Petanque Horror Stories The final part!

Confusion continued

More subtle methods that maybe used against you

On large sunny pistes the scorching weather of the summer is forgotten but a clear blue sky can cheer the heart. However, autumn days have a problem. As the sun seems to never reach a good height those shadows can be very bothersome. Shadows can cast a long way into a game and in certain times they can drift into games next to you. Concentration is required and focus is needed in buckets as the long shadows from games two pitches away are moving over the ground in front of you. Players may think you a little silly and most will ignore a request to stand still if they are playing. Practice on the other hand should be limited if you think it is causing a problem. Obviously at National competitions practising was not allowed between games as well as during them, apparently!

The low sun can also be blinding if coming straight at you in the circle. A peaked cap is the only option and the glare can be reduced with sunglasses. The pointer needs to be aware where he is throwing the jack if playing on an open piste. Be it into the sun if he wants to or away from it. This is teamwork, if the team think it’s a good idea to play into the sun to gain advantage then so be it. This plan could backfire, as the sun is more powerful than you may think. Nearly all players throw the jack in a standing position. When you come to squat even the peak may not save you from the glare.

I guess the 20 confusion moments will not really be classed as cheating by most players who carry out the sneaky ways of the piste, Generally most are not, they are just irritating. Cheating is gaining an unfair advantage by operating outside of the rules. Ignorance is not really covered by rules but effective at putting the opposition off enough to win.

If you want to play on a certain piste it can be difficult to keep hold of it. Leaving your boule at the end can help as well as constant guarding of the piste. "Yes we are playing here"  and of course intent practicing. These people have not even organised their opposition let alone tossed. But time is their ally as all the piste fill up. Now they find you and proclaim there is only one piste available. Well what a surprise! You win the toss and you have little choice where to play.

The rule change were you only get one throw of the jack has revealed a new method of confusion. The team you are playing want to play long as you are all over them at 6 metres. They throw the jack and it stops in the 6 m zone. Could it be in and legal, well you will never know as the jack thrower proclaims it short and picks it up to give to you. They stand there ground and you place the jack at what you think is a metre on from there position. Maybe if you walked it out from the circle you would have found the jack was actually legal! Still they got an extra metre from your favoured length. Watch out for the player who threw the jack staying in the circle to dissuade you from walking it out to your favoured length. Lastly watch out for the disputed jack to be moved 20cm to make absolutely sure!  it is legal for certain but the player who threw it.  The easy fix is just quickly mark the jack but that would be encroaching on the team who have control of the piste at that time. Trick or treat?