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 THIS
SUMMER, TRY HOSTING A BOCCE BALL TOURNAMENT
by Kim Walker
Team lists were hung by clothespins from the old clothesline
in our backyard, as we prepared for our first Bocce Ball tournament last
summer. Was I worried about the size of our small urban backyard, with
its uneven turf and spotty grass? Sure, but in the end, it just made the
game more unpredictable and fun. In fact, we played so late that we had
to drag out lamps from inside the house to illuminate the yard.
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Bocce Ball Tips |
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The magic
formula
So, what's the magic formula for a successful Bocce Ball tournament?
You need a Bocce Ball set, a piece of paper for keeping score, enough
fun-loving
friends to make up a few two-person teams, and lots of refreshments
and snacks for your guests.
Bocce Ball sets are available from a number of sources
such as retail stores that carry outdoor games and equipment, and through
various web-sites. A standard set includes eight large balls, about the
size of a five-pin bowling ball, and one smaller ball, called a pallino.
Each team of two people gets four of the balls, which will be a different
colour than the other team's four balls. In addition, a pattern on the
balls allows individuals to distinguish their own two balls from their
teammate's balls.
Mix-and-match
the teams
At our first tournament, we had 20 guests divided into 10 teams of
two. If nobody is particularly shy, try mixing up the team members
by drawing
the names out of a hat or bowl. We scheduled five matches (posted on
a piece of paper that was hung from the clothesline), of which the
winning
team continued against another team in subsequent rounds of play until
we had a winning team.
There are many ways to play Bocce Ball, so check the
rules in your Bocce Ball set or in a rules book of outdoor games. In Italy,
where the game originated, you will see walled areas in most towns, dedicated
to the game. Elsewhere, however, people play "open" Bocce Ball,
which can be played on any surface (we've even played on wet sand at the
beach).
How to play
the game
To begin the game, all four players stand at one end of the yard (or
any other space) One player tosses the pallino and then throws the
first ball,
aiming to get as close to the target pallino as possible.
We play nearest ball rules, which means that a member of the other
team then tries to get his/her ball closer and that team continues
throwing
until they are the nearest ball. Each time there is a new nearest ball,
a member of the other team then tries to get their ball closer, or
knock
the competitor's closest ball away from the pallino (which usually
moves the pallino, too). Alternative rules would have each team member
throwing
both balls before the next player takes a turn, alternating from team
to team.
Have a tape
measure handy
Yes, it looks like lawn bowling but, it is scored like curling, if
you've ever watched that sport on television. After all balls have
been thrown,
the one closest to the pallino gets one point for that ball and for
all other balls that are closer than any of the competitor's balls.
Have a
tape measure handy for disputes over distance, as it's sometimes hard
to tell which balls are closest to the target pallino. You can decide
what will be the winning score, but we usually play to 12 or 16,
depending
on how quickly we want the games to go.
I'm thirsty!
Now, let's move on to the refreshments! How about some good old
fashioned lemonade or limeade.
Maybe you'll put some beers in the cooler or offer a cool glass of
white
wine? Or try some of our highlighted "frozen
drinks" featuring margaritas, daiquiris or any of our "Blender
favorites" and make the game fun no matter who wins..
Looking for snack idea for the Bocce "athletes" try out our
summer cooking menu.
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Entertaining TIP:
Place colourful napkins in wine glasses to jazz up your place settings.
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