Players
The game is played with two teams; each team has four players and up to four alternates.

 

Object
The object of the game of bocce is for one team to get as many of their balls closer to the pallino than the opposing team’s closest ball. In league play there are three games played.  Each game is played until 12 points are scored.

 

Play
A toss of a coin determines which team will start. The team that wins the coin toss gets the choice of either throwing the pallino first or the color ball they will play with. The team that chooses to throw the pallino then rolls his/her first ball as close to the pallino as possible.

 

If the pallino does not cross the center line or hits the back wall on the first toss the same player tosses the pallino again. If the player fails on the second toss, the opposing team gains possession of the pallino. If this player fails to put the pallino in play tossing will alternate between teams until the pallino is in play.

 

When the pallino has been properly put into play, the first bocce ball will be thrown by the player who originally tossed the pallino.

It is now up to the opposing team to roll a ball closer to the pallino than the starting team.

If the first thrown ball of the starting team touches the backboard without first hitting the pallino the ball is dead and is removed from the court.

 

The same team must roll again until they keep a ball in play.

 

If a bocce ball that doesn’t hit any ball on the court returns from the back wall into the field of play and hits another ball and/or the pallino, the thrown ball is out of play (dead) and the pallino and or other balls are placed back to the approximate original positions.

If the opposing team uses all four balls and fails to get closer to the pallino than the starting ball, the starting team rolls each of their remaining three balls, trying to place them closer than the opponent’s closest ball.

 

However, if the opposing team succeeds in placing one of their balls closer to the pallino, the starting team must then roll again to attempt to get closer or “better the point”. Each team continues to roll until it beats the point of the opposite team.

While the object is to get close to the pallino, it is permissible for a player to roll his/her ball as to knock an opponent’s ball away from the pallino. Likewise, a player may knock or move the pallino toward his/her own team’s balls. The pallino is playable anywhere on the playing surface.

 

Scoring
When all balls have been played, this concludes the frame or round and ONE team is awarded one point for each of its balls that are closer to the pallino than the closest opposing team’s ball. Thus, one team may score up to four points per frame. The team that scores in a frame starts the next frame by throwing out the pallino and playing their first ball. Play continues until a team wins by reaching the established final score of 12 points.