Skills Practice

POINTERS & SHOOTERS GAME (for 3 players)

Method

  • Played in threes, the essence of this game is that, for each end, there are two pointers and one shooter. The positions for the first end are decided by the toss of a coin.
  • The pointers score points against each other in the normal way, throwing three boules each. However, during each end they must make use of the services of the shooter twice at some time when it's their turn to play. Therefore the shooter takes two shots for each pointer in each end
  • The shooters boules do not remain in play but are immediately removed so that only the pointers' boules remain on the piste.
  • In using the shooter the pointer has to nominate the target, either a specific boule or the jack.
  • If a pointer has had the shooter fire twice for him/her in an end, and he/she still has a boule in hand, then he/she can shoot, but not otherwise.
  • At the completion of each end the winning pointer becomes the lead pointer for the next end, with the losing pointer becoming the shooter and the shooter becoming the second pointer.
Scoring
  • The pointers score in the normal way, whilst the shooter receives one point for each target hit (but not necessarily moved), making the maximim possible score for an end three points for the winning pointer and four points for the shooter
  • The game continues until one player has scored 13 points, unless at any one time more than one player has scored 12 points. In this case the game continues until one of the players who was on 12 points has a 2 points advantage. In this situation any player not on 12 points continues to play, but does not score.
  • If the jack goes dead then the normal dead end rules apply, but if the shooter was asked to shoot the jack he/she scores a point for the hit.
Tactics
  • The tactics can be very interesting. The shooter has an advantage in that he/she can score 4 points in one end so the best tactic may not always be to use the shooter to remove the other pointer's boule but instead to make the shooter try and hit the most difficult target such as the furthest away boule or a jack hidden by a boule

DISCIPLINES COMPETITION

Placing The Coche
Draw three 0.5 metre circles at 7, 8 & 9 metres from throwing circle.
Throw a cochonnet to stop in each of the circles, starting with the nearest.
Score 2 points for each.

High Lob Point
Draw three 0.5 metre circles (slightly offset from each other) at 7, 8 & 9 metres from throwing circle.
Lay a piece of rope 1 metre in front of each circle.
Throw a high lob point at each circle, starting with the nearest.
A boule must not pitch before the rope and must finish in the target circle.
Score 2 points for each.

Pointing Round An Obstacle
Draw a 0.5 metre circle 8 metres from throwing circle.
1 metre in front of circle place a piece of wood 2 foot long.
The object is to point 3 boules round the wood to finish inside the circle.
Only 2 of the boules can go round the same side of the wood, the third must go round the other side.
Any boule not going round the side is disqualified.
Score 2 points for each boule in the circle.

Target Shooting
Draw three 0.5 metre circles (slightly offset from each other) at 8, 9 & 10 metres from throwing circle.
One target boule is placed in the middle of each circle and the object is to shoot the target boule out of the circle and leave your own boule in.
Any boule pitching outside the circle is disqualified
Score 2 points for each hit and 1 further point if the thrown boule remains in the circle.