Outdoor Games
How to play Bocce
Roll or toss larger balls toward the small pallina; score for balls nearer than the opponent's best after a frame.
What you need
A pallina, a set of colored bocce balls for each side, and a safe playing area
Set up the game
- Pick singles or doubles and designate a throwing end. Toss a coin for the first pallina. Set a clearly reachable target area and an agreed match point goal.
- Special Olympics tournament rules specify court dimensions, number of balls and sequence; this guide describes their nearest-ball turn logic while keeping casual court size and target score flexible.
Playing Bocce
- The first side sends out the pallina and throws the first bocce ball. The side currently farther from the pallina throws next until it becomes the nearest or has used all its balls.
- The other side then plays under the same nearest-ball principle. A legal throw may move the pallina or an opponent's ball, changing which side is closest.
- After all balls are played, only the side with the nearest ball scores: one point for each of its balls closer to the pallina than the opponent's nearest ball.
- Play frames from alternating ends according to the chosen format until a side reaches the agreed target. Measure close calls rather than guessing from a standing angle.
A ball changes the throwing side
Blue's first ball is closer to the pallina than red's. Red throws and moves the pallina toward a red ball; red now has the closest ball. Blue, now farther away, throws next, even if red has more unused balls.
Count past the opposing closest ball
Suppose red has a ball 20 cm from the pallina and blue's closest is 30 cm away. If red also has another at 25 cm, red scores two. A third red ball 40 cm away does not score. Distance may need a measuring device when the gap is small.
Beginner decisions
- A gentle placement throw is useful when the pallina is open; a firmer throw can displace a ball guarding it.
- Look at the opponent's closest ball, not simply at how many of yours are near the target.
Common rule mix-ups
- Giving both sides points in the same frame; the side with the closest ball alone scores.
- Taking turns strictly alternately after every ball even when one side remains farther away.
Questions about this game
Can the pallina move?
Yes, a thrown ball may strike and relocate it; rejudge the nearest side from its new position.
What if the two closest balls are equally distant?
Use the applicable event's tied-ball procedure. For a casual game, agree to measure and replay the frame if indistinguishable before throwing.
Sources and edition notes
Nearest-ball bocce sequence and scoring referenced to Special Olympics Bocce Sport Rules 2024; casual court and match target are stated local choices, not represented as regulation.
Sources and stated format checked October 13, 2026. This records a document check, not a claim of hands-on testing.
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