Bocce Ball Rules & How to Play

Objective

The game is simple. Throw the pallino (small ball) then take turns throwing the bigger balls and try to get yours closer than your opponents. Each ball that is closer than your opponents is one point and first to 12 wins.

Requirements

• 2, 4, or 8 Players
• Bocce Ball Set
• Bocce Ball Court or field at least 60 feet long
  • optionally – a portable court

Who Goes First?

Team Captains will do coin toss or play rock paper scissors

Winners

• Choose what side of court to start playing from
• Throw pallino (small ball)
• Throw one of their balls first

Losers

• Choose color of balls

Setting the Pallino

Winners throw the pallino. The thrower must be behind the foul line, which is 4 feet from the backboard. The pallino must pass the halfway mark of the court and must not hit the back wall. If the ball does not reach halfway, hits the back wall, or goes out of bounds, the opposing team will throw the pallino. Keep alternating between teams until a valid throw is performed.

* The winners of the coin toss will still retain the first throw regardless if they foul on the pallino throw.

First Throw and Turns

The winners of the coin toss throw the first ball (again from behind the foul line). Remember the objective is to get as many of your balls closer than your opponents at the end of the round (after all the balls have been thrown).

A player may also throw from the hitting line, 9 feet in front of the backboard, IF they announce that their intent is to “spock” aka hit any of the balls already in play. If no ball is hit, it is treated as a dead ball and removed from play.

So basically, within 4 feet of backboard for any throw and within 9 feet of backboard for a “spock” throw (but it must be announced prior to the throw).

Alternate turns after every throw until all the balls have been thrown, then score. After scoring, the pallino throw as well as the first bocce ball throw goes to the team that did not throw in the previous match (the losers of the coin toss) and will continue to alternate each round until the end of the match.

Throwing will now take place on the opposite end of court and continue alternating until the game is over.

Scoring – First to 12

Only one team may score in each round. The game is won by the first team to reach 12 points.

To score, players count the amount of their balls closer than their opponents. Basically, ask yourself, “How many of my balls are closer than yours?”. 1 point is awarded per ball. If playing by the kiss rule (mentioned in the common variations section below) 2 points are awarded per ball that is touching the pallino.

If there is a tie for the closest ball no points are awarded. Ties cancel the balls out. So if there is a tie for the second closest ball, there would only be one point awarded. These cases are VERY RARE so don’t fret too much on this rule.

It’s easier to explain visually so here are some scoring pictures to help you out.

Fouls

There are a few fouls in bocce and they all have the same outcome. The fouled ball will be removed from play and any ball affected by the foul ball will be placed back in their approximate original position.

The following are fouls:

• If the ball hits the backboard BEFORE hitting any other ball. (Balls may be hit into the backboard, that is totally fine.)
• The player crosses the throw line when throwing.