world champions is sanctioned by the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) now headed by chair Aristeo “Putch” Puyat, a true-blue billiards benefactor; and president Arturo “Bong” Ilagan, a former Gintong Alay executive director. It is also supported by the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP).
Alcano started his billiards career playing rotation in Calamba, Laguna. And like his hero Reyes, he is soft-spoken and humble. Alcano’s remarks were always measured and he avoided personal attacks. And like the toothless Reyes, Alcano had all his teeth pulled so that he would look like his idol.
Said he: “Idol na idol ko talaga ‘yang si champ (Reyes) at isang napakalaking karangalan ang makaharap siya sa ganitong klaseng laban (Reyes is really my idol. And I consider it a great honor to be able to get this opportunity to play him).”
The matchup is a race-to-9 affair and will be telecast live by Solar Sports, JBET poker.net and Negros Billiards Stable.
Spicing up the day are two undercard events. The first is a four-way, tag-team scotch doubles competition featuring the tandems of former world No. 1 Dennis Orcollo-Gandy Valle (Bugsy Promotions), Lee Van Corteza-Warren Kiamko (Negros Stable), Alex Pagulayan-Francisco “Django” Bustamante (Puyat Sports) and Ramil Gallego-Rodolfo Luat (BMPAP).
The second undercards pits rising stars Rene Mar David, a two-time World Juniors campaigner; and Johann Chua, who will be trading shots in a race-to-five 9-ball match.
I consider Alcano as the most dangerous rival to Bata Reyes. In fact, I recall having written about him as the emerging talent of 2005. He did not disappoint me.
In 2006 Alcano won the star-studded World Pool Championship. This gangling player from Calamba also reaped other major honors for the country. In my view, Alcano is a good bet to take over when age and other human factors catch up with our veteran pros such as Reyes and United States-based Jose “Amang” Parica.
As for Reyes, called “The Magician” in pool circles, the Angeles City native is liked and respected by many of his foes. Reyes has an admirable character befitting a true champion.
In 1985, Reyes, then only 29 and playing under the fictitious name Carlos Morales, won his first tournament in the US, topping the Red’s 9-Ball Open in Houston, Texas.
“I thought he was just a local kid from the ‘Little Mexico’ area of Houston,” said tournament director Scott Smith of Reyes, a skinny foreigner with a scraggly moustache and a shortage of teeth.
“They thought I couldn’t play,” Bata laughed at the recollection.
