How to play bocce
![](bocce-players.jpg)
The objective of bocce is to score points by having your balls closest to the target ball, known as the pallino.
Equipment
- 1 pallino (small target ball)
- 8 bocce balls (bowling balls; 4 per team, different colours/patterns)
- Tape measure (optional)
Setup
- Can be played one-on-one or in teams of two, three, or four.
Rules
- A coin toss or another method determines which team starts. The starting team throws the pallino into the playing area.
- The team that threw the pallino also throws the first bocce ball, aiming to get it as close to the pallino as possible.
- The opposing team then throws their bocce ball, attempting to get closer to the pallino or knock the opponent’s ball away.
- Teams alternate throwing their balls until all bocce balls are thrown. If one team’s ball is closer, the other team continues to throw until they get a ball closer or run out of balls.
- You can choose to either play principally at one end of the court, or alternate between ends after scoring.
- When throwing any ball, it must travel past the centre of the court but it must not hit the end.
Scoring
- After all balls have been thrown, the round is scored. Only one team can score per round.
- The closest ball scores one point to its team. The team with the ball closest to the pallino scores then adds a point on for each of their balls that is closer to the pallino than the closest ball of the opposing team.
- If the closest ball from each team is each an equal distance from the pallino, no points are scored.
Continuing the game
- The team that scored in the previous round throws the pallino to start the next round.
- Play continues until a team reaches a predetermined number of points - 12 on the scoreboard at Cedars Park.
Violations
- If a ball hits the end of the court, that team does not throw any more until after that.
Useful tips
- Aim to position your balls close to the pallino while also blocking your opponent’s potential paths.
- When the pallino is at the edge of the court, it is good practice to bowl from the opposite side to make it fair for all players.
- Use an underarm throw for better control. Employ such bowling techniques as punto/raffa/volo. See below to understand these shots.