We're here to tell the stories, not the opinions! Send us your story or results to info@wcblog2.com You control the story, help shape it!

Live WEBCASTING : www.ustream.tv/channel/wcblog2 Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/WCcurlingblog2

Translate to your required language

Monday, April 16, 2012

Article 1 – Part 3 - Strategy & Tactics


PART 3
As discussed, there are 5 basic stages to properly staging an 8 end game. Stage 1 occurs in end 1-2 and as we move though the ends 3-4 and so on, so do the stages.
So how do we relate these to our 3 types of game plans, Defense, Offense and Blended attack? To make is a little simpler I have created a table which may help you understand it.



DEFENCE FIRST

Stage
Scoreboard Target
Without Last Rock
With Last Rock
Stage 1
(Ends 1-2)
Avoid Opposition
Control Game
Protect
or
Probe (-)
Probe (-)
Or
Probe (+)
Stage 2
(Ends 3-4)
Gain at least
Potential Control
Protect
or
Probe (-)
Probe (+)
Or
Probe (-)
Stage 3
(Ends 4-5)
Gain at Least
Limited Control
Probe (-)
or
Protect
Probe (+)
Or
Probe (-)
Stage 4
(Ends 6-7)
Maintain Control
Position for Stage 5
Protect
TO
Probe (+)
Probe (+)
TO
Pursue
Stage 5
(End 8)

Win the Game!
Protect
TO
Pursue
Protect
TO
Pursue


OFFENCE FIRST

Stage
Scoreboard Target
Without Last Rock
With Last Rock
Stage 1
(Ends 1-2)
Push to Gain
Limited Control
 Probe(-)
or
Probe (+)
Pursue
Or
Probe (+)
Stage 2
(Ends 3-4)
Push to Gain
Definite Control
Probe (+)
or
Probe (-)
Pursue
Or
Probe (+)
Stage 3
(Ends 4-5)
Gain/Maintain
Definite Control
Probe (+)
or
Probe (-)
Pursue
Or
Probe (+)
Stage 4
(Ends 6-7)
Maintain Control
Position for Stage 5
Protect
TO
Probe (+)
Probe (-)
TO
Pursue
Stage 5
(End 8)

Win the Game!
Protect
TO
Pursue
Protect
TO
Pursue



Balanced/Blended

Stage
Scoreboard Target
Without Last Rock
With Last Rock
Stage 1
(Ends 1-2)
Gain at least
Potential Control
Probe (-)
or
Probe (+)
Probe (+)
Or
Pursue
Stage 2
(Ends 3-4)
Gain at least
Limited  Control
Probe (-)
or
Probe (+)
Probe (+)
Or
Pursue
Stage 3
(Ends 4-5)
Move Toward
Definite Control
Probe (-)
or
Probe (+)
Probe (+)
Or
Pursue
Stage 4
(Ends 6-7)
Maintain Control
Position for Stage 5
Protect
TO
Probe (+)
Probe (-)
TO
Pursue
Stage 5
(End 8)

Win the Game!
Protect
TO
Pursue
Protect
TO
Pursue


Now that we have the basic understanding of what we need to do we need to remember 2 key moderators to any game plan; Playing conditions and the Opponent. I mean these are simple right?

You MUST consider the quality and consistency of the ice and for that matter the rocks. If you don’t and don’t know how to adjust the plan to these conditions then maybe you should just go home. Not trying to be mean but if your team can not adjust to heavy ice or quick ice, swingy or straight then real there is not much hope for a win that game.

The other MAJOR component which is truer in wheelchair curling than able-bodied curling understands the opponent. Not only understanding what they can or cannot do on the ice or during the game but also to understand the disability that each player has. Each type of disability and player is going to be able to do thing the other may not. I mean tolerance to cold, spasms, ever the difference between a para and a quad can give you the advantage over the other team. You must consider their performance and capabilities along with their strategic preferences.  In the early days of Wheelchair curling most women (no offence) played lead and could not throw take out weight. So strategy was simple and direct has to how to take that to your advantage. Today the grounds have leveled out and we must look closer at what a player can or cannot do. We saw examples or this at Nationals. I was surprised to see many teams not take advantage of some player’s inability to throw certain types of turns. In most games teams would though 1 turn way more than another and the stats showed this. 80% of the time an IN turn was selected over and over again. Why did teams not pick up on this and make IN turn preference teams throw the other turn?

Also;  in those players who are Quads; their disability often determines what type of turn they can throw often with those players being only able to throw that turn. Again; we saw this at nationals and few teams picked up on it. In one game, if the team playing had forced the lead to throw the other turn and the same for the skip then that team would have won ease. We need to look at the big picture and that requires research.

So we need to ask; How would you modify your ‘typical’ Game Plan, if at all, when faced with each of the following realities: Poor Playing Conditions, Good Playing Conditions,   a Stronger Opponent, a Weaker Opponent? 

This ends article 1 and in the next series we move on to strategy and tactics part 2. We will get much more specific regarding strategy including some scenarios. Please leave us a comment on what you thought of parts 1-3.

6 comments:

Jamie Eddy said...

Good job, Chris. Keep them coming!

Ncurler said...

Informative and helpfull.... I look forwrd to your next issue.

NCurler

Anonymous said...

When do we get to the Wheelchair Curling aspects specifically?

Anonymous said...

WOW, really...you have to be kidding right!

Everything Chris is putting up on here us wheelchair related. Do you live under a rock for the last 4 years?

I am sure you have nevered played before becuase the differences between the AB game and the Wheelchair game are so small now it is more about knowing the whole game than 1 small difference. WOW.

Michael Fitzgerald said...

The differences between AB and wheelchair curling don't seem so small when you are the one in the house calling the game.

Sweeping adds a whole new dimension that takes a lot of experience to become comfortable with. Ice reading becomes much more important when you have to anticipate rocks making their move and when sweeping should begin or stop.

In wheelchair curling, once the rock has been sent on it's way, the skip is only an observer that should be paying attention to gather info for future shots, such as curl or speed of ice. In AB curling, you can quite often take a missed shot and by making split second decisions while calling line, turn a bad shot into an excellent plan B.

With sweeping available, the tactics a skip may choose from become more numerous. I might be reluctant to ask a lead that is doing well just to get the rock over the hog line, to try drawing down to an opponent's rock in the house, for fear of giving them a guard. A pair of good sweepers might give me the confidence to go for that freeze or tap and roll.

Anonymous said...

Respectfully Mike,

The game has progressed to the point were sweeping is not that accountable in WC curling. Why you ask becuase it has never been a consideration.

Calling ice in the wc game is no different then the AB game just in the WC game there are more things to consider before putting the broom down.

The game has progressed that some in the WC game who can call good ice and knwo there team nulls the diffeerence a sweeper can make.

Apple and Organge Mike, no disrepsect - but this years nationals changed everything!