"So apparently there are some things you should never reveal and some comments best left unsaid?”

“Yes, avoid making comments which draw attention to any of your temporary or permanent weak points such as:

‘I'm not going to be able to give it my best shot!’
‘I don't stand a chance of getting anywhere near!’
‘It's an impossible shot!’
‘I hardly threw it but look at it roll!’
‘Don't set me up for such a long shot. I'll never manage it!’

Never confess to such things. Always remember that there are 13 - or 11 - points to a game and that with a bit of luck no one will notice your shortcomings".

"What is the one question that should never be asked?”

"Funnily enough, it's the very question that you hear most frequently during a game, ie ‘How many boules do you have left?’ In my opinion it's the sort of question which is demeaning for the player and which casts the team in a poor light - in effect, at any time during the game it’s important to not only know the number of boules remaining to the rival team but also and above all which player has them. Playing tactics will very often depend on the response to this question - bearing in mind that it is better to get a pointer to shoot and a shooter to point!

Talking about the famous not-to-be-asked question, I remember an anecdote which goes back a few years now. During a match at the outset of a competition, one of the players from the opposite side turned to my friend Jean and asked ‘How many boules have you got left?’ Without batting an eyelid Jean replied ‘Two!’ After a moment's hesitation, the man who had asked ‘the question you don't ask’ then pressed the point further, saying ‘What do you mean, two, you've only got one left!’

Upon which Jean quipped ‘I might just have one left but in my brother's hands it's worth - two!’ “

- Am I right in thinking there are some admissions or comments that you should never make?
- Yes, you should avoid any comments that draw attention to any of your momentary or permanent weaknesses, such as:
I’m not going to manage that one!
I won’t be able to get one anywhere near that!
There’s no way I can get to that!
It just slipped out of my hand. Look at how it keeps on rolling!
Don’t make me throw so far. I’m really struggling here!
You should never be heard admitting anything of the sort. Bear in mind that a game is made up of 13 (or 11) points, and that, with a bit of luck, your shortcomings will go unnoticed…
- Is there one question you should never ask?
- Funnily enough, it’s the one you hear most frequently in a game… “How many balls have you got left?” In my opinion, it is one of those that takes away from a player and undermines the team’s image. Because at any one time you have to know not only how many balls your opponent has left but also and above all whose hands they are in. It is the answer to that question that very often determines the tactics you have to adopt. Given that it’s better to make the pointer (the one whose job it is to place his ball as close as possible to the jack) knock the opponent’s ball away (called ‘shooting’) than it is to make a shooter place his ball…

On the subject of that famous question you should never ask, I remember an anecdote from a few years back. During a game at the start of a contest, one of the player’s in the opposing team turned to his brother Jean and asked him, “How many balls have you got left?” Jean answered without skipping a beat, “Two!”. After a moment’s hesitation the one who had asked ‘the question you never ask’ came back at him with, “What do you mean, two? You’ve only got the one.”

Jean answered, with his tongue firmly in cheek, “Yeah, one! But in my brother’s hands, it’s worth two!”

- So apparently there comments or revelations that you shouldn't share with the opposition?
- Yes, you should always avoid comments which draw attention to any temporary, or permanent weaknesses. Such as:
I can't get a good hold!
Look at that, I can't place anything!
That’s an impossible shot!
I just let go of it. Look at it roll!
Don't make me aim that far. I can't play anymore!
Don’t ever admit these things. Tell yourself that game is made up of 13 (or 11) points and with a bit of luck your weaknesses will go unnoticed...
-What question should you never ask?
-It is paradoxically the question that is actually heard most during a game: “How many boules have you got left?”. In my opinion that question degrades the player and devalues the team. At all times, a player should know not only the number of boules the opposition have, but also, and more importantly, in whose hands they are. The answer to this question often affects the tactics of the game. With the knowledge that it is better to make a pointer shoot or a shooter point etc…

Going back a few years I remember an anecdote on the very subject of this question that should never be asked. During a match at the start of a tournament, one of the players from the opposite team turned to my brother Jean and asked him "how many boules do you have?" Jean replied without a moment’s hesitation "Two!” After thinking for a second, the guy who asked 'the question that should never be asked' came back with "how can you have two? You only have one left."

Jean quipped: “Yes, only one. But in the hands of my brother it’s worth two!”

“It seems there are some revelations or comments that should never be made.”

“Yes. Avoid any comments that expose your passing or permanent weaknesses, such as:
"I'm not the player for that type of shot!
"I'm not going to score with that one!
"It’s impossible to make it!
"I just let the boule drop. Boy, is that thing rolling!
"Don't throw the jack so far. I won't get near it!
"Never make such admissions. Remind yourself that there are 13 (or 11) points to a match and that, with any luck, no one will notice your shortcomings..."

"What is the one question that must never be asked?"

"Paradoxically, it’s the question one hears the most during a match: ‘How many boules do you have left?’ In my opinion, it is one of those questions that downgrade a player and devalue a team. Because at all times, it is essential to know not only how many boules your opponents have left, but also, and most importantly, who has them. The tactic to adopt depends on the answer to this question. Knowing that it’s better to make a pointer shoot and a shooter point…

“On the subject of this famous question not to be asked, I recall an anecdote from some years back… In the middle of a match early in a competition, one of the players on our opposing team turned to my brother Jean and asked him: ‘How many boules do you have left?’ Without batting an eyelid, Jean replied: ‘Two!’ …After a moment’s hesitation, the player who asked the question-not-to-be-asked returned to the issue: ‘What do you mean, two? You only have one…’

“And with a glint in his eye, Jean replied: ‘Yes, one indeed! But in my brother's hands, it's as good as two!’”

- There are certain revelations or comments one should never make, don’t you think?
- Yes, avoid comments that highlight your weaknesses, temporary or permanent. Such as:
It’s not in my hand!
I won’t put one there!
It’s impossible to go there!
I just dropped it. Look at it roll!
Don’t send it so far. I can’t make it!
Never resort to this type of admission. Just tell yourself that a game is played in 13 (or in 11) points, and with a bit of luck, your mistakes will go unnoticed.
- What question should never be asked?
- Strangely enough it’s the question heard most often during a game … “How many boules do you have left?” In my opinion it’s one of those that brings down a player and devalues a team. Since at all times you have to know not only the number of boules the opponent has, but also, and above all, who's holding them. The answer to this question often determines the strategy to be used. Knowing whether it's better to shoot a pointer or point a shooter ….

On the subject of the famous question no one should ask, I'm reminded of an anecdote from a few years back. During a game at the beginning of a competition, one of the players on the opposing squad turned to my brother Jean and asked: “How many boules do you have?” Jean answered without batting an eyelash: “Two!” After a moment’s hesitation, the one who had posed "the question one must never ask" retorted: “What do you mean two; you only have one…”

And Jean answered in an exaggerated tone : “Yes one! But in my brother’s hands it’s worth … two!”

- It seems there are revelations or comments that one should never make?
- Yes, avoid comments that bring to light your passing or permanent weaknesses. Such as:
That's beyond me!
I can't make that one!
That's an impossible shot!
I just let it fly. Look at it roll!
Don't "send me so far." I'll never make it!
Never resort to this kind of confession. Tell yourself that a game is played to 13 (or to 11) points, and that, with a little luck, your shortcomings will remain unnoticed...
What is the one question you should never ask?
Paradoxically, it is the question one hears most frequently during a game... "How many boules do you have left?" That is, in my opinion, one of those questions that degrades a player and devalues a team. At all times, you have to know not only how many boules your opponent has, but also and above all, who has them. Very often, tactics to be used depend upon the answer to this question. Knowing that it is better to shoot against a pointer and to point against a shooter…

Speaking of this famous question never to be asked, I remember an anecdote that goes back a few years... During a game at the beginning of a tournament, one of the players on the opposing team turned to my brother Jean and asked him, "How many boules do you have?" Jean answered him without batting an eyelid, "Two!" After a moment's hesitation, the guy who asked the "the question best left unasked" came back with, "What do you mean two, you only have one left..."

And Jean responded as if telling a tall tale, "Yes, one! But in my brother's hands, it is worth... two!"

“Apparently there are things you shouldn’t comment on or reveal aren’t there?”
“Yes, avoid comments that highlight your weaknesses, whether they be temporary or permanent.” Such as:
It doesn’t suit my hand!
I won’t place one!
It’s impossible to get to!
I just let it go. Look how far it’s rolling!
Don’t pull me out so far. I can’t get there!
Don’t ever admit things like this. Tell yourself that a game is in 13 (or 11) points and that with a bit of luck, your shortcomings will remain unnoticed...”
“What question should you never ask?”
“Paradoxically, it’s the question you hear most frequently during a game: ‘How many boules have you got left?’ In my opinion it’s the very question that downgrades a player and devalues his team because not only should you always know how many boules your opponent has but, more important still, in whose hands they are. The tactic to choose often depends on the answer to this question, given that it’s best to make a shooter point and a pointer shoot...
Talking about the-question-you-should-not-ask reminds me of an anecdote from a few years ago... During a game at the beginning of a competition, one of the players in the opposite team turned to my brother and asked: “How many boules have you got?” Jean replied without batting an eyelid: “Two!” After a moment’s hesitation, the one who had asked the-question-you-should-not-ask came back with: “What do you mean two? You’ve only got one left...”
To which Jean retorted jokingly: “Yes, one, but in my brother’s hand, it’s worth two!”