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Peter
Nichol's Top 10 Tips
| Tip
6
Match
Day
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Tip
7
Having
a game plan
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Tip
8
The T
is the key
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Tip
9
Looking
to attack
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Tip
10
Variations
and deception
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10.
VARIATIONS AND DECEPTION
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As squash players
we want the advantage of reading an opponent’s play, but we want
to make it difficult for our opponents to read us. We want to keep
our opponents guessing by using variations and deception.
Using variations
can hold an opponent in position longer before they move or can
catch them out with an unexpected variation they are slow to read
and to move to.
Deception may
wrong-foot an opponent and make them move the wrong way,
necessitating a time-consuming change of direction.
In your game,
work to develop the attacking side of your play and work on
developing variations and deception. Be prepared to experiment a
bit in your practice games and be prepared to mess up while you
are learning.
Variations are
really different alter-natives from the same positions on court.
Try to set up the same way for a selection of shots as this helps
disguise them.
Later you can add
deception by holding the shot or by showing one shot and playing
another. The idea is to keep an opponent guessing so they don’t
know what’s coming next. There are two examples here. One shows
a mid-court position with some of the alternatives I look for. The
other, in the front right corner, is my strongest attacking area;
attacking a right-hander’s forehand where it is harder for them
to get into the corner. In this second example from the same
set-up position I have a whole range or shots and I can generate a
lot of pace off a short swing which allows me a range of
variations and disguise.
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My
front right variations
1.
Straight drive
2.
Crosscourt
3.
Straight and crosscourt kills
4.
Straight drop and the flick crosscourt drop
5. The
trickle boast
6. Lobs:
deceptive lobs where you shape low for a drop
and flick up for a lob. Attacking lobs where an
opponent is up the court forcing a boast and then
attacking
7. The
narrow crosscourt
8. Full
swing to drop
9. Short
swing to drop
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My mid-court variations
1.
Short volley drop or volley kill
2.
Shape early for a straight volley drop and flick it
crosscourt
3.
A low hard crosscourt angled to die through service box
4.
Crosscourt volley hard in behind the service box for
the floor, side and back
5.
A higher crosscourt volley floated a bit more to the side
floor and back then to die
6.
Shape for a straight volley drop, hold it and then punch
deep
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