INSTRUCTORS FORUM
Advanced plays Try ‘em if you can From the Archives:
In September 1983, then editor Ami Shinitzky sat down with 6-goaler Gabriel Donoso and 5-goaler Joe Muldoon III to discuss advanced plays. Donoso was considered one of Chile’s best players of all time. He died in November 2006 at age 46, following a fall while playing in Pilar, outside Buenos Aires, Argentina.
from hitting the ball is a good play in itself, if you can also come up with the ball you’ve done better still. The play to try here, assuming that the ball is between two players, is to bump and immediately separate while reaching with the mallet for the ball. Don’t look for the ball; use your instincts and fish for it. You’ll come up with it more often than you think.
Oh No, It’s Not Your Line Anymore Black No. 3 hits the ball up field. The White Back and Black No. 1 are after it in a ride-off. White Back now has the ball on his right; he arcs to the left to insure that Black No. 1 won’t ride him off across the line. His intention now is to arc back to the line and back the ball. But, at the apex of the arc, Black No. 1
It’s All in the Timing You are a Back. A long ball has just passed you. You look back to see the opposing No. 1 racing like mad to beat you to the ball while the rest of the players are a good distance behind. If you are reasonably close to the ball, here is a play to consider: Slow down with the ball on your right side. From the corner of you right
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gives up the fight and continues ahead. Meanwhile, Black No. 2 charges up the line and when White Back arcs back to the line alone and unaware of the setup–you guessed it–he fouls. (See Figure 1) Never Say Die Although a ride-off that prevents the opponent 10 POLO P L A Y E R S E D I T I O N
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eye, watch for the oncoming player. Once he has reached the rump of your horse, tap the ball to your left under the neck or the belly, turn in the same direction and run with it. If you tap it too soon, however, the No. 1 can simply move to your left and pick up the ball. But when the timing is right, the No. 1 will sail on by, giving you the chance to look flashy.
