by Ray Ager
New Boules? Are they all that they’re cracked up to be?
If the opponents turn up, proudly bearing a brand new set of boules, which they’ve just bought, thinking the new boules are sure to help them win, you can easily turn this to your advantage.
Firstly, congratulate them on the new set, saying how expensive they must have been – in fact, the more expensive, the better - how much they’re bound to improve their game and casually asking in passing what sort of guarantee they have. At the earilest opportunity, shoot one of their new boules and immediately shout,
- “I am sorry”,
rush up to the boule and say,
- “Did you hear, I think it may have cracked. I do hope that’s covered by the guarantee.”
Of course, nothing of the sort has happened, but you’ve now turned the superior thoughts of the opponents with their new boules to thoughts of anguish and worry, are the boules broken, have they made the right choice, should they continue, etc?
You should then offer them your oldest, most battered set of 3 rusty, odd boules, of vastly different weights and sizes, insisting they play with them,
- “I couldn’t possibly continue the match thinking I might damage those expensive new boules. You paid so much for them. You’ve seen how hard I shoot, I really don’t want to risk another one going. It might just be a bad batch. What rotten luck.”
Take the new boules off them and give them your rusty old set to continue the game. If they’re not so fed up they want to call it a day and rush straight back to the shop where they bought them from, you should have an easy game.
Practise Makes Perfect
As well as developing any boules techniques you may have or aspire to have, remember that, played well and at just the right moment, Boules-Upmanship can win you just as many points, perhaps even more. Get practicisng.
Byron Putman discovered petanque some two years ago and fell in love, head over heels. Then decided to analyze every angle of the game, including its development in the USA. He started clubs in Palm Springs, CA and in Lake Oswego, OR. And wrote a book about it, aptly named "Pétanque - The greatest game you never heard of!"
10 shooters, amongst one woman, were present at the finals of the manifestation 1.000 Boules in Nieuwegein (very near to Utrecht in the centre of the country) on Saturday night, the 29th of October 2011. Amongst the players there was also Philippe Quintais, the former French world champion (12 times!) who gave a demonstration at the end of the manifestation, visited by almost 400 spectators. All players had to shoot 100 boules within 10 minutes at a distance of 8 meters.
Devotees of pétanque will now be able to enjoy a glass of pastis before a match again: The World Anti-Doping Agency is to remove alcohol from its list of prohibited substances for competitions.
At Parkhurst Petanque in Johannesburg, we developed a new game called Petanque Pinball.
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