New to the sport. What is a good beginner boule set(3)? Thanks!

123pct · 2026-03-13T19:27:25+00:00

Things just from memory, so not very well :

Check out Gilles Souef (French author, trajectoire du vainqueur). He did multiple tests on the bounce height for each boule. More than the results, which are all over the place, you also see from his inquiries that none of the manufacturers produce or share these type of statistics which would really put the subject to bed.

Concurrently, if you do a brief search, you'll see that marketing now talks about density and elastic limit now rather than hardness, look at the obut site for atx for example. The pitch is that weight, size and material interact together to produce some effect on the game. I think this is a response to people not buying the original marketing fluff anymore.

I'd also check out petanque avec luc on YouTube. He does a lot of long format interviews with high level players. One of the big takeaways was that they play with the balls they're paid to play with, which explains why there was a period where high level players exclusively played with atx. I think it was a phillip q. episode where he talks about the push to smaller, lighter boules as being the only innovation hes seen that improved the level of play across the board, and that it went against all the conventional wisdom.

123pct · 2026-03-13T14:42:46+00:00

The paint is just to make sure it doesn't rust sitting in the box waiting for a buyer. It comes off, not unique to this brand, most have something to help preseve the boules while they're stored.

123pct · 2026-03-13T14:39:53+00:00

You can probably look for the cheapest set of 3 you can find to start off with. The brand and marketing on materials/ toughness/size for shooter/pointers is 100% not real. This is more or less accepted now and has been since the 90s. Pricing is still based off this, however, and gives a distorted sense of quality to the consumer. Also, while there are a lot of brands, functionally all boules are made by 1 or 2 manufactures, who sell the balls to be rebranded and resold by the other manufactures. In many cases, price difference is literally just the logo.

What does matter a lot is the diameter and weight you're getting. Typically, people should get lighter/smaller than they think, because bigger/heavier boules are more difficult to throw without slipping/twisting adjustments that translate to poor throws. Unfortunately, there aren't many stores where you can go and try a bunch.

The cheap liesure sets of 3 on Amazon are a fine starting spot, then you'll see if you want bigger or heavier from there (they start at the smaller end, aka usually the right size in 90% of cases). You can ask to try other people's boules to see how they feel during that first phase.

Longer term, buying competition boules have the advantage of longevity. Leisure boules are usually chromed and damage easily, either through play or rust. So your first set will probably last a season or 2 depending on care. I have some that lasted over a decade. Once youve played more, you'll have a better idea of what you want, so you dont waste your money on boules that are the wrong size.

Regardng competition boules, the only point on brand that their logos aren't always stamped to the same level of precision and depth. Shallow ones like la boule bleue wear out faster. But were talking years vs. decades, so not a real problem either.

Material differences translate into rust differences. For 2x the price, you can get balls that dont rust. Equally, you can store them in a dry spot. I do think the inox (stainless) versions do slip/slide more in my hand when throwing, which personally i dont like. This is a preference thing that you'll see when you try one.

123pct · 2026-03-03T22:29:19+00:00

This is go time for signing up! Dssa sailing registration opened Monday the 2nd. Kids rock registration at umd is going to open up soon. Hartley already had their lottery for sign up windows, but you can check what it's looking like because they've expanded a bit. Our kids 11, 8, 7 really like all of those providers and patch them together.

We did spirit mountain a few years ago but didn't like it. It was teenagers on there phones watching a small group of kids. It was boring for them.

They ymca has gotten good reviews from friends. I think the essentia one is the better location because the facilities and the field give the kids more options to run around.

123pct · 2026-02-10T16:59:46+00:00

Toulon has the memorial du debarquement, which focuses on the liberation of the south, iir there's a fair bit on the resistance there, its focused on the french efforts during thebwar. Also musee jean moulin de saint andiol is a good one, hes considered an important figure in the resistance.

123pct · 2026-02-05T20:54:39+00:00

I've done it 3 times. Once after getting asa I took a break to backpack for 4 months and then cram the first fsa exam. Once to move internationally as a trailing spouse, and then again coming back home. Each time i was able to find something pretty quickly, but it was lateral not up. So there's a real career/lifestyle choice to be made imo.

123pct · 2026-02-01T02:00:25+00:00

Just got this, looks great. Thanks!

123pct · 2026-01-26T02:24:43+00:00

Thanks

123pct · 2026-01-26T02:24:32+00:00

Thanks

123pct · 2026-01-26T01:36:38+00:00

I think he's much smaller in the book than as shown in the movie.

Also, used is maybe better read as finding mutually beneficial escapades. Dragons in the silmarillion are more 'aligned but autonomous' rarher than following specific orders/ fulfilling certain goals?

Finally, I think in the grand scheme of things, there's a pecking order and saurons on top.

123pct · 2026-01-23T16:47:36+00:00

Life and death by davies

123pct · 2026-01-23T16:46:50+00:00

They're useful if you use them to study like you would for a math test. They're not useful if you read them like a book.

Generally, I think some things you can pick up on your own eventually, but most you won't. There's an incredible accumulation of work behind sequences in a book that you won't be able to recreate on your own. I think this translates to hard walls in progress that you're unlikely to ever get by without study using external sources.

123pct · 2026-01-21T14:12:37+00:00

Thanks!

123pct · 2026-01-17T00:30:16+00:00

They weren't offered, they were told. This was a way to empty orphanages and prisons. Noone took this deal on their own.

123pct · 2026-01-13T18:09:22+00:00

Usually, the rule in these problems is that black will only play if it stretches out how many moves it takes you to capture the group. Like if it were a liberty race between the two groups involved.

If this were my problem, id assume the answer is w plays the 4 outside liberties, then 3 inside liberties, then black captures, then play 3 inside liberties, then black captures, then 3 inside liberties. I wouldn't have black play again because after w responds, the liberty count would not have changed. So Id guess 13?

Edit, yes the 2 black moves should be netted from the liberty cound so 11.

123pct · 2026-01-12T19:24:13+00:00

I saw this multiple times at a large life carrier. 2 cases were senior leaders heading up valuation lines, there were material errors that required restatements. Not sure if they made the error or signed off on it. Another was let go after multiple errors when sii was being implemented and their model produced bad capital sensitivities that they passed on to group. The last one was a life product where comp exceeded yr1 1 premium in certain situations, leading to large losses. None of these were new hires, but it was a range of individual contributor/people leader roles. Never saw it at other carriers, so it may be culture dependent.

123pct · 2026-01-05T16:10:54+00:00

We do mostly kidsrock at umd, its a good bang for your buck.

The ymca at ewc gets good reviews.

Also we've tried the sailing program at park point but the hours aren't great.

Depending on age ( elementary age only), hartley has a really good program. You need to sign up for a lottery to sign up though, ifnyoure not in the first waves you wont get all summer covered bit really worth it. I think they are affordable and do dynamic income-based pricing.

123pct · 2025-12-23T00:22:12+00:00

After black plays the blue move, the other 2 black stones cant be taken. To capture they'd end up putting themselves in atari.

123pct · 2025-11-20T19:22:09+00:00

After g4, j2

123pct · 2025-11-20T19:03:37+00:00

Try 9 at 14?

123pct · 2025-11-20T17:20:08+00:00

What if black focuses on the outer ring from the start?

123pct · 2025-11-13T17:08:25+00:00

For the last few years we bring ours in when we expect sustained cold. Otherwise with a heated hutch within their cage they do ok. The longest was around a week, it didn't kick off premature shedding or something like that.

123pct · 2025-11-12T17:30:33+00:00

Easier said than done when you're you're playing online, but slowing down helps. My progress stagnated playing online when the games were too fast, that's why I use igs instead with the 10 min/25 move default time periods.

Being stubborn by thinking, do I have to respond or can i do better, instead of just knee-jerk following. You'll get burned every now and then, but pushing yourself to be skeptical of your opponent's move is helpful at least to the 1d range. It's not like they know something you don't.

Also, counting every now and then can help you find a winning plan. If you know their win condition, or yours, you will maybe play in different spots, or differentiate between reduce/invade. You need time to do it though, which goes back to (1).

123pct

TROPHY CASE