HOW TO CHART!

Charting can be simple, such as the illustration, Fig 11; just a series of dashes indicating where to shoot to hit a block or lines showing how the shot goes when you try to hide. One of yester-years great players only charted shots that were not straight. Another marked the palm of his non shooting hand and still another, the knuckles of his non shooting hand. This is about much more detailed charting. The key to understanding your chart is to always shoot the same series of practice shots because you will probably want to keep your charts so the next time you

play the court you will have a good starting point and some idea of what to expect.

The court that I have selected is court 1, yellow, foot at the Zephyrhills Shuffleboard Club. The court has moderate drift and some tricky spots. Illustration, Fig 12, is what my chart looks like before I start. It contains the Club name, court #, the end I will be playing, the color and the date. If I am playing the court for the second time and reusing the chart, I add a second date under the first date. Also, as you look at the chart there are two lines where I will shoot my speed shots and the #4 in two places which I

will use to describe what happen with my hide shots.

Sometimes when you play frame games you are only allow 6 practice shots and not the 10 you get in a 75-point game. In that case I use my speed shots to practice as if I was hiding behind the hide on each side of the court and with the other 4, I shoot at the four sevens. That’s about as

much as I can learn with just six shots. On occasion I have played tournaments where you are only allowed 4 practice shots. I take two as if I were hiding behind both hides and with the other two, I shoot at center deep 7’s; one on each side; that’s about as well as you can do. Be prepared to be upset because you will miss some shots that you know you shouldn’t.

Illustration, Fig13 shows where my speed shots have gone. I use my speed shots as practice shots because after 10 practice shots I will know the court speed. I shoot the first speed shot, from the outside position at the intersection of the 7/8 line and the angle line, on the other end of my side of the court to see what will happen if I decide to run the alley on a wide Tampa (near side hide) or my opponents St Pete (his far side hide). As you can see the shot went straight over the intersection but went a little left in the 7 and wound up between the corner seven and the center seven; all practice shots are at kitchen

speed to check the entire length of the court. My second speed shot is from the outside position at the intersection of the 8/10 line and the center line on the other end of the court. As you can see it went straight, which is unusual, it will usually go a little one way or the other. You can

see that the shot wound up on the inside of the inner 7. That tells me that if my opponent gets sloppy with his Tampa I can hide behind it.

Illustration, Fig 14 shows the next series of shots I get to take. My first two will be my hides. I do not like to have my partner put out hide blocks

because I don’t want to take a chance of hitting them because then I will not see the drift all the way to the kitchen. The first one is a hide behind my Tampa (near court hide). It is shown by the left #4 on the chart. It is taken from the outside position, shooting at the intersection of the 8/10 line and the angle line. As you can see it crosses the intersection of the 8/10 line and the angle line a half block

to the right and continues to drift in all the way to the inner 7. When I mark R½, it means the disc will move ½ disc right when it reaches or passes the target; other players use other markings. I have now found my first problem with the court. Remember my first practice shot over the intersection of the 7/8 line and the angle line went a little left in the seven but this shot continued to drift in. Next, I try the St Pete hide (cross court hide) from the outside position. I shoot at the intersection of the 8/10 line and the angle line and the block goes straight to the intersection but once it is in the scoring area (On Board) it drifts left to the outside of the inner 7. This tells me I am going to have to set my St Pete hide, high and wide and try to hide in the very corner which is dangerous because it will be close to the kitchen. I also know the Tampa hide will be the easiest to use. On top of all of that I have found another problem. Remember when I shoot over the 8/10 line and the center line the block will go right on the scoring surface enough so I can hide behind my opponent’s sloppy Tampa. My last two shots of this practice round will be at the two 8s from the inside position. The one on the right went right just a little and the one on the left went right ¾ of a block. From this I can tell the court is what we call a yellow court because the drift is left to right or yellow to black, more on the left side of the court than the right.

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Fig 15 is my chance to shoot at the four 7s, deep by the kitchen. I shoot all four shots from the inside position and I start on the far side of the court and both 7s are straight on that side of the court. I know I must have missed something because the 8 on that side went a little right, I will need to be careful. The 7 left of the center line goes Right ¾ of a block which is consistent with what the 8 on that side did but the left corner 7 goes right only ½ block. Remember I

knew I had a problem with that side of the court in the 7 area and this confirms it. There is a ridge over on that side of the court and now I will have to find it while I am playing but at least I know it is there.

If I had any more shots, I would like to know just what happens on the center line in case I get a chance to shoot a double or have a need to shoot a kitchen shot and roll for a score. It would also give me some idea

of what will happen in the 10. I know the 10 will be important at some point in the match and I just hope I have learned enough to hold the shot. In singles, if it’s my hammer, I give up one of the 8’s and shoot the center line by aiming at the 301 and the center line at kitchen speed, plus. That tells me what will happen in the 10 and the center line. Many of the top players try to steal your hammer by shooting a high 10; at least they do in singles.

I just reread this article and it sure is confusing but I am sure when I get done, I know more about the court than my opponent does and I should have the advantage. Remember, I’m looking for that one shot, one disc or one point that it takes to beat you and the more information I have that you don’t have, the better my chances.

Earl 5-28-2020

1st written in 2011

Charting can be simple, such as the illustration, Fig 11; just a series of dashes indicating where to shoot to hit a block or lines showing how the

shot goes when you try to hide. One of yester-years great players only charted shots that were not straight. Another marked the palm of his non shooting hand and still another, the knuckles of his non shooting hand. This is about much more detailed charting. The key to understanding your chart is to always shoot the same series of practice shots because you will probably want to keep your charts so the next time you play the court you will have a good starting point and some idea of what to expect.

The court that I have selected is court 1, yellow, foot at the Zephyrhills Shuffleboard Club. The court has moderate drift and some tricky spots. Illustration, Fig 12, is what my chart looks like before I start. It contains the Club name, court #, the end I will be playing, the color and the date. If I am playing the court for the second time and reusing the chart, I add a second date under the first date. Also, as you look at the chart there are two lines where I will shoot my speed shots and the #4 in two places which I will use to describe what happen with my hide shots.

Sometimes when you play frame games you are only allow 6 practice shots and not the 10 you get in a 75-point game. In that case I use my speed shots to practice as if I was hiding behind the hide on each side of the court and with the other 4, I shoot at the four sevens. That’s about as much as I can learn with just six shots. On occasion I have played tournaments where you are only allowed 4 practice shots. I take two as if I were hiding behind both hides and with the other two, I shoot at center deep 7’s; one on each side; that’s about as well as you can do. Be prepared to be upset because you will miss some shots that you know you shouldn’t.

Illustration, Fig13 shows where my speed shots have gone. I use my speed shots as practice shots because after 10 practice shots I will know the court speed. I shoot the first speed shot, from the outside position at the intersection of the 7/8 line and the angle line, on the other end of my side of the court to see what will happen if I decide to run the alley on a wide Tampa (near side hide) or my opponents St Pete (his far side hide). As you can see the shot went straight over the intersection but went a little left in

the 7 and wound up between the corner seven and the center seven; all practice shots are at kitchen speed to check the entire length of the court. My second speed shot is from the outside position at the intersection of the 8/10 line and the center line on the other end of the court. As you can see it went straight, which is unusual, it will usually go a little one way or the other. You can see that the shot wound up on the inside of the inner 7. That tells me that if my opponent gets sloppy with his Tampa I can hide behind it.

Illustration, Fig 14 shows the next series of shots I get to take. My first two will be my hides. I do not like to have my partner put out hide blocks because I don’t want to take a chance of hitting them because then I will not see the drift all the way to the kitchen. The first one is a hide behind my Tampa (near court hide). It is shown by the left #4 on the chart. It is taken from the outside position, shooting at the intersection of the 8/10 line and the angle line. As you can see it crosses the intersection of the 8/10 line and the angle line a half block to the right and continues to drift in all the way to the inner 7. When I mark R½, it means the disc will move ½ disc right when it reaches or passes the target; other players use other markings. I have now found my first problem with the court. Remember my first practice shot over the intersection of the 7/8 line and the angle line went a little left in the seven but this shot continued to drift in. Next, I try the St Pete hide (cross court hide) from the outside position. I shoot at the intersection of the 8/10 line and the angle line and the block goes straight to the intersection but once it is in the scoring area (On Board) it drifts left to the outside of the inner 7. This tells me I am going to have to set my St Pete hide, high and wide and try to hide in the very corner which is dangerous because it will be close to the kitchen. I also know the Tampa hide will be the easiest to use. On top of all of that I have found another problem. Remember when I shoot over the 8/10 line and the center line the block will go right on the scoring surface enough so I can hide behind my opponent’s sloppy Tampa. My last two shots of this practice round will be at the two 8s from the inside position. The one on the right went right just a little and the one on the left went right ¾ of a block. From this I can

tell the court is what we call a yellow court because the drift is left to right or yellow to black, more on the left side of the court than the right.

Fig 15 is my chance to shoot at the four 7s, deep by the kitchen. I shoot all four shots from the inside position and I start on the far side of the court and both 7s are straight on that side of the court. I know I must have missed something because the 8 on that side went a little right, I will need to be careful. The 7 left of the center line goes Right ¾ of a block which is consistent with what the 8 on that side did but the left corner 7 goes right only ½ block. Remember I knew I had a problem with that side of the court in the 7 area and this confirms it. There is a ridge over on that side of the court and now I will have to find it while I am playing but at least I know it is there.

If I had any more shots, I would like to know just what happens on the center line in case I get a chance to shoot a double or have a need to shoot a kitchen shot and roll for a score. It would also give me some idea of what will happen in the 10. I know the 10 will be important at some point in the match and I just hope I have learned enough to hold the shot. In singles, if it’s my hammer, I give up one of the 8’s and shoot the center line by aiming at the 301 and the center line at kitchen speed, plus. That tells me what will happen in the 10 and the center line. Many of the top players try to steal your hammer by shooting a high 10; at least they do in singles.

I just reread this article and it sure is confusing but I am sure when I get done, I know more about the court than my opponent does and I should have the advantage. Remember, I’m looking for that one shot, one disc or one point that it takes to beat you and the more information I have that you don’t have, the better my chances.

Earl 5-28-2020

1st written in 2011