Bocce Great for Friends or Family

IF YOU'RE LOOKING for a great outdoor activity for a small group of friends or family, Bocce Ball may be an ideal choice! Your own backyard, the park, or the beach are perfect places where the game may be played. Up to eight players may be involved at one time. The game is active but not strenuous. It is suitable for most ages from children through senior adults.

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Bocce is a game that was first played centuries ago in Italy, and still has vast appeal in Europe and in other parts of the world. Interest has grown rapidly in the United States over the last several years. The game has some similarities to lawn bowling, shuffleboard, and horseshoes. In non-tournament competition, the size of the playing area may be determined by the players prior to the start of a game.

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The object of Bocce (pronounced "boch-ee") Ball is to score the most points by ending each round with your team's colored balls closest to the Pallino (sometimes referred to as point ball or jack). A toss of a coin can determine which team will play first.

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To start the game, a member of one team throws the Pallino at least halfway down the designated playing area. The same person who pitched the Pallino then tosses - or rolls - one ball trying to get it as close to the Pallino as possible. Then, each member of the second team takes turns throwing one ball at a time trying to get closer to the Pallino than the first team. If team two gets closer, it is then team one's turn. If team two does not come closer, team members continue to throw until they get a ball closer to the Pallino than team one - or until they run out of balls. Team one then throws their remaining balls. The opponent's balls may be knocked away from the Pallino to increase your own team's score.

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At the end of a round, the team closest to the Pallino will get 1 point for each ball that is closer than the closest opponent's ball. The number of points needed to win a game varies with the type of game being played. Most non-tournament competition - games played just for fun - go to 12 points.

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A total of from 2 to 8 persons can play Bocce. Each team can consist of from 1 to 4 players. In a 1-player per team arrangement, each person delivers 4 balls for every round. For 2-players per team, each person delivers 2 balls per round. For teams of 3 or 4 players, each person delivers 1 ball for each round. Teams consisting of 4 players may elect to position 2 players at each end of the playing area. In that case, each person delivers 2 balls for each round.

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Equipment for Bocce may be found easily. It may be purchased online or at some retail stores. The eight game balls and the Pallino come inside a carrying bag available at Walmart. The cost for the complete set has been $15.

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Bocce Ball was recently a big part of a social occasion with friends at our home. My wife and I invited two other couples to join us for an evening of fun, food, and fellowship. Bocce was our first activity, and it set the tone for the meal and laughter that followed. The game - and the entire evening - proved to be a delightful leisure experience.