I am interested in your views regarding this situation
the corner string holder had at some point become dislodged leaving the dead boule line loose and looped on the ground. the coche was moved in the game towards the dead ball line and several boule were in the area. the last ball played moved several boule. one or more boule were moved over the dead ball line in its new loopy position. some that would have been out were now in and vice versa. should the dead boule line be refixed to its original (or near) position and then the boules declared or should it be what is on the ground with the string as it is?

In the interests of fairness and diplomacy, I would, for that end, keep the dead boule line in the loose/looped status. Then fix it for the following ends.

Why?

The moment the dead boule line was dislodged it should have been fixed (before any subsequent boule tosses were made). The players have been taking into consideration the current status of the dead boule line (as loose/looped) when they were playing and as such, to change the piste layout at the end would prove to be unfair.

The piste's area is marked/defined by the string - and as such, provides the only line-marked position for the players to use as a valid reference.

A more puzzling situation is this:

Sometimes, the dead boule line is "raised" (by the nature of an uneven terrain and raised supporting nails). And at those times, a cochonnet (or even a boule) may be deflected by the string itself. Now the string is "bent" and the piste's rectangular shape - deformed. What then?

What I tend to do is "leave as is" - if by the nature of the boule layout, the boundary string is "deformed" then subsequent play continues with that shape (until the next end where, obviously, the boule will be picked up and the string returned to it's former configuration.

Jeff
-Detroit Petanque Club

2008/6/30th

Interesting question and equally good answer/reply. Thanks: this forum helps others to learn including myself!

I'll remember now that the line should be immediately returned to its original placement prior to anyone's subsequent throw/toss. If not, then leave it as is until the end of a particular round/match.

Is it called a match? round? game?

regards.

Eric