Hi- I m Marvin. I m here to help you get started playing Bocce. Bocce is a sport where you get to throw things with your friends. Cool, right? The object is to score points (games are to 10) by getting your bocce balls closer to the LWB (Little White Ball) than your opponent s. That s basically it. There s a few more rules but it s pretty simple to figure out you ll be up and playing in just a few minutes and we re here to make it easier. BocceNation.com TM Play, compete, enjoy!
Welcome to the BocceNation.com TM Revolution Congratulations on purchasing Bocce-in-a-Bag and becoming the newest member of the Bocce Nation! We re a nation of bocce people united in the common pursuit of bocce happiness. Bocce has been around for centuries, a bunch of them. Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans all played and now - you. Why? Because throwing stuff with your friends is fun. Big fun! BocceNation.com s version of bocce is just better. We ve simplified and portablized it. We ve made it in a to-go version it sets up in a jiffy, anywhere, so you can play now. Right now. How do you play? Just read the scoreboard and you re on your way. Plus, we re giving you (actually giving) you this really cool little book full of everything else you should know. Know about bocce, that is. So, what are you waiting for? Finish reading and start playing. Now! BocceNation.com TM Discover the Fun! 1
Your Bocce-in-a-Bag TM Contents Four Navy Bocce Balls Four Gold Bocce Balls One Little White Ball ( LWB' ) Portable Bocce Court Five Court Stakes (1 Extra) The Determinator Measuring Device Scoreboard/Drink Holder BocceNation.com Rulebook Carrying Bag Portable Court The Determinator Rule Book How to Play 2
Setting Up Your Court 1. Unpack your Bocce-in-a-Bag. 2. Find a spot for your court on grass, sand, or dirt. Make sure to leave some room to stand and throw, then insert the court stakes. 3. Set up the scoreboard and drink holder by planting bottom stakes in the ground with your foot. 4. Place bocce balls and LWB at one end of the court. Court Set Up Insert the stakes in each corner Scoreboard & Drink Holder Plant stake in the ground with your foot Nifty beverage holder 3
How to Throw Bocce Balls! 4
BocceNation.com TM Rules Bocce can be played one-on-one, or in teams from 2-4 players each. The LWB (Little White Ball) and all bocce balls are to be thrown or rolled underhanded only and from behind the end of the court lines. The Roll Off To start, each team chooses a player to throw one bocce ball in a roll off to determine which team goes first. Those players throw simultaneously - the object is to come as close to the mid-court line as possible with out going over. The closest player wins, chooses team colors and begins play. 5
Starting a Game The first person begins and throws the LWB past the mid-court line anywhere within the court boundaries. That same person continues and throws one of their colored bocce balls trying to get as close to LWB as possible. If the first team throws the LWB short or out of bounds, then the second team begins play. Both teams throw from one direction of the court each frame (that s bocce for round). For team play, players on each team alternate throws in a set order that remains the same for each game. New game, new team order if you like. Throw the LWB Past the Mid-Court Line 6
If the first bocce ball is thrown out of bounds then the team throws until they get a ball in play. That ball is now the closest, or the inside ball. LWB Inside The second team goes next and throws their bocce balls, one at a time, until they get a ball inside the other team s ball. It might take more than one ball. Teams then alternate this sequence, until all the balls are thrown. If the bocce ball touches ANY part of the line it s still considered in play. Bocce balls that land outside the court are out of play If the LWB is knocked out of bounds, play is stopped and the LWB is re-thrown and the frame starts over. 7
Only one team can score each frame. The team with the closest bocce ball(s) to the LWB scores points. Points are awarded only for each ball closer than the other team s closest ball. Teams can score from 1-4 potential points per frame. Record the points on the scoreboard and then start the next frame from the opposite end of the court. Point Scoring Examples 8
The first two games are played to 10 points (winning by one point) and the third game (if necessary) is played to only 5 points. A match is won by a team taking 2 out of 3 games. Use The Determinator to decide which team s bocce ball is closest to the LWB. The Determinator 9
Who s turn is it? The team that scored the most recent point(s) throws the LWB to begin the next frame. Who starts this game? The team winning the previous game will toss the LWB first to start the next game. Where do we play from? After each frame players will move to the other end of the court and throw in the opposite direction. 10
What If During play the LWB is knocked out of bounds? Play is stopped, no points are awarded and a new frame begins by tossing the LWB. A player throws the wrong color bocce ball? It is replaced with the correct color ball after the ball comes to rest. A throw is made by a player who steps over the end line? It does not count. That player loses their turn and replace any balls that were moved by that throw. 11
Bocce Lingo American Bocce League: The coolest group you can join t o p l a y t eam bocce t he BocceNation.com way with other great people in your local area. To learn more go to: AmericanBocceLeague.com. Bageled: Bummer. A team or player with no points in an entire game. Ball Buster: Someone with serious attitude or a powerful bocce shot that scatters one or more balls. Einstein: Guy who invented lots of cool stuff but not bocce. In this definition a brilliant bocce shot. Frame: A frame begins by tossing the LWB, and ends when both teams have thrown all eight of their bocce balls. Inbounds/Out of Bounds: An inbounds throw means the ball comes to a stop inside or touching any part of the line. Out of bounds is out of play and does not count. 12
Bocce Lingo Inside Ball: An inbounds bocce ball that is currently closest to the LWB is the inside ball, or scoring ball. The inside ball often changes several times during a frame. Knockout Ball: Ball that wipes out all the other balls that are currently in play. Leprechaun: Little Irish guy with a pot of gold or an extremely lucky bocce shot. Little White Ball: Also known as the Jack, P a llino and Pallina. Too confusing. W e prefer LWB for Little White Ball. Easier, right? Mid-Court Line: the center of your court, marked by the blue triangles on the court itself. Pac-Man: A bocce ball that rolls in front of the LWB making it disappear from view. Roll Off: How we start BocceNation.com bocce matches, a player from each team simultaneously throws a bocce ball trying to land it closest to the mid-court line as they can without going over. 13
Bocce Lingo Shortski: Ball that lands way short of the intended target. Skyball: A ball thrown high in the air that drops vertically and occasionally brings rain. Smooch: Ball touching or kissing the LWB. The Destroyer: A ball with way too much juice that rolls through the court. Walk of Shame: Ouch. Yep, you messed up. Your LWB throw wasn t far enough or in play so it s time to take the walk of shame. You have to go pick it up and hand it to your opponents because now it s their turn to start the frame. 14
Bob, our lawyer Limited Warranty Your BocceNation.com TM Bocce-in-a-Bag contents are warranted to be free from defects in workmanship and materials for one year following your date of purchase. I f defects a p p e a r i n workmanship and/or materials, BocceNation.com LLC will replace, or repair the item at its discretion. Our warranty covers normal consumer use and will not cover defects resulting from misuse, abuse, accidents, alterations, neglect or improper use. Please locate your original receipt in order to have warranty in force. A return authorization will be issued. Details are available at: www.boccenation.com/warranty/returns. Product Warning Caution. Hey we re talking to you! Bocce balls are kind of heavy, hard and can cause injury and damages if used in an improper manner. Remember - throw only underhand and make sure your court area is clear of people and stuff before throwing. Don t throw when people are near, or throw in a reckless manner. We also recommend you play in shoes as a bocce balls dropped or thrown on a bare foot can hurt. Ouch. Caution again! Use caution while handling the included court stakes, when assembling your portable bocce court they are sharp and are to be used only for securing the court corners and are not to be thrown. Keep them away from your eyes and for goodness sakes, don t juggle them! Use common sense, play safe and play smart. And, let s be careful out there! 15
The Bocce Nation is coming out of the backyard and to a patch of grass near you. Whether you re an old school bocce aficionado or a novice looking for a way to get out and compete, teams and leagues are now forming nationwide. Join a team, start a team, become a team captain or even find out how to become a league coordinator. Sign in and sign up now at: www.americanbocceleague.com Our goal is for ABL players to discover the fun of throwing things with their friends. Get off the couch - get your buddies, your friends or people you want to get to know better and get on a team. We re doing the heavy lifting just register and we ll take care of the rest. 16
Create Your Own Game Best part of bocce is inventing your own versions. Try Truth or Dare Bocce, Sudden Death Bocce, Beverage Bocce, or Bull s-eye Bocce get creative make up your own game and write down the rules here: 17
All rules are copyright of BocceNation.com LLC. BocceNation.com TM and the Bocce-in-a-bag TM are trademarks of BocceNation.com LLC. The Official BocceNation.com TM Rule Book is copyrighted by BocceNation.com LLC and may not be reproduced in part or whole without written permission from BocceNation.com LLC. Bocce-in-a-Bag TM and The Determinator are patent pending. Marvin and his friends are fictitious characters but please, don t tell them. 2010 BocceNation.com LLC 18
Play, compete, and enjoy! Discover the Fun See more of Marvin and his friends at: www.boccenation.com
BocceNation.com 3930 RCA Blvd. Suite 3009 Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410 Ph. 561.983.6990 Play, compete, enjoy! BocceNation.com is the official equipment supplier of the American Bocce League. www.americanbocceleague.com