For the first edition of Project Hunger Games, Katniss talked me about a scotch doubles tournament she played in.
I hope that players who play scotch doubles really listen to this to get the best possible play from their partner.
Katniss played with a really strong player, but in the very first match in the middle of one of the games, he told her, "I really thought you were going to shoot the 14 ball."
So, let's think about this. At this very moment she isn't thinking, "I am shooting good and really like playing with XXX." She is pumped up, happy, confident and sitting up straight in her chair ready to shoot again.
NOooooooo. She's now second guessing herself, starting to feel defeated, losing confidence, etc.
A few games later, he says it AGAIN. "I thought you saw the 5 ball, thought you were going to shoot that."
Katniss is now mentally out of the game. She's frustrated, wondering what she should do, confused on choices, losing her confidence,and going straight downhill.
She confided to me (and you readers) not only did her confidence go down during the rest of that scotch doubles tournament, she also felt unconfident the rest of the week at her leagues.
You see, scotch doubles players need to be lifted up, not shot down. It may seem like his words weren't harmful, but they WERE. If he wanted her to shoot something else, or a better shot, he could have gone over them AFTER the tournament was over. But to raise doubt in her game in the middle of a match and the middle of a tournament did the exact opposite.
A lot of scotch players do not realize the most innocent of comment can derail a teammate. We start second guessing everything, wondering if we are shooting the correct shot, and then we play timid, unsure, and scared.
When my scotch partners have shot at a ball that I did not set them up for or I didn't understand why, the very LAST thing I did was lean over and say, "Uh, what are you doing?" lol. I didn't want them to think I was judging their decision or second guessing them. I wanted their best from that point on, not a partner who was wondering what they are suppose to do, just because I asked a question.
The VERY best scotch doubles partners are the ones who make me laugh, never question my choices during a match, but also might show me shots after the match/tourney is completed. Let me play my game, in order to be your best partner. If you make me nervous about wondering what you expect me to do, I can't play my best at all.
And as a reminder, the effects can last way after the match. So, I'm begging scotch partners to tread lightly, have fun, enjoy the chance to play together. Then go over shots later. :)
I think playing scotch, choose a shot that leaves your partner in the middle of the table or leaving them a shot where it is easy for them to do that for you. Not perfect of course but leads to less confusion and less second guessing. I might not know your preferred shot is a tough cut in the side whereas I'd bank it all day long. If you don't know your partners strengths and weaknesses then, as you say, don't introduce doubt into the equation.
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