Probe Before You Attack
The ITGPB player doesn't attack simply because they have a chance to hit the ball.
Before attacking, they look for information.
What happens if I put the ball here?
How will my opponent respond?
Where does that response leave them?
THE PURPOSE OF A PROBE
This is the purpose of a probe.
A probing shot is neither a “just get it back” shot nor a “I'm going to hit a winner” shot.
It is a purposeful shot designed to move an opponent and see how they handle it.
Probing Is About Discovery
A probe gives you information.
You are looking for the answer.
You aren't trying to force the answer.
How does your opponent move?
Can they handle a ball to their backhand?
What happens when you move them?
Do they lose balance?
Do they leave an opening?
Do they speed the ball up because they are uncomfortable or impatient?
And sometimes the answer isn't there.
That's information too.
So you probe again.
Probe Before You Attack
The purpose of probing is not to keep the ball in play forever.
The purpose is to discover when the situation changes.
A well-placed probe may expose a weakness. It may move an opponent out of position. It may create an awkward ball. It may simply reveal that the opportunity you thought was there isn't there yet.
When the information tells you an opponent is vulnerable, the probe can become an attack.
One way to do that is to increase the pace of the ball—sometimes a little, sometimes a lot.
The probe becomes an attack when you decide to exploit what you've discovered.
That distinction matters.
You aren't attacking because you're impatient.
You're attacking because the situation has given you a reason to attack.
Active Patience
This is where probing and patience come together.
The patient player doesn't simply wait for a mistake.
They actively work to understand the opponent.
Each probe can make the next decision a little clearer.
Eventually, the situation changes.
And when the opportunity appears, the ITGPB player is ready.
Probe.
Observe.
Learn.
Probe again.
Probe before you attack.
Because the best attack isn't always the hardest shot you can hit.
It is the shot that makes the most of what you've discovered.