BASIC RULES OF BOCCE

• Game is played between two teams of four. A team of four will split into pairs at either end of the court.
• Each team plays with four bocce balls that are differentiated by color. The goal of the game is to get your team’s bocce balls closer to the pallino, the smaller target ball, than the other team’s bocce balls.
• Each frame is played from one side of the court and begins with the pallino being thrown into the field of play.
• Every throw (including the pallino) must meet the following criteria to remain on the court:
• Player’s feet must be behind the back wall, extended. Player can move outside the sidewalls to get their desired angle, but cannot break the plane of the back wall.
• Ball must be thrown underhand and reach the half court line.
• Ball cannot touch the back wall unless it makes contact with a ball in play first.
• The team closest to the pallino is “in” and the other team is “out.” The team that is “out” throws until they are “in” or out of bocce balls. Both teams must throw all of their bocce balls to complete a frame.
• To become the team that is “in” you must throw a ball closer to the pallino, so being the same distance away doesn’t cut it.
• There are no rules against your ball striking any of the balls in play or the side walls.
• Points are scored after all balls have been thrown. The team with the ball closest to the pallino is the only team scoring in that frame. Scoring team receives one point for each of their balls closer to the pallino than the other team’s closest ball.
• If two balls are equidistant from the pallino at the end of the frame, then the next closest ball breaks the tie.
• The team that scores controls the pallino to begin the next frame. They get to throw the pallino and then first bocce ball.
• Each team member must throw two balls per frame, but they can do so in any order.
• If the pallino goes out of bounds, that frame ends. Play then resumes from the opposite end of the court with the team that originally tossed the pallino tossing it again.
• Measurements for all “points” are taken from the front edge of the Bocce being measured to the front edge of the pallino. Only an official and one representative from each team may be present for the measurement.
• Only the official touches the balls until the round is scored.