Since its invention in 264 B.C., bocce ball has been played recreationally and competitively by players from all walks of life. Today, this short-range game is the 3rd most popular game in the world, with many clubs, lounges, and restaurants installing courts for their customers and professional players walking away with as much as $40,000 in prize earnings.
If you are a complete novice at bocce ball, you need to understand the basics of the game. Fortunately, the guide below discusses five things beginners need to know about bocce ball and explains how to play bocce ball if you are brand new at the game.
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The Objective Of Bocce Ball
Before learning how to play bocce ball, you need to understand the objective of the game. To play bocce ball, you need two teams. Each team can have as few as one player or as many as four players. Each player will roll their bocce ball as close as they can to the pallino (a small white ball), and the player with the closest ball to the pallino scores a point for their team. The team that reaches sixteen points first wins.
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The Equipment Needed To Play Bocce Ball
When learning how to play bocce ball, you need to know the equipment needed. To play the game, you will need eight bocce balls, one pallino, and six stakes, four of which you will use to mark the four corners of the court and two to mark the half-court position. The bocce balls are larger than the pallino and come in four colors, i.e., yellow, green, blue, and red, making it easy to distinguish between teams. The pallino usually comes in white so that players can easily detect it during a game.
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The Set Up
To play bocce ball, you need a flat surface made of clay, gravel, or artificial turf. If these surfaces are not available to you, you can play the game on sand, grass, or asphalt. Avoid playing the game on hard surfaces, as this contributes to the wear and tear of your balls. Also, ensure that the playing surface has no obstacles, as these may interfere with the game. Your playing court can be any size you want, but for a more enjoyable experience, a 60ft x 12ft court is ideal.
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Rules Of The Game
Before you start playing bocce ball, you must first throw the pallino. After throwing the pallino, you must throw the bocce balls underhand. You must stay behind the foul line when throwing the bocce balls. All balls that go out of bounds are considered dead, and no points are awarded.
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How To play Bocce Ball
Now that you know the objective, equipment needed, setup, and rules of the game, you need to learn how to play bocce ball. Playing bocce ball requires you to follow six simple steps, including:
- Flip A Coin
Each team will select a player who will flip a coin. The winner of the coin flip has two options: choose bocce balls according to color or toss the pallino.
- Toss The Pallino
When tossing the pallino, you must throw it beyond the half-court line. If you throw the pallino and it does not make it beyond the half-court line, or it goes out of bounds, the opposing team gets a turn throwing the pallino.
- Throw The Bocce Balls
The team that manages to toss the pallino into play throws the first bocce ball. That team throws their bocce balls until one goes beyond the half-court line or lands in the legal playing area. Then they step aside, setting the game in motion.
- Play In Rotation
Whenever a team throws their bocce ball closer to the pallino than the opposing team’s bocce ball, they step aside, allowing the opposing team to throw their ball. The game stops once all balls have been thrown.
- Awarding The Points
The team that throws their bocce ball closest to the pallino is awarded a point. Each team gets one point for every bocce ball that is tossed and lands closer to the pallino than the other team’s closest bocce ball.
- Winning The Game
The first team to reach sixteen points wins.
Enjoy Bocce Ball With Your Friends and Family
By understanding the objectives, equipment, setup, rules, and how to play bocce ball, you can enjoy endless fun with your friends and family. So, get your equipment, head outdoors, and let the fun begin.