PALLINO THROW:
1. The pallino is the first ball put into play and is thrown
underhand from behind the pointing foul line. The pallino may be bounced
off the sideboards.
2. The pallino must end up across the center line and at least 12
inches away from the sideboards or backboard without hitting the
backboard. If a thrower fails to do this, the 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 hitting foul line
at the opposite end of the court in order to speed up play.
3. If a player throws pallino and/or first ball when other team
should throw the pallino, the balls are returned and the frame starts
over.
4. Once pallino is in play, the pallino can be knocked anywhere on
the court except back over the center line or out of the court (frame
ends, play resumes at opposite end, and same team throws the pallino).
BOCCE BALL THROWS:
1. The initial pallino thrower always throws the first bocce ball.
All balls are thrown underhand. If the first ball hits the backboard
without hitting the pallino first, the ball is removed and the team
throws again until they have a ball in play.
2. Except for hitting, all bocce balls are thrown from behind the
pointing foul line. Any ball released behind the pointing foul line is
considered a throw for points. Any ball released beyond the pointing
foul line and before the hitting foul line is considered a throw to hit
or spock other balls. Foul Line rules apply.
3. Each succeeding ball is thrown by the team that does NOT have the
ball closest to the pallino. A team whose ball ties the opponent's
closest ball must throw again. The “IN” team only throws if opponents
have thrown all 4 balls. Team members can throw in any order.
4. Hitting or spocking is permitted. A player must first inform the
official referee (or their opponent if there is no official referee)
that they intend to go past the pointing foul line to deliver a "hit" or
"spock" (a hard underhand throw directly at the balls on the court and
released before crossing the hitting foul line for the purpose of moving
the opponent’s balls or the pallino.) The thrown ball is removed from
play if the pallino or another ball is not hit, even if the ball does
not hit the backboard.
5. Balls may be bounced off or played against sideboards.
6. A ball hitting the backboard without first touching the pallino or
another bocce ball is a dead ball and is removed from play. Standard
Penalties apply.
7. If a player throws wrong color ball, it is replaced with a correct
color ball after the ball comes to rest.
8. If a player throws when the other team should throw or throws more
than 2 balls, that ball is removed from play. Standard Penalties apply.
9. If a player throws when other team should throw because of a
miscall by the Referee, the ball is returned and the correct player
throws. Standard Penalty #2 applies.
10. If a team's legally thrown ball is interfered with while moving
by someone or something not on the playing surface before the throw, the
ball is returned to be thrown again. If possible, any balls moved by the
throw are reset to their approximate original position. If balls are
sufficiently moved that the approximate original positions can not be
determined, the frame is replayed. However, if the interference is
caused by a team member, the ball is removed from play and the Standard
Penalties apply.
11. If a team's legally thrown ball is moved (accidentally or
intentionally) from its resting position by an opposing player or
referee before the points are determined and the end of the frame is
declared, it is reset to its approximate original position. If the ball
is sufficiently moved that the approximate original position can not be
determined, the offended team has the option to leave the balls
as they lay or replay the frame.
12. If a team's legally thrown ball is moved from its resting
position (accidentally or intentionally) by a team member, the ball is
removed from play. Standard Penalties apply.
13. The person(s) doing the measuring must press and rotate balls and
the pallino before measuring to mark their original position on the
court surface. If a ball or pallino is accidentally moved while
measuring, it is replaced to its original marked position.
14. A bocce ball , for whatever reason, that goes out of the court is
a dead ball and is removed from play for that frame.
15. Volo shooting (lofting the ball in the air beyond the center line
of the court) is not permitted.
FOUL LINES:
1. Pointing and Hitting foul lines must be clearly marked across the
playing surface for foul line violations to be officially called and
penalties applied.
2. Players may step on but not over the proper foul line before
releasing the pallino or a bocce ball. (Toe of foot can not exceed the
width of the foul line mark.)
3. If a player's toe exceeds the width of the proper foul line before
releasing a ball (bocce or pallino), they will receive one warning.
Subsequent fouls will result in nullifying the pallino throw or removal
of the thrown bocce ball from play. Standard Penalties apply.
STANDARD PENALTIES:
1. For the violation of any rule that requires the removal of a bocce
ball from play, that ball is immediately removed from play until that
frame has been completed. The violation must be called and the ball
removed before the next ball is thrown. If the ball is not removed
before the next ball is played, the ball remains in play for the rest of
the frame.
2. If possible, any balls moved because of the action of the
violation ball are reset to their approximate original position. If
balls are sufficiently moved that the approximate original positions can
not be determined, the opposing team has the option to leave the balls
as they lay or replay the frame.
SCORING:
1. The official score for frame is determined after all 8 balls have
been played and measured to the captains' satisfaction. One point is
awarded for each ball of a team that is closer to the pallino than the
opponent’s closest ball (1 to 4 points).
2. The team that scores in the last frame throws the pallino in the
next frame and play continues as above.
3. If each team’s closest balls are tied, no score is made and play
continues at the opposite end with the team scoring the point(s) in the
previous frame delivering the pallino.
4. The team that first scores 12 points, wins the game.
5. Matches are determined by the league or tournament and may be by
games won, 2 out of 3 games, 3 out of 5 games, etc. A typical match is 3
games.
SUBSTITUTION:
1. It is the responsibility of each team player to obtain a
substitute and notify the Team Captain if they can not play a scheduled
game.
2. Substitutes must be extra players on the team or on the League
Substitute Roster. A team player who is playing a scheduled game that
week may not substitute on another team. (Optional: Team players that
are not scheduled to play that week may be used for substitutes if the
roster substitutes are not available).
3. Substitutions may only be made between games or between frames. A
late arriving missing player or substitute may enter the game in a
vacant position at any time between frames.
4. A team with 4 players on the court may make up to four
substitutions between games but only one substitution during a game. A
player replaced during a game cannot reenter that game or the next game.
TEAM CAPTAINS:
1. The team captain participates in the coin toss and assigns players
to their position on the court.
2. The team captain may designate a player as an "end captain" for
the end opposite that of the captain.
3. Only the team captain or an end captain may go on the court for
measurements. A captain may observe and call for measurements to
determine the official score for a frame.
4. A captain may approach and observe the positions of balls in play.
A captain after observing the balls, must return behind the pointing
foul line and may only use hand signals to instruct partners at opposite
end of court.
5. Only the captain or a designated player from each team (a total of
two players) shall return balls for the next frame after points have
been determined.
6. The team captain is responsible for assuring that the team's
points are posted correctly and for reporting final game scores to the
record keeper.
TEAM PLAYERS:
1. Players must remain behind the hitting foul line at all times
except the thrower may go out to the center line just prior to throwing
to observe the position of balls on the court.
2. Players may request an “IN” count or a measurement at any time.
An "IN" count is not official until all 8 balls have been played and
necessary measurements made.
3. Players may converse with one another but only with players on
their end of the court. Only hand signals may be used with players at
the opposite end of the court.
4. Players shall not talk to or interfere with a thrower on the court
prior to the release of the ball. When the thrower is on the
court, all other players must be off the court and remain behind the
backboard.
5. No player may go up to the balls and instruct a team player how or
where to throw the ball.
6. Player practice after the game start time is limited to one
complete frame in each direction.
7. To preserve the condition of the clay court, players shall
minimize walking on the court and not wear ripple or spiked sole shoes.
OFFICIAL REFEREES :
1. Referees shall be qualified bocce experts and fully knowledgeable
of the league/tournament rules.
2. Referees shall have a copy and enforce all game rules.
3. All “IN” determinations and measurements are made by the Referee.
(Measurements may be made with any device that reliably and repeatably
indicates the difference between the measurements.)
4. The referee determines the points for each frame and reports the
point score to scorekeepers.
5. The referee shall not give advice to either team or coach players
as to where to direct their throw.
6. The referee has the final word in disputes and must document any
formal objections/protests for future action by the
club/league/tournament committee. Formal objections/protests must be
made by the team captain before the next ball is played.
7. A referee for valid reasons may allow a time-out up to 10 minutes
maximum.
8. The official referee has the option, after one or more warnings to
the player and team captain, to eject a player for continued rule
violations, arguing, or disrupting play.
TEAM PLAY WITHOUT OFFICIAL REFEREES:
1. Team Captain assigns team members to each end of court. Team
Captain appoints one of the team members at the opposite end of the
court to be the ‘End Captain’ for that end. The Team Captain is the ‘End
Captain’ for their end of the court.
2. The End Captain determines who throws and in what order for the
team members on their end of the court.
3. The End Captain of each team at the non-throwing end of the court
stand at the side of the court near the pallino and serve as the
referees (Official Referee rules apply). If they agree on the ‘IN’ color
they notify the other end of which color should throw. If they disagree,
they measure and then notify the other end of which color should throw.
The same procedure applies to determining the point count. The End
Captains report the point score to scorekeepers.
4. The End Captains are the only 2 people allowed on the court to
make measurements, determine points, and return balls. All other players
must remain behind the end backboards at these times.
5. The End Captains refereeing can not verbally coach their team
members on the throwing end, however, they can give hand signals but
only from the side of the court. They can respond on the court to a
thrower’s question as to which balls are ‘IN’.
LOCAL RULES
1. Due to specific local conditions, a club, league, or tournament
may add additional local environmental rules relative to safety,
behaviors, equipment use, court grooming, noise, footwear, dress,
uniforms, etc.
2. Due to specific local conditions, a league or tournament may add
additional local operational rules relative to officials, protests,
non-playing captains/coaches, spectators, records, scorecards,
tie-breakers, missing players, substitutions, breaks/time-outs, weather
delays, delay-of-game, etc.
____________________
Copyright © 2002-2010 Bocce Standards Association. All rights reserved.
(These rules may be reproduced for club member use but may not be
reproduced and sold.)
For more
Bocce Standards information go to:
http://www.BocceStandardsAssociation.org/