Pointing your first boule. Food for thought

Continuing our look at where to place your first boule. If you are 10-7 down in a timed game and playing out an end once the whistle has gone. Where to point to? A dead end may give them the game with just two boule thrown if the rules state the jack can die in this end.  Yes we have seen it happen to a point that was just too close to the jack. Think, think and then think again!

So, when placing your boule the ideal place is possibly 6 inches directly in front of the jack. Here it would be very, very difficult to out point and if "shot out" the target boule may pick up the jack on the way taking it with it. Just for a moment take a jack and place it 8 metres from the circle. Six inches in front of the jack place your boule and then return to the circle. As you look up the terrain you cannot even see the jack behind your boule let alone try to out point it. The boule 6 inches in front of the jack is an ideal opening shot and many times proves better than a boule touching the jack. Even 6 inches to the side may hold off the opposition by providing a "discussion" between the opposition, they may feel different tactics are to be used. The shooter may want the pointer to point and vice versa. If the team cannot decide which shot to play, the next shot played will be by the player who does not want to play which tends to result in a bad shot. If the boule were touching you would have made their mind up for them resulting in a more positive tactic.