Never change

For many years, this has been repeated as an affirmation, and not as a question. So why the question mark?

A winning game is a rather subjective matter. A winning tactical scheme may work well, but will probably not work forever. As the pattern is repeated, and the opponent understands the player’s intentions, conditions change. The opponent will probably become more competent at making the right response. He will also have a game plan of his own to disrupt that of the player. Therefore, a smart player will change a “winning game” when he senses it being less effective. He should have alternate plans ready, and understand why this new playing pattern will work. When he attains success with this second pattern, he could switch back to the original plan. This would again catch the opposition by surprise. If he is capable, a third scheme could be used later to keep the rival on the defensive.  The important point to make is, never change just for the sake of change, or adopt other strategies without knowing the specific outcome.

A match is never over until the last point has ended and you shake hands.

You would do believe this without having to learn it the hard way. An incredible amount of matches are won after a player trails behind and is perhaps two games down and one point away from defeat. On the other hand, an endless number of matches have been lost despite having gained match point. These are facts. Keep them in mind when thinking tactics.

I have often come across players who make a slip of the tongue, and say things like, “I won the first game 8/2”. Amazing, but a sentence like that really does say so much. The vast majority of players really think that they have won when they arrive at 8. Do not make this mistake. When you get to 8 in every game, concentrate and fight harder.

When to speed

Increasing the pace of a rally could be carried out for a few seconds or for the whole of its duration. When the pace has been increased for several consecutive rallies, then the pace of the game has risen. You should try to pick up the pace to see if you could allow your opponent less time to react. (Make sure you have seen the section on time interval between shots.)   Therefore, you should;

Increase the pace whenever your opponent shows signs of inability to adapt. These include, loss of precision, fatigue, disturbed tactical choices, impatience and increase in errors. 

Increase the pace as an alternative to slow spells. The change could upset the opponent’s rhythm and plans.

Increase the pace when you find that you are able to speed up the rallies without losing valuable precision, you may continue to do so, if the physical effort you make to attack, is less than that made by the opponent to retrieve and defend.

Speed up the pace and maintain accuracy, after you have had a hard rally or a series of hard rallies in which your rival has suffered more.

Increase the pace in order to keep your opponent on the move at a constant rhythm with little time to think and position himself ideally. This is the perfect environment for holding certain shots and using deception. The sudden change of timing and direction will prove to be most effective.

A player who has a good boast should often raise the pace of a rally just to insert that particular shot. A quick and accurate boast played within the context of a fast rally is ideal to make the opponent stop, start, change direction and stretch. This is the kind of movement that will tire the opponent and wear him down. Such treatment may well cause the opponent tactical problems and keep him on the defensive.

Short .

Short-term tactics involve the choice of shot to be made at the moment, and the construction of the rally. Many of the concepts explained above involve short-term decisions. Short-term tactics will often be adopted, knowing that their real value shall be evident later on. Long-term tactics could be viewed as the scenario which a player wishes to achieve at a latter stage of the match.

In a hard, well-balanced match, sound short-term choices may seem ineffective until the match reaches an advanced stage. On the other hand, if poor short-term tactical play is created, its disappointing outcome is soon evident. Time intervals between shots, and crossing paths, for example, can be identified as short-term tactics. Long-term tactics are seen when a player sticks to a game pattern for a relatively long time, and makes changes only when he has achieved his objective.

Very gifted players have often adopted a clear example of one type of long-term tactic, during relatively easy matches in the first round or two of a tournament. An incredible demonstration of skill and deception leaves the opponent puzzled and unable to read the game. Having made the opponent run around, and rendered slower, such players would take further advantage of the loose shots that come their way. The opponent loses all confidence and is unable to defend. Keen viewers will have seen players like Qamar Zaman, Rodney Martin, and lately Jonathan Power, do so, time and time again.

A more common tactic seen practised by great champions such as Geoff Hunt, Jahanghir Khan, Jansher Khan, and lately, Peter Nicole, is the long tough first game. After a hard game 30 minutes or more, the opponent breaks down physically and mentally. The message put across from the beginning is “you will have to fight me like this for two and a half hours if I’m going to be beaten.” Usually the second and third games last far less.

This long-term tactic may have its effect at the end of every game. A player may keep the rallies long and hard for the first 20 minutes of each game. During these 20 minutes, the opponent is made to work hard, and is given very few opportunities to attack. The opponent’s heart rate is made to build up to uncomfortable levels. The player would then go into the phase of increasing the pace, for an all out attack during the last few points. At this point, the opponent no longer believes in being able to invert the situation. The pressure has been consistent and overwhelming.

To construct effective long-term tactics, a player must have a great deal of discipline. He must know the fundamentals, and stick to them. When making short-term tactical choices, he must have a vision of where they fit in, and how they relate to the global picture of long-term objectives. If you would like to know more, or have any questions regarding this subject, e-mail me at hesham@shotsquash.com

Winning the important points.

, but some are really decisive. The big points are what make the difference between winning and losing. However, that does not imply that only the final points of a game or match are important.

-At the start of a match for example, a player may be nervous and have some breathing problems. He should try to relax and think that his opponent is probably feeling just the same. Instead of worrying about himself, he should try to make his rivals breathing problems even greater, by making him work hard.

-The first points of a match may well determine which player is able to create a pattern and dominate. The start of a match is also a confidence builder or breaker. Therefore, accurate preparation is vital.

-Take advantage of patches where an opponent’s confidence sags. Be even tougher and drive through his weakness.

-Take advantage of error streams. You will often find that at times, an opponent will make one error after the other. Do not be drawn into allowing yourself a breather and relaxing, or the luxury of trying your luck with risky shots.

-When the opponent gets angry with himself, be very careful, it can be contagious. Keep focused and take maximum advantage of his negative attitude.

-Needless to say, points towards the end of a game or match are most important. Try to confront them by focusing so hard on the game plan and what you should do, as to completely forget the score. There is no sense in thinking “I need just one more point.” Think how you should play the rally instead.

-Never relax when you are way ahead on points and near match ball. Tons of matches have been lost when almost won. Remember that your opponent will probably fight for his life at that stage. He cannot afford to let go. If you do not put in your best effort, you may see the gap narrow down dramatically. This could ruin your concentration and affect your performance, leading to more points lost. Before you know, it could be the game or match lost.

-After a hard long game, which you have snatched from your opponent, take further advantage. After the break, he may be still regretting his loss and not regain his concentration and determination. Come out with a punishing attitude and take the opening points. Put yourself on track to a new lead.

-Make the most possible effort to win the longest, most punishing rallies. Taking these points will make you feel good and give you a great psychological and physical boost. The looser will feel much more tired.

-Strive to win the rally, which follows an exceptionally tough one. This is the moment to prove many things, and send the message through. You will be saying that you are tougher and determined not give away any presents. This is your chance to break the adversary. If the opponent does not produce a fight, remain determined and wait to win the next hard rally as soon as it arrives.

When

In the section on deception, a comprehensive explanation provides an answer to this question. A clear statement is made on the use and overuse of deceptive tactics, the effects of misleading the opponent, and the importance of demonstrating precision. If you do not remember the issues covered, reading the section again is highly recommended. Go back by clicking here.

However, talking of tactics, we may add the following here. It would be very useful to think of every imaginable position and situation on court and think how the deceptive shot from that particular position could offer an advantage. For example, if a player is battling for the T and both players have been forcing each other to the backcourt, an occasional deceptive shot as explained here, may give him an advantage. Try learning to select the right moment and not overuse deception.

A deceptive shot could also be used as a winner in a few specific situations. In a rally where both you and your opponent, or at least your opponent has worked very hard, the legs become heavy and reflexes are a little slower. When you find yourself well positioned to wrong-foot the adversary, go for it. This ploy will be most effective if you have fought out the rally with hard, basic squash. The sudden change in style will leave the sluggish opponent paralysed. The logic behind this is that a tiered opponent may well be taking his last step towards the T while you are already on the ball. The opponent committed to move in the T’s direction could be easily wrong-footed. Hence, the statement of advise at the beginning of the tactics section- Be on the T before your opponent is on your shot.     

During the late stages of a match against a heavily built, or muscular player, deceptive shots could be outright winners. A tired, heavy player will always find it hard to suddenly change direction. Some players will save their best and most reliable deceptive shots for the very last points of a game. Their favourite piece of trickery would launch them into a favourable position and leave the opponent wondering if there is more to come.

You may also go back to the tactical sections entitled Practical talk,… Time intervals between shots, and Not seeing is believing, to see how deception is blended into a game.

opponent’s style of play or always try to thwart his best efforts.

How many times has a coach seen this happen? The opponent suddenly starts playing short from every part of the court, and his player promptly follows without giving a second thought. The opponent may have surprised the player for a few points and managed to get away with it, but he may well come up with a line of errors, with all the risk he is taking. Nevertheless, the player instead of adhering to sound tactics begins to do the same. Sooner or later, both players will be making many errors and neither will take advantage of the tactical mistake.

Another situation, which is often repeated, is to see one player hacking the ball as hard as he can, only to be followed by the other. Before being drawn into a hard-hitting sideshow, evaluate the accuracy of the other person’s shots. If they are loose, or often loose, use this extra pace to your advantage by taking the ball early, but hitting slow and accurately. If the other player’s shots are very accurate and you are unable to match that, then a precise slow game or of variable pace should do the trick.

Watching expert players on court is a good learning experience. We have often seen very good players in considerable difficulty during the middle section of a game, only to watch them come through on top at the end. The opponent may be attacking at a ferocious pace and ending the rallies with exceptional winners. However, our experienced player sticks to the steady, solid stuff. He is not flustered or urged to take greater risks. He knows that the rival cannot sustain that type of effort for more than a series of points. He also knows that when the big points at the end of the game are at stake, the opponent’s exceptional winners will fade away.

OPPONENT

The variety of styles and abilities inherent to each individual, make the opponent an even more interesting subject. They come in all shapes and sizes, speeds, strengths and weaknesses, and character. Only observation and understanding of the adversary will make us feel more secure. Playing against an unknown quantity is a hard task. Careful analysis would help us shape our tactical decisions and playing style according to the competing player’s qualities.

movement qualities

Probably, these physical aspects are the quickest to recognise and play a fundamental role in adopting the required tactics. Any player will definitely look carefully at his opponent and notice if he is tall or short, long legged or not, broad or narrow shouldered, heavy or light. He may also notice if the other player is muscular or thin, lean or a little fat. All this information will give him a general idea as to how this other player should move on court. 

The next step would be to confront that initial valuation with the opponent’s performance on court. He should put his opponent to the test, to check his promptness off the T, his speed and stretching ability, and his use of the legs to go down to the ball and back to the middle. It would be important to notice his ability to move from side to side when volleying and note how he breathes at the end of a long hard rally. A clever player should also understand if the opponent seems effortless in twisting and changing direction. He observes his footwork for precision and co-ordination, and most importantly notes his equilibrium while moving. A player should know the answer to many questions regarding his rival. Does the opponent rely on big powerful steps, or quick, agile ones? Does he show signs of fatigue after intense bursts of energy or after prolonged medium paced rallies? All these elements should be decoded and stored in mind.

Technical skills

Discovering the opponent’s racket skills and ball control is vital for the player to shape his playing pattern or rally construction. Knowing the attacker’s favourite shots would only help the player keep him on the defensive. When the opponent goes for his best shots the player would be ready to retrieve. The player must test the other’s ability to play at a fast pace and find out if his preference is for slower rallies. Finding out if he has a good counter-drop or rather prefers to slam the ball to the back will determine the short shots adopted by the player, and the successive position acquired on the “T”.

To make matters simple, let us adopt a question and answer dialogue.  Hypothetical opponents with particular traits are the question. The answer would be some brief words of advise on how to play against them.

Technical and physical

My opponent is tall and thin. shots to the backcourt, but his short game is not so good. He hardly uses the lob and sidewall boast. He runs quite a lot, but is not very quick and often hangs back. He uses quick steps to reach the ball, but his legs are not so strong.

As a start, you will have to match his long shots to the back in order to get your fair share of T possession. You may do so by trying to volley to the backcourt. So, be ready to move into a volleying position when you have played a powerful shot and stretched him in one of the back corners. Your opponent is not very quick, as you say, so you should win the volleying match. By picking up the pace and playing deep, he will revert to stepping slightly back off the T. This is the moment to stretch him to the front with a good boast – second bounce in the nick. As he is fond of hitting to the back and hardly uses the lob, get your racket ready to receive a cross-court or drive. His probable answer will be a cross-court as he should reach your boast at the last moment. Try to respond with a hard drive down the wall and get him running.

When you manage to keep him behind, go for your drop shots on every occasion. His lack of leg strength will show, when you make him go down often to retrieve those drops. Also try to make full use of the mid-wall drop. Slicing the ball firmly will keep the ball low. With his tall build and relatively week legs, this shot could be his nightmare.

My opponent is tall and lightly built. everything, but is not well co-ordinated and balanced when he does so. However, I have never seen him out of breath.

You have never seen him with breathing problems because he never allows the rallies to last long enough. His volleys are often winners, but he probably hits a good number of tins. The fact that he is not always well co-ordinated and balanced will penalise his precision and often leave him exposed to counter attack. So, get ready to move in quick and counter-drop or hit the ball hard through the gap he has left open.

Also, try to test his fitness by keeping the rally going a few times. However, while driving or cross-courting from the back, avoid making the ball go past him at shoulder level. Either keep it hard and low, or loft it very high. He may show signs of fatigue and make more errors after such long rallies. When he is tired, the mid-wall drop and kill shot would cause him serious problems, but do not attempt these unless you can play them well.

My opponent is tall and lightly built. from almost every part of the court, but admittedly, he is quite slow especially to the front.

This opponent is probably not the best of rally players in the world and loves to take risks. He is probably not capable of concentrating for extended lengths of time. You will have to begin by taking him into your game and creating long rallies, but while doing so, take a position further up on the T and be ready for anything short. At the beginning of every rally, respond to his short shots with hard drives and cross-courts. When you have done that several times, insert the counter drop once or twice. Then go back to hitting hard from the frontcourt again.

Within a long rally, you may test him with a high lob, even played from the backcourt. You can be pretty sure that he will go for the volley drop. So, be ready to move in and counter drop. Then you could repeat the sequence a little latter and play a deceptive delicate mid-wall drop.

My opponent is tall and lightly built. the ball hard and low. He very often

goes for the kill shot and does it well. He isn’t the fittest of players though.

Long term tactics and percentage squash are the answer to beat this fellow. Have your legs and reflexes ready to retrieve, and keep your eyes coolly but widely open. Apart from sticking to basics and trying to play solid squash, try not to let your long shots bounce back out of the rear corners, as this would be fuel for his power play. Your waiting game will wear him out and render him the victim of his own mistakes. When you sense that he may be a little tired, occasionally respond to his kill shots with a boast. This shot will often catch him standing back.

My opponent is of average build but quite muscular and powerful. style and is very quick. He has an excellent counter drop. He never uses the lob as he has an aggressive style. He never seems to get tired of sprinting time and time again, but I have seen him breathless at the end of long matches.

Here too, you have an opponent that must be taken the full distance. You would also be wise to slow the game down to contrast his style and counter his efforts to speed the pace. Don’t be drawn into a hard-hitting match. Use powerful shots rarely and only when they serve you best. Try to make the rallies last and while doing so, get him working by reaching for your wide cross-courts and very high shots down the wall. When you send him short, be ready for his famous counter drop.

If you want to go for winners, use the kill shot. He will have less time to play good counter-drops. If you see him too eager to volley, insert the boast in place of the straight drive, as he may leave himself exposed. As the match grows longer, be more confident and optimistic especially if you have managed to make the rallies relatively slow and long. He probably can endure repetitive short bursts of energy expenditure, but not the long lasting continuous effort.

My opponent is of average . He has an attacking style, is very quick, and likes to read the game and volley a lot. He can also be very clever with drop shots from the back. He has a slight defect when it comes to twisting and turning, especially when moving to the back.

Even though he drops well from the back, keep him there. Any opponent must be pinned to the back wall if possible. Just try to observe well his stance before he executes those drop shots. That way, you would have a clue about when they are coming. Do not be worried by these shots. On the contrary, if you keep him locked up behind for long enough, they may become his only choice. Overuse of these drop shots from the back will leave him exposed to errors and counter attacks.

When playing the backcourt game, use the cross-court as frequently as possible, as long as you choose the right moment. His inability to change direction and move to the back smoothly, will take a lot out of him. Using a deceptive wrist action for the drive and cross-court from the back, would also take advantage of his weakness.

My opponent is of average height but a little overweight. However, his racket.

Don’t get into a delicate frontcourt game with this customer. Keep your shots powerful and raise the pace. You shouldn’t give him much time to think and position himself well on the ball. Insert the boast between your fast, furious shots and get him running to the front. Then be ready to drive him to the back. Make him pay for every extra pound he carries. Stick to the long-term plan and remain focused and optimistic, even when he pulls off his most brilliant shots.

My opponent is the fittest person I have seen on a squash court. He .

This is your ideal partner for tactical and shot practice. Think of all the tactical fundamentals to get him working, and use your shots to the front. Be repetitive but methodical, and make him work. There is no squash player on earth does not get tired when the rallies are long and hard enough. Use deception to make him change direction and waste energy. Create a simple pattern then change it. When you have him running hard for several points in a row, change the pace, and take more time to serve. He will lose his rhythm and cool down a bit. Vary the pace again and make him sprint. This variation in intensity will eventually make its mark.

My opponent player I have ever played against. He hits the ball very hard and keeps the pace very lively.

So, he hits the ball very hard but not necessarily very accurately. Remember the lesson learnt from the section on time intervals between shots and allowing your opponent more or less time? The hard-hitting rival will not necessarily allow you less time. On the contrary, if you manage to volley his loose shots, he is the one who will be rushed. Just remember to have a good eye hand co-ordination and get your racket prepared as soon as possible.

If he is accurate during some rallies and you feel the pressure, slow the game down with high lobs. Try to use some deception to keep him from constantly attacking. But, use the deceptive shot when there are gaps to be utilised. Frustrate him with the slow pace but hammer the ball onto his backhand. Being left-handed his backhand would be on the right side of the court. You can transfer play to that side then use your powerful forehand on that same side. Keeping him behind you in that corner would create many opportunities for you to play short shots. When you have him running, try to keep the rally long.

My opponent hander who loves to boast, lob and drop. He has immaculate footwork to the point that he seems slow when moving, but does get to the ball.

The players we have here, is a neat and economical mover who likes to keep the pace steady. He would love to move you around and plan his shots. You mustn’t give him time to do so. Increase the pace and keep it high. Attack his backhand with cross-courts and volley cross-courts, and use your forehand power-drive. Use deception even when you are rallying from the back, but without exposing yourself with loose shots. Deception is recommended in order to give him less time to think, but mainly to disrupt his accurate, economical footwork. Forcing him to make adjustments and take rapid steps will disturb his physical and mental composure. Also the use of a brief relatively quick swing when playing drop shots could produce a similar effect. His altered footwork will leave him susceptible to being out-positioned and made to run much harder than he is used to.

The above examples of tactical plans could be seen as specific actions, which could be inserted within a more general framework. Therefore, it is always important to remember the tactical line of thinking or tactical framework explained above. That is, the basic concepts are always valid until an opponent has certain strengths and weaknesses that should be treated in a particular manner.

Psychological

In combination with the physical characteristics of a player, there is also his/her psychological make-up. They are both interdependent and it is often easy to note how a physical trait has shaped a certain aspect of the personality and vice versa.

A player does not have to be a psychology professor and psychoanalyse his opponent, but he must be well aware of specific details which could shape the latter’s game. For example, a player who expresses determination must be tested to see if he really remains so, even when trailing behind and tired. Some players could seem determined when things are going well, but when the going gets tough, they almost seem to change idea. Another example of an important personal quality is patience. Some players will stick to the task, even if results are not immediately evident, while other players may become frustrated if they don’t have things their way on a regular basis. Confidence too is not a situational phenomenon. It is a fact that some people have a great deal of self-confidence, while others, have almost none. Attacking a player who believes to thrive on self-confidence, and forcing him into making errors, could be a very effective ploy. You may encounter a player who is a sensitive, sharp, shrewd thinker, or a perfectionist who has an armoury of shots, which he plays, from carefully selected positions. Then there is the aggressive type, who is easy to recognise, and may well demonstrate to be impatient. There is also the type of player who overcomplicates situations or loves to go for risky shots.

The important point is to figure out what type of brains or mentality the opponent has, and what influence that could have on his game. You have to make a careful assessment of what type of game environment would be ideal for him and whether he is trying to produce that. It will be your job not to let him have his way. You should try to impose the conditions that are suitable for you and least suitable to him. Make a constant effort to interpret his thinking through his actions. Get into his head, and then outsmart him. For further reading on game psychology, click here.

To us, the adversary is like a worrier. He bears layers of armour and various weaponry. He has built a defensive wall, or rather, walls around himself. Presumably, we too, are well prepared. Hence, the start of the battle is awesome.

However, each one of us has had at least one humiliating defeat. That hateful match we never managed to get into, despite the fact that, on paper, it should have been evenly balanced. Every time there seemed a chance to do something about the horrid situation, things never went in the right sense. Possibly at some point, we lost all concentration and hope of playing decent squash. 

The same could have happened when confronting a theoretically superior opponent. In this case, the psychological factor plays an important role. Needless to say, had there been greater determination and a correct line of action from our part, the outcome could have been very different.

The one-sided match reminds us of the coach’s advise in the section entitled “Practical talk”. In that scenario too, the game would have been decisively going in favour of only one of the two players. So, the question here is, to what extent is the disappointing outcome due to the player’s own failure to react adequately?

Let us try to explore what a player, on the receiving end of this “harsh treatment” could do. It would be obvious to imagine that this player is being pinned to the backcourt and cannot cope with the pace set by the opponent.

The scenario is described here with the help of a series of video clips. The player in the dark shirt is unable to send his ball deep into the back corners, and is being driven behind by an opponent who is keen to volley and stay in front. 

Therefore, his first objective must be to make sure his length is long enough to reach the back wall. There is no point in believing to be playing a backcourt game when the opponent consistently takes the ball around the service box area. The second objective would be to make sure that his defensive shots adopted to slow the pace, must be well directed to the back and not bounce out of the back corners. The player could try to slow the pace down for a few rallies and play a totally defensive game if he is not able to produce low penetrating shots. The defensive game (

His third and most critical objective would be to utilise every loose shot by the opponent, to respond with an attacking powerful shot to the back-court.* This could well provoke other loose shots by the opponent. At this stage, the player is chipping away at the “wall”.

In the two positions demonstrated above, the player in the dark shirt has a perfect opportunity to play a short shot and stretch the opponent to the front. However, as he has not been predominantly in front, he should use such situations to hit aggressive deep shots to confirm his position on the T.

*One of the most common errors made by a player in great difficulty, is to attempt the short winning shot as soon as he gets half a chance. The dominating opponent will undoubtedly be quick and respond well, as he has not yet been put under pressure at the backcourt. Also, the short shot may well go down into the tin, and the player will have lost the opportunity to capitalise on the situation. Even if it turns out to be a winner once in a while, the player has really not achieved much, because the next rally, he will find himself again under the same pressure.

With persistence and determination, our player is more often on the T. Then, he gets the chance to really stretch the opponent, and on the successive shot, manages to out-position him. He gets him running and concludes the rally with a winner. 

If the player continues to be successful in staying in the middle

Now step into the shoes of the player who is following that famous coach’s advise in the previous section entitled “Practical talk”. This time, events will not flow perfectly as desired. The opponent has other plans.  Will the player be able to invert the situation and make those walls crumble, or will our player who knows this section on tactics like the back of his hand, find the answers to fend off his rival? Try out this game for yourself. Imagine all the possible actions the opponent could take to impede our player, and all the solutions, extracted from the concepts explained above, that our player could adopt to continue successfully with his plans.

Watching

Watching to learn, and learning to watch, are two subjects that are interlinked and interesting to explore. I remember as a young boy, the enthusiasm with which I would go on court just after watching top players in action. I tried to learn and copy their shots and every move on court. Observing expert players is always stimulating. Such an experience usually makes us think of our own game and what we could do to change and improve it.

Watching our opponents in action against other players is another experience that should not be neglected. Observing calmly from outside the court has great advantages. Our mind can be more focused on what the others are doing. This is not usually possible when we are on court and participating in the action. Besides, an external view of the whole court from a good angle can reveal certain aspects, which would not be seen from within the court itself. This is not to say that carefully noticing an opponent's actions from within the court is of little significance. That too, is vital, for the development of sound tactical play. The main difference is that when watching an opponent playing others, we have more time to analyse the various situations and come up with a strategy that would work well. 

More shall be said in a moment about understanding an opponent's game better. For now, let us refer our attention to the top professionals and see how we could learn from them.

players

Looking at these athletes playing could be an infinite learning experience. The different playing styles, physical and psychological characteristics, all add up to a mix of ingredients, which in time, could demonstrate all there is to be learnt. Their matches constitute the ultimate technical and tactical laboratory.

There is no doubt that watching to learn is therefore necessary. The important question is, how do we learn to watch? In other words, seeing these players' brilliant performances and being drawn into their spectacular play and competitiveness is not the answer. What should we look out for? How can we concentrate on the finer details? What are they really trying to do in order to win? These are the questions that need to be answered.

This is not always easy. Let me try to explain. When we go to a big tournament to enjoy watching such exciting players, we experience so much enjoyment as they compete, that we are drawn into watching the ball. Our main interest becomes how accurately the ball is sent here or there, and whether the players will reach it or not. We may also become emotionally attached as we sense the pleasure of viewing extraordinary talent, or if we prefer to see a particular player win.

Analysing a player's game or a match becomes very difficult. In order to learn the most, we should be able to isolate the various components that make up the player or match, and at the same time see the whole picture. Only the lucky ones who get the chance to frequently see these exceptional athletes can afford such detached observation. Besides, if we do watch squash analytically and come up with some hypothesis, it only becomes interesting as we watch more matches to test our ideas and have confirmation.

The moral of the story is, we either have to watch a huge number of matches or see as many videos as possible (preferably of complete matches) over and over again. Each time we look at one of these tapes, we should try to focus on particular details or aspects. We should come up with a conclusion/s, then watch the same match again to see if our ideas hold. Comparisons could also be drawn between players and strategies in other matches.

So, which details should we look out for? Well, having read most of this book, you should not be short of ideas. From a technical point of view, try to observe how the players swing their racket and the slight differences in style, timing, and impact. Certain players use the wrist more, while others use a longer swing and follow-through. Try to see if one style produces more accurate shots than another. Professional players have their speciality shots or favourite shots too. Try to identify who has the best drop-shot or counter drop, boast, or lob, just to name a few. Having done that, you may try to identify why that is so. Which technical aspect favours a particular player to have more accuracy when producing these shots? It would also be interesting to see which player is most deceptive, and try to understand why. Compare his/her methods to those described earlier.

Their movement and footwork should be observed in every possible situation. Identify the fastest and most efficient of players. Is his/her speed due to purely superior physique, or do they move perfectly and see the ball very early as explained in the specified section in this book? Note each player's physical characteristics and see how they make the best use of them. Some players are muscular and powerful, while others are light and agile. Some are tall, while others are short. How do their technical abilities and physical structure influence or shape the tactical choices they make?

This takes us to the real battle on court. Which player can tactically prevail? Even though these players are the best, they all have their relative strengths and weaknesses. How do they make the most out of their strong points, and how does the opponent react? Does he/she find a solution to defend or counterattack? At the same time, try to determine which are the relative weaknesses of each player and see if the opponent will take advantage and confirm your impression.

The personality and psychology of these players should also be examined. It is always interesting to see how the calm and confident are able to remain concentrated and win, while the less stable are most likely to lose. The real pros know how to handle every situation. They hardly lose control when interacting with either the opponent or referee.

There is much more to be found about game psychology in the section below. (click here if you wish to go there now)  Before that, let us first have a look at our opponents.

opponents

Watching an opponent while we are playing is rather obvious, though important. As mentioned above, the point here is to emphasise the importance of watching our opponents as they play against others. In doing so, we have more time to reflect on what we see, and can create a comprehensive idea of what he/she is capable of. We should basically look for their strengths and weaknesses, in all the various compartments. Having constructed a good picture, it is then possible to think of a game plan that would provide the right defensive action against each opponent's strengths and a clear idea of how to attack their weaknesses. (click here to see the section "Knowing your opponent")

Another advantage to watching our opponents against others, is that of seeing how different playing styles interact, and gaining fresh ideas. Consider this common phenomena. You usually win against player A, and mostly lose against player B, but player A almost always beats player B. What could be the reason? 

The answer is simply that the type of game that player A adopts creates the most problems for player B. To be more exact, we should examine what is meant by "type of game". Here, it implies that the shots used by player A, as a response to particular shots produced by player B, are very effective. So, as you observe the two playing against each other, try to individuate these shots and compare them to how you would have responded. This exercise will help you know your game better and acquire new ideas and/or skills.  

Player A may also have particular movement qualities that make all the difference. He may be generally quicker than you or faster in certain key situations. He may also last a little longer and is capable of sustaining each rally for more shots. Again examining the physical aspect could provide you with clear indications of where improvements could be made to your game, and how you should train.

The cause of this strange situation may also be psychological. Suffering more against one player compared to another is common. The mind is our control centre. If things up there do not run smoothly, all our actions are disturbed. The next section talks about game psychology.