maneuvers and Penalties The following chapter will provide information on two of the most important defensive strategies in polo – sticking and riding-off – as well as the basic principle of the game – the lining up, i.e. playing in a polo train.
The Hook Correct Technique and Official Rules Hooking another player, i.e. the opponent, is only allowed when the ball is positioned between the two horses. So it will be a foul if a player (A) tries a nearside shot and the opponent tries to interfere with his mallet by reaching underneath or over the horse, thus preventing A from hitting the ball. The Attacking Player’s Role When hooking, you should try to hit your opponent’s cane about five centimeters above the mallet head. To do so, it is helpful to focus on this point of the cane at the moment your opponent starts his backswing. Hooking starts in the very moment that the opponent’s mallet swings down and you try to hit his mallet at the point focused on. If the opponent swings offside-forward you will have to hook nearside-back and vice versa. Hooking is most effective when performed with the respective counter-swing. De facto, you will see that the hooking motion is often performed with a half-swing. This may be for two reasons. The first is if the mallet is not held in a correct position and thus a full-swing at the right time is not possible. The second is that hooking is often performed prematurely and too hastily. Here you should keep in mind: Starting a hook will still be effective even if you are two horses’ distance behind your opponent. The Defender’s Role The defending player can try to avoid the opponent’s stroke and release the ball by tapping or executing a half-swing.
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