Bocce closely resembles several other popular lawn games, such as the French game petanque and the English game lawn bowls. In bocce, individual players or teams of two or four players compete against each other, each trying to toss bocce balls closest to a target ball, known as the pallino or the jack. According to the United States Bocce Federation, Italian immigrants brought this sport to the U.S. in the early 20th century. The sport remains popular in this country today.
Step 1
Find a regulation bocce court, or play in a large, open space. Standard bocce courts typically measure about 10 to 13 feet wide and 76 to 100 feet long. You can play bocce on grass, sand, dirt or pavement. Look for a flat surface for a more straightforward game, or choose a hilly or curved surface for an added challenge.
Step 2
Flip a coin to determine who will play first. The player or team playing first gets to choose which color of balls to use.
Step 3
Divide all eight bocce balls evenly among the players. If two players are competing against each other, each will get four balls. If two teams of two players each are competing against each other, each player gets two balls. Members of four-player teams get one ball each.
Step 4
Toss the pallino toward the center of the playing area if it is your turn to play first.
Step 5
Toss your first bocce ball next if it is your turn to play first. Aim toward the pallino. In bocce, a player must always stop throwing her balls whenever one of her balls is the closest to the pallino. Thus, the player who tosses first will always throw only one ball.
Step 6
Take turns throwing the bocce balls until all players have thrown all of their balls. Players continue throwing balls until they run out of balls or throw a ball that lands closest to the pallino. Aim toward the pallino, or aim to knock one of your opponent’s balls away from the pallino.
Step 7
Score the round once all players have tossed all their balls. The player with a ball closest to the pallino wins the round and earns one point for each ball he tossed closer to the pallino than the opponent’s closest ball.
Step 8
Continue playing ends until one player reaches 13 points, 16 points, or a previously determined point total.
Tips and Warnings
- To speed up play, enforce a time limit for throwing the balls. Players must throw their next bocce ball within 30 seconds.
Things You'll Need
- Playing area
- 8 bocce balls
- Pallino or jack
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