How to Play Bocce Ball in Italy

While there is no definitive proof of where bocce ball had its beginnings, there are pictorial illustrations in Egypt showing young boys tossing polished stones at a fixed target as early as 5200 BC. There is evidence of the game being played in Greece in 800 BC. The Greeks introduced the game to the Romans, who in turn initiated the spread of its popularity across Europe. While its origin may not be completely evident, certainly the Italian passion for the sport has contributed greatly to its continuity. The Collegium Cosmicum ad Buxeas is the international organization for bocce and is headquartered in Rome, Italy.

Things You'll Need

  • 8 bocce balls, 4 of one color, 4 of another
  • 1 pallino (smaller target ball)
  • Bocce court (60 to 100 feet by 10 to 13 feet) made of fine gravel or packed sand, low-cut grass or some other smooth surface
  • 2 teams of 1, 2 or 4 players
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Instructions

  1. The Play

    • 1

      Toss a coin to determine which team throws first. The winner of the coin toss chooses the color of their bocce balls. The first team player of the winning toss throws out the pallino (the target ball) followed by his first colored ball. The pallino must land at least five feet beyond the center line.

    • 2

      Throw out the first opposition team bocce ball, attempting to land it closer to the pallino than the starting team. If the opposite team is not able to land a bocce closer to the pallino than the starting team's ball, the starting team then throws their remaining three balls, trying to position them closer than the opposition ball. If the opposing team does land their bocce closer to the pallino, each team continues to throw in turn until all balls are thrown.

    • 3

      Declare to the referee before each turn what type of throw will be made. A punto is a throw intended to score a point. A raffa is a throw aimed at a target bocce and a volo is an aerial throw aimed at any target ball.

    • 4

      Mark the position of each bocce so that any ball that is displaced by an illegal throw can be reseated to its original position. The referee has control of the round determining if a throw is legal, settling any disputes and applying the rules where necessary.

    Scoring

    • 5

      Award one point to a team for each bocce that is closer to the pallino than any of the opposing team balls. A bocce that is leaning on the pallino scores 2 points. The maximum score for each frame or "giro" is four. If two opposing balls are equidistant from the pallino, no points are allotted.

    • 6

      Measure the distance from the center of the pallino to the edge of the bocce ball to determine which balls are closest to the pallino to assign points. Any disputes over measurements are settled by the referee.

    • 7

      Continue the play until one team reaches 9 points. The winner of each giro throws out the pallino and the first bocce for the next frame. A completed game is called a round. Most regional games go to 9 points while in international competition the game continues to a score of 15.