Why Mark the jack In petanque?

Why Mark the jack?  Rules looked at a little closer

Equipment Required   Sturdy finger or six inch nail etc.

Over our coaching tip series we have focused tactics and practice sessions. Here we look at a few rules and explain a couple of details that may help win a game or at least stop you from losing to a fluke shot.

Many teams will mark the jack sometimes to the derision of the opposition and spectators. Why do they insist on marking the jack and wearing away their finger tips. Well, most of these teams have played and competed in Petanque England events where this is a rule!  It has been realised at the very top of our sport every chance must be taken and every event protected against. The opposition will rarely play a bad boule and the difference in winning and losing could be a chance shot, a deflection or a millimetre difference. Let us take an example of a local league team not marking the jack. Things are not going well as a team they are not playing very well and they have lost games they would normally have won. Both teams have six boule and if you do not play well anyone can beat you.  So back to the team. Heads are down and two more wins will get then into the main by the skin of your teeth. The score is 10 to 11 against but you have just played a good point and the opposition are in a difficult position with only three boule left. Your team have three and are holding. The opposition shoot and miss. Things are looking better. They shoot again and miss the boule. In that fraction of a second as their boule whizzes over your boule you can see a chink of light. Is it the end of the tunnel. Well no. It is a train coming! The boule comes down on top of the jack and fires it, Where? Out of play? Into the bushes? Across five terrain's? No none of the above. It travels about eight feet with blinding speed into the thigh of the opposition player stood at the back of the piste and drops to the floor. Right next to the first boule shot and is then joined by the still travelling offending boule complete with paint on it from the collision. No blame can be placed on the opposition. With no chance of getting out of the way and a bruise the size of a marble the opposition are now holding two with one to play. The jack is now behind a packed head you forlornly play all the boule in an attempt to save game. They fail and the dream this day is over.

So what did the team do wrong apart from playing badly to get into that position. Well the rules are very clear. No team can gain advantage by stopping a travelling jack. If you think about it, it is obvious. You could hit the jack with your boule and then stop it at the back of the pitch to score many points. However if you call an umpire to adjudicate the very first thing he will ask is where was the jack? The reason he asks is the jack could be place back in its original position if stopped by the opposition or if they have gained advantage of the situation.

The rule is Article 15, Positioning the jack after it has been stopped

1) If the jack, having been hit, is stopped or deviated by a spectator or by the Umpire, it remains in this position.

2) If the jack, having been hit, is stopped or deviated by a player in the authorised playing area, his opponent has the choice of:

a). leaving the jack in its new position;

b). putting it back in its original position;

c). placing it anywhere on the extension of a line going from its original position to

the place that it is found, up to a maximum distance of 20 metres from the circle

(15 metres for the younger players) and such that it is visible.

Paragraphs b) and c) can only be applied if the position of the jack was previously marked.

If this was not the case, the jack will remain where it is found.

If, after having been struck, the jack travels into an out of bounds area before returning, finally, on to the playing area, it is classed as dead and the actions defined in Article 14 apply.

If the jack is not marked and it stays where it is will live with many a team. This includes any jack movement during a game. The old mark erased and the new position marked.

The jack can also be replaced on the mark if moved by wind, another boule from another game or stray dog or animal!

It is also important to mark any short or long jack just before you pick it up. As generally agreement should be made with the opposition if the jack is at correct playing lengths. What may be obvious to you may not be to the opposition. If they disagree it can be easily placed back on the mark and measured.

Tactics practise and team play will win many games for you but most of all. Enjoy!.