2022 CROQUET NEWS VOLUME 1: GC CLUB TEAMS

Page 30

let’stalktactics

Asking the Right Questions By Jeff Soo

Note: For ball colors, I use the abbreviations popularized by Keith Wylie’s Expert Croquet Tactics. The four balls are U, R, K and Y; the two sides are UK and RY. I thank my illustrious predecessors for entrusting me with this long-running column. Let’s dive right in. U is to play and has no deadness. Each of the other three balls is partner dead. U and Y are for 2, R and K are for 3 and a lot of time is left in the game.

Note that U is about the same distance from each of the other three balls. Also note that K is in plausible scoring position (about 3 feet, moderately angled). R is about a yard from the boundary. What shot would you take with U? Think through some options and decide on a play before reading on. I can think of five plausible choices for U’s first shot: the three possible roquets, plus two defensive plays—guarding R’s shot (i.e., playing to the east boundary to “catch” R if it misses K) and guarding 2 from the west boundary. The variations multiply if U makes a roquet. Analyzing all these plays on paper is a useful exercise but is hardly possible within the time constraints of an actual game (nor within the space constraints of a magazine article). And too many details can lead to decision paralysis. Start with the big picture: does UK face a problem here or an opportunity? Nearly all positions are a mix of problems and opportunities (defensive and offensive considerations). Again: simplify. What’s the most obvious problem, and what’s the best opportunity? The obvious problem is K is at R’s wicket; given R’s deadness, R would love to have a shot at K. The golden opportunity is Y is at U’s wicket, with U alive on all balls. U’s shots are all shorter than R’s shot at K. U has a possible four-ball break, while R is only hoping for a single wicket. Both factors point the same way: this is an opportunity, not a problem, and UK should try to roquet something. Our quick analysis has answered the most

30 | www.croquetamerica.com

important question: offense or defense? By narrowing our choice to a single category, not only do we remove some plays from consideration, but we also make it easier to compare the remaining plays. Which ball should U shoot at? Again, we don’t have time to analyze each play in detail. We can hardly find a better model for keeping it simple than Sesame Street: “one of these things is not like the others.” Can you guess which one? The three shots are roughly the same length, but R is much closer to the boundary than the other two. U would have to shoot gently, reducing the odds of a roquet, and the downside of missing (or, worse, hitting R out) is severe. Two options remain. One of the main reasons we picked offense over defense is that U has a potential four-ball break. The answer, then, is to pick the shot that gives U the best chance of making that break. U should shoot at K. Yes, that probably means spoiling K’s nice position as a pioneer and making a peel less likely. Better that, though, than breaking down at 2, which is a real risk if U hits Y first. I’ll have much, much more to say about this in future columns. Asking the right questions is the key to making good decisions quickly.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.