English
        Italiano
            Français
   
Games
Learn to play the different styles of the sport, including the Traditional Game, or the Other Bocce Games which are really tests of the players abilities.

1. The Traditional Game
2. Progressive Throw
3. Precision Throw
4. Bowl Throw

The Equipment
The bowls are made of a brass composition. Unlike the bowls used in lawn bowls, bocce bowls do not have a built-in bias, and they are hollow inside. The bowls used in competition weigh about one kilogram and are approximately 10 centimetres in diameter. Bocce courts have a surface of leveled sand. They should be 27.5 metres long and 3-4 metres wide.

The Shots
There are three types of shots:
All bowls are delivered from the Foot Line.
Throw. The bowl is thrown underarm into the air after a run-up, the objective being to displace either the jack or another bowl.

Raised Bowl. The bowl is delivered underarm through the air to end up as near as possible to the Jack.		 Bowled Delivery. The bowl is delivered underarm to run along the ground and end up as near to the jack as possible.


1. The Traditional Game
Bocce can be played between two players or, more usually, two teams. In the traditional form of the game the player aims to place the bowl neared the jack or to move the opponent’s bowls that prevents him doing so. The bowl can be bowled along the ground to the jack, or thrown from a run, through the air, to knock the opponent’s bowl out of the way.

The Rules
The game begins with one team throwing the jack from behind the foot line. The jack must land in a rectangle towards the other end of the court (actually called the “square”). If the team fails at its second attempt to land the jack in the square, the other team has the right to place the jack there. This is important, because the team which delivers the jack also delivers the first bowl, after which the other team delivers a bowl.

Thereafter, the team which does not hold the advantage delivers the next bowl. When one team has delivered all its bowls, the other continues until it, too, delivers all its bowls. When both teams have delivered all their bowls, the team holding the advantage scores 1 point for each of its bowls that are closer to the jack than any of the other team’s bowls.
The games continue end of end until a team scores 13 points.



2. Progressive Throw
This can be an exciting game. A test of stamina, concentration and athletic ability.



The player runs and throws alternatively in one direction and then the other. He is constantly racing back and forth without stopping, while throwing from the foot line at six targets in turn, placed on locating mats at each end. Only a fair hit allows a player to progress from one target to the next, starting with the nearest target (at 13.10m) to the farthest (at 17.10m) and then back down again. Over five minutes, running continuously, the player throws some 45, one kilogram bowls and covers more than 1,000 metres. The highest fair hits score, wins.
There are variations to this game for doubles, women & children.

Here is a guide of how players perform:
As a beginner 8 to 15 points
As an experienced player 15 to 20 points.

Players at the last Australian Championships scored between 8 and 39 points.


3. Precision Throw
This tests the players dexterity, concentration and self-control.



Each player throws once at each of the 11 targets (white bowls or jacks) in the order shown, set out from 13 to 18 metres from the foot line. The targets and obstacles (a red bowl or jack) are laid out on locating mats. Some targets are more difficult, as they are hidden by an obstacle, which must not be moved when there is a throw. The final target (4 centimetres in diameter) is at 15 metres. A successful hit scores the number of points shown on the diagram. There are variations on this game for women & children.

Here is a guide of how players perform:
As a beginner 8 to 15 points
As an experienced player 16 to 30 points.



4. Bowl - Throw Game
A game to test the all-rounder – the player’s bowling and throwing ability.



During this game, in which you play 8 ends (or throws of the jack), each player is required for the same end to either, bowl or throw alternatively all their bowls (4 each for singles play)
You score one point when:
a. Bowling, your bowl remains completely within the 1.40m. circle, as drawn out in the diagram below. (Two points for a “biberon”, a bowl at or within 5mm. of the jack).
b. Throwing, moves completely outside the circle, the opponents bowled bowl (two points for a “stationary” that is , remains within the circle). The winner is the player who totals the most points.

Tracing the Target Circle
The Jack thrown by the player stops at any point within the 5m. square. The target circle of 1.40m. diameter is traced around the jack by the opponents.

[top]