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SHUFFLE NEWS

This page was last updated: February 7, 2012

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Here is your chance to "Ask the Pro's" any shuffleboard question. Type your question in the form provided and click the submit button. Your question will be forwarded to our distinguished panel of FSA pros and answers will be published below.

Questions regarding shuffleboard situations, strategy, techniques, rules, equipment, etc. are encouraged. Hopefully the responses will help us all improve our game.

You do not need to include your name.

ASK THE PRO'S

Responses will be posted below.

Question

Q..I recently played an opponent who was highly skilled at playing the board. With the score relatively even, instead of clearing my St.Pete he would put a seven on my side of the board. I am skilled at clearing, but the task of knocking off on his hammer as well as my own was daunting, and I did not like the idea of leaving him an open board to shoot his hammers. As a result, I played kitchen, to be aggressive and not be bullied, but ultimately was at a disadvantage playing his type of game. Should I have just cleared instead, or was another option to combat this strategy available?

Responses

R..A highly skilled player will play the board and play AGGRESSIVE shuffleboard and challenge his opponent....I see it all the time and I have added it to my game also....as long as I HAVE THE HAMMER....In his case,keep your opponent guessing what you are going to do and shake him/her up....ALWAYS PLAY AGGRESSIVE and keep your opponent guessing.....Gus Bondi

R..If the other player is more skilled than you are you have little choice, in a close game, but to clear. Keep the game tight and hope he puts a hammer on the line or that your partner will get a chance to out play his opponent. If you play the board your opponent will get the chance to blow the game open, you don't want that.....Earl Ball

R..No-one makes perfect shots every time. Your opponent will make a mistake - that's when you strike. I would clear him, play my game, take hides when I could, score my hammers, kitchen when it was safe (on my hammer)....Terry Rainwater

R...

* * * *

Annette, Marie, Jan & Glenda

Update 1/30/2012

Update 2/3/2012

Lary Faris began shuffling when he was three years old at Lakeside, Ohio, where his family had a summer home. He is now in his 75th year of shuffling. Needless to say he became one of the games top players and was inducted into the National Shuffleboard Hall of Fame in 1980, over 30 years ago. Since that time he has also been inducted into the International, Florida and Ohio Halls of Fame. No other male player has won more National Championship, 15, than Lary. He got involved with International Shuffleboard and had a perfect 11-0 record in Yokohama, Japan in 1988. From that point on, besides playing and writing, he became intricately involved with the scheduling of games in International Tournaments.

Lary starting writing weekly articles about “game situations” and other shuffleboard topics in 1989. These articles were printed in many Florida newspapers and Lary was known as the Shuffleboard Coach. He continued writing for 14 years, until 2003, creating about 700 articles. Many of us as shuffleboard players never had a chance to read the articles, but now we will get that opportunity. I know we will enjoy each and every one of them.

I consider Lary the ultimate Professional at everything he does and for all he has contributed to the game.........Earl Ball.

WINNING SHUFFLEBOARD TIPS

By.......Earl Ball

Update 2/4/2012

FUN AT POT LUCK

Update 2/7/2012

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ZSC, Inc held at Zephyrhills , Florida

0900hrs, February 04, 2012

Attendees:David EarleRobert Perkins

Henry Strong Chuck Moulton

George DarwinMarion Perrault

Buddy Allen

DISCUSSION:

1.The Board reviewed proposed By-Law changes, including an amendment regarding proxies, and approved the changes for presentation to the membership.

2.The Board discussed insulating the roof and reviewed several contractor bids. The costs are considered prohibitively high and the matter will be shelved for now.

3.Renovations to the office facade will be carried out during the summer to include more enclosed display space. Other minor office improvements will be reviewed over the summer.

4.The Board was briefed on the results of the District meeting. The entry fee for District tournaments wil increase to $6.00 for next year. The new CD Board members were announced (copy will be posted).

5.The format for the vote for frames vs 75 pts for Area and District tournaments was approved for implementation at the membership meeting.

6.Half of the courts will be resurfaced and the remainder will be rewaxed. George and Henry will announce the schedule for this work to minimize he impact on tournament play. George will look into placing non-glare glass in the score boards at 13/14 and 15/16.

7.Several old plaques from the Tourist Club days of our Club will be transferred to the Club and displayed where practical.

The next Board meeting will be at 0900hrs on Saturday, 10 March 2012.

Editors note: You are encouraged to comment or post an inquiry on “Ask the Pro’s” regarding any of Lary’s articles or Earl’s tips.

Editors note: You are encouraged to comment or post an inquiry on “Ask the Pro’s” regarding any of Earl’s tips or Lary’s articles.

CAN YOU GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN.....

It’s really not too hard to do on beaded courts, just rare back and let it fly!! But on rough courts you might just still be there; happens all the time because the blocks don’t move forward as easily. Many a person has stood and shook their head as they tried several times only to fine themselves still in there! “Aim at something else”. When you aim at the edge of a block your eye for some reason, often takes you back right on the center of the block. I, like everyone else had problems with this until a great player gave me a tip. Aim at an intersection on the other end or someone’s foot or some other item that if you hit your target you’ll clip the block on the way past. That keeps you from aiming at the block itself, it’s also about the only time you’ll hear me say it’s OK to shot from some place other than the inside or outside position. Move the shooting block where you can get an angle on an intersection. You’ll improve your chances of removing the kitchen.

DEAD WOOD.....

Ever see dead wood, stray blocks come into play? Happens all the time! Did you know that some players put dead wood out on purpose! How many times have you see George Darwin put out a deep poor hide when he doesn’t have the hammer? He then clears and if the dead wood is still there when it comes to his last shot he takes that hide or bumps it up and all of a sudden you’re chasing him. He isn’t the only one like that. “Watch for the traps”.

Ginny and Jim were first introduced to shuffleboard at Leisure Days MHP where they have wintered since 2002. Ginny first tried playing in the park but, she didn't really enjoy it much. “Player’s complained when you put them in the kitchen and it just wasn't much fun," she said.

Being into golf at the time Ginny almost didn't continue with shuffleboard but Jim encouraged her to try playing at the Zephyrhills Shuffleboard Club. She joined the ZSC in the 2008-2009 season and played mostly at frolics and the exchange with Betmar. "I immediately loved the friends I met at ZSC", she said.

With help and encouragement from Peggy Savage, and some of the Pros, Ginny started playing in tournaments the next season and decided to become more serious about tournament competition.

Having just one vehicle, and Jim playing tournaments became a problem. Ginny said, "Well, if you can't beat them, join them, that old adage seemed to apply to my husband and I".

Each year Ginny became more serious, tried to learn strategy and pay more attention to the game but she never lost sight of the fact, THAT IT IS JUST A GAME!!

Ginny said," I have been very fortunate in having some great partners and teachers to help me acquire the points needed to become a State Amateur.

Thank you to all for your great support and friendship!! I love to laugh, have fun, and help where I can, thus looking forward to a lot more years of shuffling."

Ginny was involved in starting Hoss Collar on Friday nights; she is always willing to help at our special functions and is an extremely valued member of our Club.

Congratulations Ginny and good luck in your pursuit of the Pro level.

GINNY CHANDLER MAKES STATE AMATEUR

The situation falls in a category I call “double situations.” There are actually two separate situations on the board. The shooter can’t deal with both on one shot. But because two situations exist, he can’t deal with just one in the way he normally would.

In the game I watched, a frame game, yellow was ahead and had been clearing the board. When he faced this board, he simply cleared the black seven with both black and his shooter leaving the court. He played it safe.

But wait, why did he want his shooter to leave the court? His opponent already had a yellow seven to try to kitchen with the hammer. Why not hit the black seven square and leave two sevens for the hammer player? The hammer shooter could only kitchen one. The second one would sure to stay.

In the match I have shown in the diagram, the score is 61 yellow, 55 black. It’s the same board situation. Now what is yellow’s shot?

Here we think a little deeper. Clearing the black seven is still a poor choice. How about replacing it? Well, that will give black the kitchen shot and that would give yellow a 3-0ff, a disaster at 61.

The option here for yellow is to cover the yellow seven, to forget the black seven. Then all black can do is score his hammer. That would move the score to 68 to 70 (at worst) with yellow’s hammer coming up.

What should yellow do if the score is 61 to 61.

Double situations are tricky. We must stop a second and look at all the options and, as always, check the score.

(At 61-61 yellow should replace the black seven and try to kitchen it.)

“Thanks for letting me play in your daily pot luck games,” I called to Bob Reed as I headed for my car after an afternoon of good shuffleboard and new friends.

I’d stopped in cold at a Florida club where I knew absolutely no one and asked if I could join them in their regular shuffleboard pot luck. They had never seen me before, but quickly and politely put out the welcome mat and invited me to play. It was great fun and I met many friendly shufflers.

That’s much of what shuffling’s about – making new friends and having fun. Shufflers all over our country and around the world are great folks.

Often readers write in to ask, “How can I get started in shuffleboard?” I always write back and suggest they go to their local club. I’m always sure that the club members will welcome the newcomer and that before the day’s over, we will have a new shuffler.

I said friendship and fun are much of what shuffling’s about. The other part of the attraction is the challenge of the game, the part that keeps us physically and mentally in gear.

My day at the pot luck had plenty of challenge. One particular board situation that came up is quite interesting. I’ll cover it in today’s column.

It’s the seventh shot of the round, the shot before the hammer. Yellow, the shooter, is looking at a board with a yellow seven and a black seven – that’s 7 up, as shufflers often quip. The sevens are on opposite sides of the board, well separated, and both about mid deep.

What is yellow’s shot? Remember it’s a black hammer.

Glenda has enjoyed curling in the past and thought she would try shuffling after wintering in Forest Lake Estates in 2008. She played in the Eight Park League for a year and took 1st place in Consolation in the All Trophy Tournament. After another year of playing in the Park, Glenda decided she wanted to improve her shuffleboard skills.

In the spring of 2010 she played a few times at the Zephyrhills Shuffleboard Club and really loved it. Glenda began playing in some local tournaments and said, “It was exciting to place 2nd in Consolation in an Area Tournament against some tough, more experienced players."

In the fall she joined ZSC and made many new friends while enjoying the game even more. Glenda continued to learn the game from her Forest Lake Estates mentors. As she improved her skills and learned strategy, some accomplished players noticed and were kind enough to ask her to play in No 2 Pro Tournaments.

Glenda has played in several tournaments this season and placed in seven so far and she’s continuing to learn the game.

Glenda said, “The opportunity to play in the Singles World Tournament at Dieppe, New Brunswick, Canada in August 2011 was a super exciting experience. The camaraderie with folks from different countries of the world made her very thankful to be invited to this event.” Glenda is hoping to be able to shuffle when not in Florida and continue honing her shuffle playing skills.

Glenda teamed up with ZSC’s Jan Koehn, and finished in 4th place Main at the Betmar State tournament Jen. 30 - Feb. 1, qualifying her for Instant Pro, which she will take next October.

Our congratulations Glenda, and we wish you the best of luck with your Pro career.

GLENDA BRAKE JOINS PRO RANKS