Tournament Format & Schedule

BOCCE TOURNAMENT (“DESERT-STYLE”) RULES

Bocce is a simple and beautiful game. Though our tournament’s brand of desert-style bocce differs in some respects from the “traditional” version, the object of the game is the same: to roll or toss your team’s bocce balls closer to the “pallino” ball (sometimes called the “jack”) than your opponents’ bocce balls. The position of the balls once thrown determines the scoring in each frame of play.

Equipment:

Pallino/jack - small white (or sometimes colored) ball

Bocce balls - two sets of four colored (or sometimes black and white) balls

Measuring tape/distance marker - to determine which ball(s) are closest to the pallino

Rectangular court or open-format playing area

Players:

Two players per team; two balls thrown per frame by each player

Playing Bocce:

The game consists of several frames. A frame starts with a player from one team tossing the pallino into the court or playing area. The frame is complete after all balls have been thrown and points awarded. Balls are tossed or rolled, underhand only. Generally, teams toss or roll their balls in order to (A) land the thrown ball as close as possible to the pallino, (B) move another of their previously-thrown balls closer to the pallino, (C) move the opponent’s previously-thrown balls away from the pallino, (D) block an opponent from a direct line to the pallino, or (E) move the pallino itself.

Whoever wins an initial coin flip will begin by tossing the pallino into the playing area. Once the pallino is in position, the team that tossed the pallino throws their first bocce ball. Once that ball has come to rest, the opposing team throws its first bocce ball.

Once each team has thrown one ball, play proceeds as follows: the team whose bocce ball is closest to the pallino is called the “inside” team and the opposing team is called the “outside” team. Whichever team is “outside” continues to throw their bocce balls until they either become the “inside” team or run out of balls to throw. (In the unlikely event that two balls are exactly equidistant from the pallino, the teams will continue to alternate throws until one team becomes the “inside” team.) Teammates need not alternate throws in a frame; consecutive or alternating throws by teammates shall be the option of the players.

Note that the players must remain in the designated throwing area during play - they may not examine the positioning of the balls other than from their vantage point from the throwing area. The only exceptions to this rule are that a player from each team may leave the throwing area to determine/measure which team is the “inside” team if the teams agree that it is too difficult to make that determination from the throwing area, and to determine scoring after all balls have been thrown. It is recommended that players ask a Bocce Boi or other neutral party to make or confirm measurements to determine which team is “inside” during the course of a frame.

The team that wins a frame (i.e. scores points) begins play in the next frame by tossing the pallino and then the first bocce ball. Frames are played alternately from one end of the court to the other, or if not using a court, frames are played by tossing the pallino to different locations within the playing area.

Scoring:

In each frame, only one team scores. One point is given for each bocce ball that is closer to the pallino than the opposing team’s bocce balls. A distance marker or measuring tape can be used to determine which balls are closest to the pallino. If a ball is touching (“kissing”) the pallino, two points are scored for that ball. Eight points (four “kisses”) is the theoretical maximum score per frame, but many frames will conclude with only one or two points awarded. (It is possible but also rare for no points to be awarded in a frame - i.e. after all balls are thrown, each team’s inside ball is exactly the same distance from the pallino. If no points are awarded, the team that threw the pallino in the zero-point frame will throw the pallino again to begin the next frame.)

To illustrate, in the above diagram, the gold team scores two points in this frame, as it has two balls closer to the pallino (“inside”) than the maroon team’s closest ball. Because it has scored points in this frame, the gold team will begin the next frame by throwing the pallino and the first bocce ball.

Illegal Throws and Interference:

Though most frames will proceed without incident, if a bocce ball is thrown illegally (i.e. by the wrong team or of the opposing team’s color), the non-offending team may elect to continue play as the balls lie, replace an incorrect ball with the correctly-colored ball, or to remove the offending ball from play for the remainder of the frame. If the pallino or a bocce ball is interfered with during the course of a frame (for example, accidentally kicked or nudged by a player), that ball shall be returned to its position prior to the interference. If the prior position of the ball cannot be determined or the interference has affected multiple balls, the non-interfering team shall have the option to continue play as the balls lie or to restart the frame. Intentional illegal throws or interference or repeated accidental illegal throws or interference during any game shall result in the conclusion of the frame in which the infraction occurs and the awarding of three points in the frame to the non-interfering team. The non-interfering team begins the next frame by tossing the pallino and first bocce ball.

Special Pool Play Rules:

For “pool” play, games will be played in designated zones on uncultivated desert land. To avoid breakage of bocce balls and other hazards, please try to avoid throwing the pallino or bocce balls near obstacles such as large rocks or native plants. Use good judgment and re-throw the pallino if it comes to rest too close to hazards.

To establish the throwing area in a frame, draw a line or arc on the ground. Players cannot step over the line or arc when throwing.

The pallino must be tossed at least twenty feet to begin play.

Special Court Play Rules:

For “court” play, games will be played on confined bocce courts. In each frame, the pallino must be thrown at least halfway into the length of the court. The pallino and bocce balls must be thrown from behind the baselines of the court (i.e. just outside the court) and thrown from any spot within the width of the baselines. Players are permitted to carom the pallino and bocce balls off the sides and far end of the court.

Any bocce ball that lands outside the court, whether thrown or struck, will not be counted for scoring purposes in that frame. Though rare, if the pallino itself is struck and lands outside the court, it will be returned to the inside edge of the court at the point where it exited. If the parties cannot agree on the point where the pallino exited (or a Bocce Boi cannot fairly determine it), the frame will be restarted.

During tournament bracket play, the games will be timed (other than the third place game and championship game). If teams are tied at the end of the allotted time, an additional “sudden death” tiebreaking frame will be played.

Punctuality:

Punctuality is key! In order to keep the tournament on schedule, we ask that each team show up on time, promptly report to designated game areas as they are announced, and continue play at a leisurely but deliberate pace. Teams that are unreasonably late to a game or unreasonably delay the progress of a game will forfeit that game with a score of 7-0, at the discretion of the committee members or Bocce Bois.

Sportsmanship and Disputes:

Hi-Dez Bocce’s motto is “Serious Bocce for Loose Individuals.” A friendly atmosphere is therefore encouraged, but players will be held to a high standard of integrity and sportsmanship befitting the game of bocce and tournament-style play. Players are encouraged to cooperate during gameplay and with the application of rules, including as to circumstances not foreseen by these published rules. However, as with any sport, disputes may occur. If players cannot resolve disputes between themselves, all tournament staff (committee members and Bocce Bois) are authorized to resolve them.