At Valverde LBC the other day, I was watching a pairs match and a tactical situation arose where repeatedly the skip bowler of an experienced team played what seemed a lower probability shot when something significantly better was available.
The side that missed the opportunities was lying one; they had a bowl close up to the jack- within a few centimeters. The opponents held the second shot about a bowl in front of the jack but about 12 inches to the right. What made the situation special was that the side holding shot also had the 3rd and 4th best bowls located about 18 and 24 inches behind the jack and 18 and 24 inches to the left.
There were other shorter bowls blocking approaches down the center of the rink.
The skip of the side holding shot delivered two bowls down the right side trying to add a second shot. There was a path to the jack but in my opinion, both bowls should have been delivered down the left side trying to push out the opponent’s best bowl because if it were removed they would have scored 3 or 4 depending upon whether the delivered bowl remained in the count. The path leading to the opponent’s best bowl was equally open.
Other good outcomes that would have been possible coming from the left side would be a jack trail back to those waiting 3rd and 4th catchers on the right and a dead draw to the jack.
The only negative would have been to knock the opposing bowl in for shot but considering how close the shot bowl was to the jack, this would have been unlikely.
The lesson: Even if your side already holds shot, consider the contribution to the score if the opponent’s best bowl gets removed.
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