Mindsync
I played basketball with Eli 18.7 yesterday on a court that had baskets in the shape of a staple (pre-use). One basket at each end, two on the long axis.On days we don't play tennis, we'll shoot baskets for an hour and play HORSE. Anything to get moving and get out of the house for a while, because both the rock gym and the regular gym are closed.
"This raises some interesting scoring possibilities for HORSE," I said. "I have an idea."
Eli nodded. "So do I."
"Tell me," I said.
"No, you go first," he said.
"When a player makes a shot, the other player can shoot to the basket he used, just like normal. But if he shoots to the next closest basket and makes a longer shot instead, he not only doesn't get a letter, he gives his opponent a letter."
Eli burst out laughing. "That was EXACTLY my idea. I had this great idea and you had it word for word."
"We do that," I said.
He shook his head. "Not even surprised."
I laughed. "I hope it's always like that."
He smiled. "Always will be."
This made HORSE incredibly strategic. You had to consider how far your shot was from two baskets, not one, and whether you wanted to add that temptation, or shoot from a spot where it wasn't really an option. It was a hundred times more fun than regular HORSE. And it was even more fun that we both invented it at the same time.
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