hi viper

a couple of things:

• if your opponent can see that you are going to play a boast (in general play as opposed to being forced to play one) , then you are not producing your shot well enough.
• as david said, the two wall boast is the one to go for - it is more easily disguised and the shot will bounce twice a lot quicker than a three wall boast (which means the opponent has less time to retrieve)
• also note what david said about slow and tiring.
• also note what rita had to say - variation is an important part in drawing errors from the opponent
• also, if the opponent is on the T, most will be anticipating to some extent if you have played 10 drives and you appoach the ball as to play another, chances are they will start moving early to retrieve. How about a boast now!

ps. the boast that sits up after hitting the floor just before the side wall is really a boast by a novice. you must do better than that when you have time to choose. a well disguised two wall boast hit firmly,  is very difficult to retrieve.

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Viper - the boast is not about being stuck in the back corner.  The boast is to make the opponent move diagonally across the court, and run them about, and make them twist and turn, and all the other things it said in the link.
Of course if you are stuck you do not have choices, other than to shorten the grip and do a drive, to those who tear up the front, or aim as far down and as high as you can on the side wall, and as high as you can and hopefully the boast may in fact go over the head of the person tearing up the front.
Viper, I know you will shake your head (and I can hear it rattling from here) we have been trying to say the cunning and tactics have been gradually disappearing out of this game.
Viper - keep boasting - your opponent will soon tell you if you have done it at the wrong time! But, be sure to make a mental note, so it does not happen again!!

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Rita, I am not convinced, but I would like to be because I am good at boasting.

Most times I have driven an opponent into a back corner and I see them shape for a boast, I am licking my lips as 9 times out of 10 I can eaisly pounce at the front corner and respond with a deft drop which very often they can not reach in time, or at best they stretch so far to reach the ball that they hit a weak response.

Alternately I can see them flying up the court expecting me to drop and I can then send a quick drive back into the opposite corner which catches them with their weight going the wrong way.

You have to be an absolute hare to make it back from a deep corner to a very short soft drop with the composure to hit a strong reply, people do it, and they have done it to me, but in my experience most don't.

But please convince me otherwise as I said I love boasting

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Viper - in the 60's when I was just a "rockie" all the so called experts would say "boasting is bad" so I often had to play this big bird 6ft tall and long arms and could never get her out of the middle of the court - but once I learnt all about the benefits of a boast, and then learnt to control the shot, it was the best shot to move my player around, especially tall people, who find going to the front very tiring, and it does tangle their legs up too, so I soared to a new era in my game.
Here is our link to revise "shot selection"

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Never was a bit absolute.

I should have said "avoid" boasting from the back corner, unless.........

Thanks David, I particularly like your mental approach by coming up close behind him, this really does work.

Assuming your oponent is not tired and is on the tee, then boasting would be a real folly ?

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Hi Viper,

Never boasting from the back is a bit extreme ie "never say never."

If your opponent is tiring or slow in moving forward or in your rear quarter of the court, a boast will pressure him/her to move the greatest distance with the least amount of time to kill the ball.

Two wall boast is the preferred option and always push hard forward behind your opponent to pressure the return.Mental pressure will contribute to a greater error rate.

All the best

David M

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