PRE-GAME STUFF
The pre-game is an important part of the game. The player gets two shots for speed from each end of
the court and eight shots to get a feel for the drift. At the same time, the player is getting a feel for his
own stroke and gets to watch his opponent.
In a previous column, I described the standard or regular targets for the eight practice shots. Usually,
players when shooting first, try to hide a Tampa hide, a St. Pete hide, replace a ten and try a 8/8 double.
When a player shoots second, they most often shoot at four sevens that are spread across the deep part
of the seven.
Not all players follow this sequence. Two very, very fine players I know, don’t. In today’s column I’ll
cover what Dick Whitaker and Lee Jordan, two great board players do on their practice shots.
Before that though, I want to cover who sets-up when and in what sequence. That is who sets-up the
discs for the shooter, in doubles and singles. Knowing how this is done is important, because, in a match,
it is an embarrassing sign of inexperience to botch it up.
In doubles, yellow at the head shoots the first four shots. Yellow’s partner gives the set-ups, placing the
cue tip and discs wherever the yellow shooter wants them. Then yellow’s partner, who is still standing
moves the four yellow discs to the standard spots in the seven. These will be black’s targets.
Now if black wants something other than the sevens, she calls. At that point black’s partner should get
off the bench and relieve yellow’s partner. Yellow has contributed to the black team as much as she
could.
This sequence is repeated for each sequence of eight shots.
In walking singles there are no partners, so players must set-up for their opponent. (Sometimes a
volunteer will help but don’t count on it). The walking protocol is tricky.
First the players shoot two discs for speed from each end. After shooting them back from the foot to the
head, black should remain at the foot, ready to do set-ups for yellow. After yellow shoots her four discs,
black sets the targets wherever she wants them at the foot and returns to the head to shoot. At the
same time, yellow goes to the foot.
After black shoots the second four shots, she remains at the head and does the set-ups for yellow, then
sets the yellow discs in her desired location and walks to the foot to shoot them.
Then the whole sequence is reversed. Yellow stays at the foot as set-up person and black goes to the
head to shoot her four blocks. They proceed opposite the first round.
You may want to draw that out on paper. There are other ways to do it, but the above is the standard
and most efficient. The player’s problem is, if she has to concentrate on figuring out the sequence, she
will not be focused on learning the drifts.
Now, where does Dick Whitaker shoot his pre-game discs? He first goes to the inside corner of the
opposite deep seven. See W1 on the diagram. His second goes to a similar spot on the near seven. Then
he shoots two eights.
Lee Jordan, picks not four but six spots in the sevens. He shoots all eight discs at these spots (marked on
diagram). Some shots are shot from the number 1 spot and some are shot from the 4 spot.
Lee charts all of his shots, Dick keeps his in his head.
Maybe there is something to be learned from these two experts.