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This
is a brief general description of how the game of bocce is
played. For specific rules of play see the web pages for
social
play rules and
league play
rules.
EQUIPMENT:
A
set of bocce balls is composed of 8 large bocce balls (4 of one
color and 4 of another color) and one smaller ball called the
”Pallino”.
TEAMS:
The sport is played between two teams with from 1 to 4 players on
each team.
Players on each team:
1
Player - 4 balls each – walk end to end
2
Players - 4 balls each with one player at each end or 2 balls
each & walk end to end
3
Players - 2 balls each for 2 players at one end and 4 balls
for 1 player at other end
4
Players - 2 balls each with 2 players at each end
GAME DESCRIPTION:
The object of the sport of Bocce is for a team to get as many of
their balls as close to the pallino as possible.
Begin the match with the flip of a coin between teams. The winner
of the coin flip has the first toss of the pallino and chooses the
color of the team's balls. A team member throws the pallino and
rolls the first bocce ball as close to the pallino as possible.
(The pallino must end up across the centerline and at least 12
inches away from the sideboards or backboard without hitting the
backboard. If a thrower fails to do this, the pallino throw goes
to other team. If the second throw fails to place the pallino
into play, the pallino is placed approximately in the center of
the spocking foul line at the opposite end of the court .
The original thrower of the pallino always throws the first bocce
ball. ) Next, a player of the opposing team rolls a ball and tries
to get closer to the pallino. A team must continue to roll their
bocce balls until it gets closer to the pallino than the closest
ball of their opponents.
Players must deliver all balls from behind the pointing foul
line. Balls may be bounced or played against the sideboards. A
bocce ball hitting the backboard without first touching the
pallino or another bocce ball is a dead ball and is removed from
play.
While the object is to get close to the pallino, it is permissible
for a player to play the ball in order to knock away an opponent’s
ball. A player "hitting" or “spocking” the opponent’s ball must
release the bocce ball before crossing the spocking foul line.
Likewise, a player may play a ball so as to knock or move the
pallino toward another of their own team’s balls. The pallino is
live anywhere on the court, except if it comes back behind the
mid-court line or is knocked out of the court, at which time the
frame is dead and play begins again at the opposite end.
When all balls have been played, one team is awarded one point for
each bocce ball closer to the pallino than the closest ball of the
opposing team. Thus, a team may score 1-4 points for each end of
play. The other team scores no points. If the closest ball of each
team is equal in distance from the pallino, no points are awarded
for the frame.
The team that scores in one frame starts the next frame by
throwing out the pallino and playing the first bocce ball.
The game is won by the first team scoring 12 points. The game ends
when the 12th point is scored and the other team has
played all 4 bocce balls.
If the teams play another game, the team members switch ends of
the court and the winning team throws out the pallino and delivers
the first bocce ball.
(This description is a reprint of the description found at
http://BocceStandardsAssociation.org on the
Internet.)
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