Tactic #3

Choose the correct penalty spot

The correct penalty spot is not always the one furthest away from the hoop being contested. Blue runs hoop 6 gently, Black is ‘out of the picture’ near the East boundary and Yellow is off-side. Red will take position at hoop 7 and from the East penalty spot (A) Yellow has a good chance of blocking Blues clearance on Red because Yellows shot is played along the 'blocking line'. Making Yellow play from the nearer penalty spot (B) and across the blocking line will make it harder for him to achieve a decisive block.

Tactic #2

This can be applied at any hoop and is most useful when the opponent’s dead ball is a long way off. Say Yellow shot at hoop 7 and missed down to the S boundary. Let’s analyse three options for Blue:

A: There is not much point in Blue taking position where it can be easily removed, often with a ‘half-ball shot’ meaning it will be sent over to the E boundary and Red will achieve safe position 7 yards in front of the hoop.  This leaves Red in a commanding position at the hoop and potentially the next shot at it.

B: Blue can take safe position where it cannot be removed by Red, but that does not leave an easy hoop for Blue. Several scenarios are possible here:

·    Red takes close position, Black likewise and hopes Blue can remove Red if Yellow does not block that shot (albeit from the S boundary). There is a danger that Black can block its partner!

·    Red takes close position, Black clears, Yellow takes position and unless Blue runs from the boundary, control of the hoop will probably shift to the opponent.

·    Red also takes safe position (at least 2 yards away from Blue), Black takes good position trying to block Red’s hoop shot, Yellow plays up and Blue tries to block Reds clearance on Black. A lot can go wrong with this: Black can fail to block the hoop, Blue can fail to block the clearance, Red can jump Blue to run hoop or clear Black etc.

·    Red and Black take safe position, and so the hoop becomes a shoot-out from the Boundary. Apart from the advantage of Blue having first shot at the hoop (if Yellow does not achieve a block), it is almost a 50/50 outcome.

C: Blue sets up a promotion for Black. Now what does Red do considering Yellow is out of the picture! Any halfway decent promotion will leave Blue an easy hoop and Yellow a difficult clearance (if it is open on Blue). Red can try to upset the promotion, but will probably remain close to Blue on the boundary in which case Black can take position and after Yellow plays, Blue can easily block Reds clearance. Given the difficulties with A & B, option C maximises Blue and Blacks probability of scoring the point.