OFFICIAL RULES OF PLAY

USA BOCCE OFFICIAL RULES OF PLAY

These are the USA Bocce Official Rules of “Open” Bocce in America.

COURTS AND BALLS

Court Dimensions

The recommended dimensions are 75′ x 10′ — to 91′ x 13′.
A court must be 60′ x 9′ to hold USA bocce-sanctioned events.

Court Composition

Bocce courts can be played on various surfaces; all with different advantages and disadvantages. Surfaces (or mixtures of surfaces) include synthetic resin, DG, clay, groomed grass, carpet, oyster shell, or synthetic turf. Synthetic resin is the highest quality surface.
The finest courts create ‘the big three’: fast, flat, level play.
More important than the surface material is the condition of the courts. The better the court conditions, the more enjoyable and competitive the play.

Court Railings

Most clubs use ‘flat railings,’ where balls can rest along the side rails. A few courts slightly ‘ramp’ the sides — assuring balls can’t rest along the railings. Both are USA Bocce approved.
USA Bocce feels there is an advantage in ‘open bocce’ in having “flat” railings — creating strategies and gaming around playing the rails effectively.
Regarding back rails, many of the more elevated clubs use ‘rubber dampers’ to deaden the balls against the back rails. USA Bocce recommends back walls with dampers, but all back rail architectures are legal. (See rules regarding hitting the back walls.)

Balls

Official USA Bocce balls are 107 mm in size and 920 grams in weight.
Pallinos can vary in size and weight. 50 mm pallinos are recommended.
Players or teams playing with their own (unique) balls is not only accepted but encouraged.

RULES OF THE GAME

Equipment

A set of 8 balls (four for each team), with 2 different colors and a target ball — called a pallino.

Players

Games can be played one-on-one (singles), as doubles, triples, or foursomes.
In Singles, each person throws 4 balls and plays both ends of the court.
In Doubles, each team member throws 2 balls, playing both ends of the court.
In Triples, 9 balls are used instead of 8. Each player throws 3 balls each and plays both ends of the court. All other rules are the same.
In Foursomes, 2 team members are stationed at opposite ends of the court and play 2 balls each. You may also choose to have all 4 players play on both sides of the court and throw one ball each). (It is recommended, in league play, for 2 team members to be at each end of the court.)

The Objective

A frame is a mini-match inside a game. In each frame, all balls are thrown, with the objective of having as many of your balls closer to the pallino than your opponent’s closest ball.
Eight shots make up a frame, frames make up a game — games (in many cases) make up a match.

Beginning a Game

Flip a coin to see who rolls the pallino to start a match. Or a player holds the pallino behind his/her back, and the opponent guesses which hand has the pallino. All work. The team that wins the toss can either roll the pallino — or choose the color of the balls.
In league play, it’s recommended to always start a match at the same end of a court.

Tossing the Pallino

The pallino must pass (or be resting on) the middle line — and cannot hit the back rail.
If a player doesn’t throw the ball within this area, the other team rolls the pallino.
The first team that rolled the pallino in a frame always rolls the first ball.
Any player on a team can toss the pallino. The player that rolls the pallino does not have to roll the first ball.
The pallino must be tossed underhand, just as you would any other shot.

Pitch Line or Foul Line

A player may roll from behind the Foul Line or be standing on the Foul Line. A player cannot step over the foul line before releasing the pallino or a ball. A player can ‘follow through’ into the court as long as the ball is released before stepping into the court.
If a foot foul occurs, in the spirit of good sportsmanship, either ignore it (best choice) or gently remind your opponent of the rule for upcoming shots. In the absolute most extreme of the rules, after issuing a warning, if the same player fouls again, the thrown ball would be removed from the court, and other balls would be replaced to their original position.
Also, when a player releases the pallino or a ball, both feet must be inside the court unless a player has a significant physical impairment.

Backboards and Sideboards

If a pallino or ball hits the backboard (back rail) without first touching another ball or the pallino, it’s a dead ball and removed from the court.
If a ball hits the backboard illegally and then strikes any stationary balls, the stationary balls are placed in their approximate original positions.
Players may use sideboards at any time.

Establishing Point and Winning Points

The object is to get your ball as close as possible to the pallino, ‘establishing point.’
Team members can shoot in any order they’d like — as long as each player throws an equal amount of balls. (If there are 3 players on a side, 1 player can roll 2 balls.)
Players can change the rolling order in any frame.
If the first team hits the backboard on their first roll (without touching the pallino), the team throws again until ‘establishing point.’
Then it’s the other team’s turn to try to make ‘point’ by getting their ball even closer to the pallino. The second team continues throwing balls until they make ‘point.’ If/when they do, the turn goes to the other team. This continues until all balls are played.
After the pallino is in play, a ball does not need to cross the center line.
After all the players have thrown their balls, the team with the closest ball/balls to the pallino is awarded points. One point will be awarded for every ball which is closer to the pallino than the closest competitor’s ball.
You can score between 1-4 points in a frame (with the exception of incorporating “Rolling the Bay,” covered later in the rules).
Start a new frame at the other end.

“Rolling the Bay”

Note:

This new addition to the game began in California – and is aggressively spreading across clubs and leagues nationwide. “Rolling the Bay” is now used in all USA Bocce-sanctioned events and tournaments. (USA Bocce highly recommends adapting the “Rolling the Bay” into play; clubs and leagues that have adopted “Rolling the Bay” can’t imagine playing bocce any other way — calling “Rolling the Bay” “the 3-point shot of bocce” on the last shot of a frame. It’s giving a team the chance to ‘double down’ on a frame’s last ball — adding a new, exciting dimension to “Open” bocce.

You may choose to “Roll the Bay” only:
+ On the last/eighth ball of a frame, and
+ When your team is already in a position to score at least one point.
For a player to signal that it is choosing to “Roll the Bay,” a player must announce it the opponents — or touch his/her hands together over his/her head.
To successfully “Roll the Bay,” the Bay shot must add at least one additional point to the player’s score from before the ball was rolled.
If the player successfully ‘Rolls the Bay,” the player/team is awarded a ‘bonus’ point — in addition to the points they would have normally earned in the frame.
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If the player doesn’t add an additional point to the team’s score for the frame, the team loses a point from their ‘normal’ score in the frame.

(Suppose a player/team had 2 balls closest to the pallino before they chose to “Roll the Bay.” If they successfully “Roll the Bay,” they aren’t awarded the normal 3 points – they get 4 points. Let’s say they we’re unsuccessful because they didn’t add a point to the score. Instead of getting 2 points, they would lose a point and get 1 point in the frame.)
A rare specific regarding “Rolling the Bay… Suppose a player “Rolls the Bay,” and his/her shot not only didn’t get an additional point, but it gave the opponent points in the frame. The opponents get the “normal” points – plus a “penalty” point.

Balls Knocked Off the Court

In the unusual event that the pallino is knocked out of the court or it is knocked in front of the centerline, the frame will end, no points are awarded, and the games will resume from the opposite end of the court – with the same team tossing the pallino.
If a ball is knocked off the court, it’s out of play – and play resumes in the frame.

Scoring

Games can be played to 7 (best-of-three games), or a single game to 8, 9, 10, 12, or 15. (For league play, for matches to last an hour, many leagues’ matches are best-out-of-3 games to 6 points.)
There is no ‘win by 2’ in bocce.
There is no bonus point for ‘kissing the pallino’ on a shot.

Measuring

There are various measuring devices, but the suggested measuring device is a laser beam.
Balls can be measured at any time – but keep measuring to a minimum.
Once a Referee (or teams) have agreed on a measurement between two balls, if those balls haven’t been moved, it is not allowed to ‘re-measure’ those balls. Also, without the Referee’s involvement, if both players/teams agree on a measurement between two balls, the balls can’t be remeasured.
If players have decided two balls are too close to make a decision, it’s ruled a ‘tie.’ Since a team must “establish point” to receive a point, the same team rolls again until they definitively “establish point.”
If a frame ends in a tie, no points are scored in the frame, and the same team that rolled the pallino in that frame rolls in the next frame.

Court Etiquette

There are no restrictions regarding where players can walk on the courts, but, in good sportsmanship, teams should keep “meetings” to discuss strategy to a minimum.
When decisions are challenged in a match, team captains should be the final voices. Under no circumstances, should ‘fans’ weigh in on match rulings – and their opinions should never influence a decision.

Accidentally Moving Settled Balls

If a settled ball/balls are accidentally moved or picked up before the end of a frame, return them to an appropriate position in good sportsmanship, and continue play.
In the rare instance that settled ball/balls are accidentally moved or picked up before the end of a frame, and the Referee can’t relocate the balls to their original positions, and the team Captains can’t agree on a ball/ball’s original positions — the frame is ended.
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Whatever team’s balls were in scoring position before the infraction — are awarded to the team.
If a frame has ended, and two balls are still to be measured, and if a ball is accidentally moved by a player, the player should concede the point to the opposing team.
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If this infraction occurs in the middle of a frame, place the ball back to its appropriate position, ‘establishing point” to the victim team.

Interfering with Moving Balls

If a moving ball hits a player on the opposing team, the team can either choose: 1) to have both teams place the balls in good faith and sportsmanship, where the balls would have likely come to rest, or 2) to re-roll (placing all balls back to their estimated original positions).
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In the rare instance that no agreement can be reached by the Referee and the two teams where the balls would have come to rest, and can’t be reached by the team’s Captains — the frame is ended. This rule should only be used as a last resort.
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If a moving ball hits a player on their own team, the opposing team can either choose: 1) to have both teams place the balls, in good faith, to where the balls would have likely come to rest; or 2) to ask the team to re-roll (placing all balls back to their original positions).
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In the rare instance that no agreement can be reached by the Referee and the two Captains where the balls would have come to rest, the frame is ended. This rule should only be used as a last resort.

Rolling Wrong-Colored Balls

If a player rolls the wrong colored ball, replace the ball with the correct color.

Rolling Out of Turn

If a player/team rolls out of turn (and the Referee or opponent acknowledges the mistake before a second ball is thrown), the opponent can either a) choose to allow the ball to be played or b) replace any moved balls back to the approximate spot — and roll with the correct team/player.
If a team or player rolls out of turn and the Referee or neither team notices the error until after another ball is played, continue play and let it go.

Rolling a “Third Ball”

Suppose a player mistakenly rolls a third ball in a frame. The other team can either: a) choose to let the third rolled ball stand or b) replace the balls to their estimated previous positions and require another player to re-roll.

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If you find any omissions, or have any suggestions or ideas — please contact USA Bocce.