Looking at getting more points in petanque

We are looking at making a big score from an end after the opposition are out of boule and looking at options. Here we look closer. If you need to increase the scoring area then the head needs to be looked at closely.

Shooting the closest boule

Shooting a boule to increase the scoring area does not mean you will be able to point to it. There may be boule in the way. As mentioned, it could move the boule closer to the jack. Maybe the boule to shoot is a different one. Not the closest but another. One that is in the way and will be knocked up with your pointing. Who is left to play. One boule from a left handed player and three boule from right handed players? If the boule to shoot is very close or in front of your holding boule the option maybe to still shoot as you have enough boule to get out of trouble. The question to be asked is, is it easy to point into the head now the oppositions boule are in the way? Could you give away a big end if it goes wrong with the first shot, even if you have three boule left. 

Move the jack?

This could be the safest and possibly the most devastating plan for the opposition. By moving the jack away from the oppositions boule the scoring of points can be much easier. Look at options. The jack can move backwards but it can also have a nasty habit of moving sideways. Playing a point with weight to move the jack may remove your only boule out of the head. It may look like, with all these potential disasters pointed out, I am not keen on risk but in a tight game every risk needs to be assessed and used in the decision making process. As I mentioned at the beginning this may look as though it is going to take an age but with practice it will become second nature and happen very quickly. Talk about it as a team.

Shoot the jack dead.

This is a simple task but can bring the biggest disaster! The reason you have so many boule left is the opposition have not out pointed your early boule. This could be because it is a very good boule and this means it is difficult to point to where the jack is or your boule is very close to the jack. If the boule is accidently removed from the head can you recover the situation? If your boule is touching the jack then the object is to shoot your own boule to send the jack on its way. Shooting the jack can be practiced and give you confidence in game play. Just watch out for those opposition boule lurking at the back. Some may have been played there on purpose!