Petanque Triples Play. Focus on Team roles. The Pointer

Petanque Triples Play. Focus on Team roles. The Pointer

P is for pointer. It is also for paranoid, patient, performance, placement and passionate. All these words can be used to describe a typical pointer. Their role to get their boule wacked all over the place requires them to hold all the above characteristics and a few more. Some players hate having their boule hit. To a pointer this is their job. The role in triples of the pointer is very varied but the key is to make the opposition run out of boule before their team do. Simple really! The pointer is the anchor of the team. The steady rock from which flair and ability can grow and develop in the team. Without a good point most tactics crumble under the spotlight shone from the opposition. So we know the pointer must deliver a good first point, there is nothing new in that. How they do it is another matter. The pointer needs the freedom to select an area where they can successfully get their boule near the jack. The rest of the team will assist by adding their specifications, i.e. length and not into the low sunshine as well as the usual additions of "why did you put it there?" This mass of information needs a decision as to exactly where the jack should go and the pointer is best placed to make sure the jack goes there. It gives them time to walk the length before they throw the jack just in case there are some surprises lurking in that direction. They can examine the area and ask a team mate to stand where they want the jack. This works in three great ways. 1. The pointer can focus on the target area to throw the jack. 2. The team know where the jack is going to go or at least one of them does! 3. A perfect jack throw to length can intimidate the opposition, as long as you do it consistently.

Once the jack is thrown the pointer can walk it out again just to check the length and have one last look at the landing area and where the boule would be best to go. On a hard piste in front and on a deep piste behind can be a better bet with stones moving the jack back! When we say in front the real position we are looking for is on the line. This is not directly in front of a sideways sloping pitch, also if the team you are playing are all right handed a boule on the right hand lane could cause problems.

Throwing the jack is a simple business made complicated by players trying to make it even more simple. If your team have decided on a 9 meter jack and a bad throw send the jack to 5.97meters the very last thing you want to do is just knock it forward so it is legal. Moving the jack in this way is against the rules and can cause unpleasantness and a yellow card. The rule is easy to remember if the jack is not valid it is placed by the opposition. Simple!

So the pointers boule is about to be smacked or they have thrown their two boule and their team are shooting. The pointers new position is at the far end trying to show how still to stand, warn players spectators a boule is about to fly down towards them, make sure any boule crossing the line or hitting a back of edge is declared dead. Marking any boule before shooting takes place, measuring as they normally have no boule to hinder them and a whole host of responsibilities. One key task is to look for a place to throw the jack if you win the end currently in play.