All valid questions and they are difficult to answer accurately because often the choice of shot really depends on the situation currently at hand.

People are always talking to me about tactics and wanting that one sacred truth which will set them free and move their game to a higher level. Well, in this article I am not going to offer you any sacred truths, but I want to try and give you some pointers to help improve your own game.

Tactics are a vital part of the game there is no doubt. If you watch the better club players, it doesn’t seem to matter that they may carry a few extra pounds, or look a yard slower than their opponent, they always seem to scrape a win!!

I think Squash is like a physical chess – trying to out fox and out manoeuvre your opponent with cunning, disguise, patience and anticipation; coupled with an ability to be calm under pressure and take those opportunities to get your opponent in trouble when they arise.

Recognizing patterns of play: improving your tactics?
When I watch a regular club game of squash I see varying degrees of ball control, power and thought going into the game but it doesn’t matter what the style of the players, I will always see certain patterns of play repeat themselves within each game. I could bet that 9 times out of 10 that the same pattern of play will give the same end result.

For example, the rally begins and at some stage one player will play a straight forehand drop shot. The other player will then tear in to that corner, taking the biggest swing possible, and try to pound the ball through the front wall with a cross court drive. His opponent has already seen this coming like the 10 times before and will step across to volley the ball straight down the wall for a winner because his opponent is still getting his balance back from the gigantic cross court he has just played!

So where do we go from here?
Well, if I were player one, I would continue looking for the opportunity to play that forehand drop shot to the front corner and then wait for the inevitable cross-court to volley again, and probably win another point from it.
But when you are playing you should try to spot these patterns of play and use them to your advantage. If you feel you are getting a dividend from one particular pattern of play then try to build the rallies to generate those opportunities again. If you feel you are losing points from another particular pattern of play then look out for it and when you see it coming in a rally, consciously play a different shot to counter your opponents trap.

I believe that in this way you will really start to learn a lot about your strengths (which are what you will be trying to exploit), your weaknesses (which you will be trying to protect), your opponent’s strengths (which you will be trying to play away from) and your opponent’s weaknesses (which you will also be trying to exploit).
With this philosophy installed in your mind I believe you will develop your tactics and court awareness, raising your level at the same time.

So the excitement for me then comes from what happens next. Once you’ve countered an opponent’s strength, if they are equal to you, then they will be searching for another pattern of play that creates opportunities for them. And if they counter one of your strengths you must knuckle down to finding another pattern of play that will assist you in winning points. So the game continues and changes as each of you respond to the other, setting new traps to win points and at the same time improving your tactics and court awareness.

Tactical Tip #1
Be aware of your mental attitude toward your game. I have always tried to play squash and select my shots with the belief that the shot I am about to play is not going to be a ‘winner’ but another shot that my opponent will have to retrieve. In this way I am not putting unnecessary pressure on myself with expectations of playing a winning shot. Sure I will get some winners from good shots but I try not to expect them. I look at them as a bonus for being patient.

Tactical Tip #2
Ttry to limit yourself to playing attacking shots and high-risk shots (generally these are drop shots and low shots to the front of the court) only when you are in a balanced and comfortable position to do so. In this way you will play a better shot and reduce the risk involved with the execution of it.

Tactical Tip #3
If you are in trouble, use the lob!!! Put the ball up in the air high as possible to buy some time to recover your position to the “T” during a rally. It is an under used shot and can turn defense into attack within seconds.

I hope this gives you a general understanding to developing your game and improving your tactics. It may be that with these thoughts installed while you are playing, you will spot certain areas of your game that you can improve on. Make a note of them and then practice them on your own or with a partner ready for your next battle.

I have been playing this game for 25 years and still find areas of my game to improve and work on: shots, footwork, mental approach and fitness to name a few. It’s always a challenge to spot the weaknesses and ‘fix them up’, then install them in to my game and see the resultant benefit. Don’t you love it?

Good luck and happy squashing.

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