By Cliff Wenn
Director of Squash
Cross Courts Squash & Fitness

In my first article on deception, I introduced the concept of deception by establishing a tactical pattern of play & then simply changing that pattern.

This is the simplest form of deception & can be immediately utilized and integrated into anyone’s game by the application of the right tactics/shot choices.

Deception using static biomechanics is where the deception occurs before the forward swing is actually initiated.

As a review, deception is when your opponent thinks your shot is going to one part of the court and then it goes the opposite way. Or it can be that your opponent believes that you will play a certain kind of shot and you play something else instead. How do we achieve this with static biomechanics, and what really is this?

Remember, deception is best attempted when your good basic fundamental shots (e.g. straight drive or good deep crosscourt) have won you an open ball.

Trying to use deception when you are off balance or in a defensive position is not usually a good idea. You should also be early onto the ball. The most common types of deception using static biomechanics are: a) the hold, b) shielding the ball, c) looking the other way from your intended shot, d) altering your stance, e) changing the starting point/position of your racket, & f) hitting the ball at a different contact point in reference to your body. Any of the above can be used in combination with one another to greater effect. Deception may or may not win you the point, but over the course of a match it can serve to tire out your opponent, forcing to initially start out in one direction and then having to push off to change direction abruptly.

I will now define and elaborate on these various types of static deception.

The Hold
Upon arriving early to the ball, have your racket up and prepared and freeze for a moment before striking the ball at a later point than normal. This will upset your opponent’s rhythm and timing and may cause him/her to second guess where your ball is going. If you vary the time when you strike the ball from time to time, you will keep your opponent unbalanced.

Shielding the Ball 
If you are able to put your body between your opponent and his/her view of the ball while preparing to hit the ball you may be able to delay your opponent’s first step a half second or so as they will not be able to see the actual striking of the ball. This is usually best achieved from in front of the ‘T’.

Looking the other way while hitting – This is most effective in the front of the court while retrieving a loose drop shot near one of the corners. For example, looking left while intending to hit the ball right and turning the body that way before the strike can fake out an opponent if executed correctly.

Altering your stance
This can be used from anywhere in the court, but is best utilized once a fairly long rally has been in progress. Let’s say that a rally includes several long exchanges of straight drives & cross courts and suddenly you close off your stance as if indicating a boast, but then hit another straight drive. This could cause your opponent to take a step towards the front of the court expecting the boast, and then have to back track for the straight drive which would now be in the back corner.

Also, try this in the front of the court faking a roll corner and hitting a drop or short rail.
1.  Changing the starting point/position of your racket – Once example: Let’s say on approaching a rather high drop at the front of the court that you keep your racket low to the ground instead of prepared where you normally would have it. This would look like your intention is to re-drop the ball – your intention is to flick the ball deep. Another effective method is to aim your racket in one direction while aligning up for your shot and then execute your shot in the opposite direction.
2.  Hitting the ball at a different contact point in reference to your body – This is a bit more advanced, but you could take the ball more in front, or behind, or left or right of your body for different effects. It is best to combine this with altering your stance. You can even approach the ball in a zigzag pattern to the front, slightly mesmerizing your opponent.

Here are some of the above tips pertinent to the skill levels: 

3.0 - Novice Player: Shielding the ball, as long as you do clear out after you hit the ball may be the best one to start experimenting with.

3.5 - C Player: Trying to develop a convincing hold will help to tire out your opponent or keep him/her starting out in the wrong direction. Altering your stance at various points of a rally and not always playing the same shots when you do alter your stance can be very effective.

4.0 - B Player:  When early to the front use the set up position of your racket and your body to mislead your opponent. Twist your head, shoulders and hips to the left & then hit the ball to the right. If you can continually fake out your opponent you might be up for an Oscar.

4.5 A/B Player & higher: At this level seek to not only utilize one of these types of deception but also to combine them and integrate them into your normal game. Experiment with various combinations until you find one that is the most effective and then personalize it and make it your own.

The next time you play your regular opponent use him/her as a ‘guinea pig’ to test out what works and what doesn’t work. And, keep things fresh by constantly changing and not choosing the same shot in the same situation. Always keep them guessing!

*A good practice drill is to approach each shot with 2 or 3 different options in mind and to make up your mind at the last moment.*

Next time, I will write about the most difficult type of deception, ‘dynamic biomechanical changes’. This is where the deception occurs during the strike.

See you on the court!

Read Part One on Deception by clicking HERE

Cliff Wenn is the Director of Squash at Cross Courts Squash & Fitness in Natick, MA, USA.  Previously he was the Head Pro at the Maugus Club in Wellesley for over 10 years. Cliff has over 20 years experience teaching and playing international squash. He is certified as a teaching pro at the highest level by the Professional Squash Association (PSA) and is also a US Squash National Verifier. He has been appointed a Master Teaching Pro and is a member of the Wilson Professional Advisory Staff.

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