EIGHT IS ONE MORE THAN SEVEN
Copyright 1993
By: Lary Faris
“Boy that was a close match. At the end, one point made a large difference for yellow. They had 77 and
black had 76.”
How many games have been decided by one point? Lots. How many times has the end-of-game strategy
been dictated by a single point? Lots and lots, in almost every match.
We all start to figure points as we near 75. For example, 59 is not as good as 60 and 61 is much better
than either. A single point makes a big difference. At 65 a ten will win, at 64 it won’t. At 68 a seven will
win, at 67 it won’t.
Some of us even look at scores in the 40’s. at 43, it will take four eight’s to win; at 44, it takes four scores
too but one can be a seven; at 45, two eights and two sevens; and finally at 47, no eights are needed,
just four sevens . One point differences.
Yet knowing this, we don’t always keep it in mind early in a game. Sometimes we score sevens when we
could be scoring eights.
What we need to keep in mind is that “Eight is one more than seven.”
That’s obvious to us all, eight is truly one more than seven. We know that, but how do we apply it?
Where in our strategy and tactics do we make use of this basic arithmetic and gain that special point.
Here are some situations where we can shoot for either an eight or a seven. In these, selecting an eight
may gain a key point for us.
The most obvious opportunity is on your hammer. On open ones, we all try to shoot eights rather than
sevens. This is correct, as that one point we saw above, can be big.
Against hammers, players often use their seventh shot to shoot short tens, high eights, and corner
sevens. Remember, if on one of those attempts the shooter is off a little and leaves a good backstop,
seven is one point less than eight and three points less than a ten. These points can mean the game.
Often I’ll force my opponent to shoot down the outside of the board with his hammer. I do this by
blocking up the area around the 10. The opponent may still score, but it’s only a seven.
Now when a player is behind, he usually shoots to a seven hoping a board clearer will stick or miss.
Using the eight is one more than seven rule, should this shot be an eight? Probably not, because it may
be the opponent who scores. On the other hand, maybe the eight is a better choice. What do you think?
Finally, let’s look at hiding. Here is a chance for all of us to make eights instead of sevens. On Tampa’s,
an eight hide is usually possible. Take it, don’t go to the seven if you can make an eight. On a St. Pete,
perhaps place your pilot higher than usual. That makes it less difficult to hide an eight. Keep the St. Pete
a little closer to the center of the court also.
During a game we get three or four chances to hide. If we make eights and not sevens, that’s three or
four big points.
The one point difference shows up at the end of a game and, at the time, all can see how big it can be.
But the point is gained earlier in the game-on the hammer, board shots and hides.
Remember, “Eight is one more than seven.”