Bocce Ball is the new buzz in the sports world right now. Since this particular sport doesn’t require too much physical prowess to master, one need not be a superhuman to excel in it. All you need is a right hand and eye co-ordination and a keen mind to muscle connection. Also, if you’re looking at your mates because you don’t know the name of this sport, it’s completely okay. You must be wondering How to Play Bocce Ball. Well, worry no more as in today’s article, we’re going to go through just that.
Quick revision of the rules and regulations
Bocce Ball is a game played usually in two teams of one, two, or four players each. There are in total eight balls used in the game, 4 for each group. There’s one extra ball which is smaller in size than the rest of the lot and is known as the ”Pallino” or the ”jack.” It’s usually played in a small court
The regulation for the court is that it can max 13 feet wide and 90 feet long. The edges are typically raised to a maximum of 8 inches around the rectangular court. If you don’t have a formal court, it’s okay. You can play bocce ball anywhere with some open space. So if you have a yard in your house, you can drop the jack anywhere, and you’re good to go.
There is a foul line beyond which players cannot step while bowling the bocce ball. There is another practice of having a center marking line precisely in the middle of the court beyond which the jack or pallino must pass for the game to start.
There’s a coin toss at first to decide who throws the pallino first. The winning toss throws out the pallino and then throws out the first bocce ball. And then the other side throws their first bocce ball. The team that has their shot farthest to the Pallino then throws the remaining three bocce balls that they have. Afterward, the other side throws their remaining three balls. The winner of each frame (set) is determined by measuring which team has a ball closest to the Pallino. The game ends with a team reaching a threshold of points (typically 12).
It is not considered as foul if your bocce ball touches the other team’s balls or the Pallino. Therefore remember to use that to your advantage.
There are two sizes of bocce balls. One is the more massive ball, and the other is the smaller one. The dimensions are different to match your skillset. The smaller balls are for beginners and young players. Professionals use bigger balls. The regulated standard diameter of a bocce ball is 107 mm or 4.2 inches, and the standard weight is 920 grams.
How to play Bocce Ball
To learn how to play bocce ball, first, you have to understand the elements of the game.
Gripping the ball:
Let’s talk about gripping the ball first. There are two variations of gripping the ball. You can grasp the ball underhand, i.e., get an underhand grip or hold the ball from above or an overhand grip.
Throwing the Ball:
Then comes throwing the ball. There are two techniques for throwing the ball. You can throw it close to the ground, or you can throw it with a lob. If you’re gripping the ball with an underhand grip, then you can opt for a close to the ground throw or a lobbed throw. However, if you’re gripping the ball with an overhand grip, then going for a lobbed throw is probably the best choice for you.
Hitting the jack:
The goal of the game is simple. Keep the ball as close to the jack as possible. Points are distributed in the following manner. Once all the balls have been done throwing, the distance between the balls and the jack is measured. Both teams will have one ball at a shorter distance with the jack than the other team. This team will get points for each ball. It was closer to the jack than the other team’s closest ball. If there are two balls of the opposite side in the same distance, then for those particular balls, there are no points awarded.
One exciting dynamic of this game is the ”kiss” or the ”baci”. It happens when your ball hits the jack and stays stuck with it till the whole frame is completed. In this case, two points are provided to the team rather than 1 point. Only one team gets the point for each of its balls closer to the jack. The other team does not get any points. In this way, the team with the threshold point faster is awarded the winner.
After each frame, the teams alternate the sides in the court and throw again from the opposite direction.
Team and Players:
As less as two people can play this game only with one person in each team. You may also play with two teams consisting of 4 players each or two players each. However, it is recommended that each team does not contain an odd number of players. Since there are four balls for each team, it is recommended as such.
Final advice:
So, to give you a final recap, if you’re throwing first, make sure that your balls are surrounding the jack in a close semicircle. Try not to keep much space between the balls so that the opposition throws can knock your balls out of position. Don’t cross the limiting line beyond which you cannot step. You don’t want to lose a throw just because you weren’t careful now, would you?
Final Words:
We hope you liked today’s article on How to play bocce ball. It’s an exciting game to play with your mates and does not require that many types of equipment or physical prowess to play. We hope you got your answers regarding playing bocce ball in this piece. We hope to see you in the next one. Cheers!
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