Rules

(1) TEAMS

1. Each team is comprised of two players.
2. Each team is expected to create its own original team name.
3. Substitute players are encouraged during the regular season when a regular team member is unable to participate, however substitute players need the approval of the league to participate in the playoffs.
4. League players cannot play as substitutes for other teams during the playoffs. Only substitutes from outside of the league can be used.

(2) PLAYER BEHAVIOR

1. Any and all rules and regulations set forth by the venues where the bocce games are being held must be strictly adhered to by all players.
2. Any fighting or physical confrontation can lead to being removed from the league at the discretion of the league.
3. Turbo Bocce, including any and all members of the Turbo Bocce League, may not be held responsible for any injuries incurred on the Bocce field or during any League event.
4. Wearing Sandals is discouraged by the league. If you wear sandals the league and all of its members will not be held accountable for broken toes/feet.
5. Inappropriate delays in play to measure distance or resolve disputes are looked upon with disfavor by the league due to the need to share bocce balls and get all the games finished before dark. All disputes should be settled in an affable manner with the utmost good faith, and each match should be played at a fast pace, so the next team can begin play without undue delay.
6. You may not walk up to the pallino for any reason other than to check on a disputed shot until you have thrown all your bocce balls.
7. Each team has one Time Out per set of 3 games, where they may smoke a cigarette, go to the bathroom, or take a phone call. Any delays outside of that one Time Out should not happen due to the fact that we all need to share bocce balls and get the games done before dark.
8. Touching anybody in the box getting ready to throw the bocce ball or pallino is forbidden.
9. All members must be over 21 years of age in order to comply with State drinking laws.

(3) STARTING THE GAME

1. A coin flip will start every game, with the winner of the coin flip choosing either to throw the Pallino (and as a result the first bocce ball) or the color balls they would like to throw. If both teams agree, other methods such as odd/even or whoever can throw a bocce ball closer to the pallino can be used to choose who starts first during a game.
2. Any team can choose to defer and let the other team shoot first, if they prefer.

(4) PLAYING THE GAME

1. Players must stand in a league approved “starting box” while making every throw.
2. The person who throws the Pallino must throw the first bocce ball.
3. Teams have discretion to choose which member will throw the Pallino in every scoring round.
4. The person that throws the Pallino must throw it a minimum of 5 feet from the “starting box” and a maximum of 50 feet from the “starting box.” The first ball thrown outside of these parameters results in losing control of the Pallino. There is a 50 foot rope on hand at all bocce games that can be used to measure if the throw was within the necessary parameters.
5. The 50 foot rule can be challenged an unlimited number of times without consequence.
6. You can challenge the 50 foot rule until your team throws its ball.  Once your team’s ball is thrown the shot stands, even if the pallino is more than 50 feet away.
7. The “starting box” will be placed by the person who is throwing the Pallino.
8. Each player must have at least one foot on the “starting box” and no foot can step in front of the “starting box” when they throw their bocce ball. The starting box must be visible under your foot and your foot must be on the starting box.
9. A person cannot, by momentum or by his own choice, step in front of the starting box until the ball he has thrown lands on the ground. Stepping in front of the starting box before your ball hits the ground once is a warning. A second infraction leads to your ball being ruled ineligible from scoring, and taken off the course.
10. If the Pallino is not visible from the “starting box” the throwing player can ask the scorekeeper to stand by the Pallino and point out its exact location.
11. If a Pallino is thrown out of bounds (all out of bounds areas will be agreed upon by the two teams before the match begins, but must include any area with water or any hard surface that can damage the bocce balls) the throwing team will lose its throw and the other team will be awarded the throw of the Pallino. If no boundaries are agreed upon – or an agreement cannot be reached – the only boundaries are those which may injure the bocce balls.
12. If a bocce ball is thrown out of bounds it will not be included in the scoring even if it is closest to the Pallino.
13. A player from the opposing team must throw second, after the person who threw the Pallino throws his first shot.
14. Whichever team does not have the closest bocce ball to the Pallino must throw each additional ball.
15. Each player gets two throws and each team gets four throws.
16. Each set of bocce balls will have two different sets of lines for each color. Teammates must throw bocce balls with different lines so it is possible to determine which teammate threw which ball. (NOTE: it will be necessary to determine which teammate threw which ball in the event that a “Turbo” round is necessary)
17. Teammates must alternate throws between each other. No player may throw out of turn. No player may throw twice in a row. If you throw out of turn your throw is taken away.
18. The round ends when each team has thrown all four of its bocce balls. Each team must throw all of its bocce balls, even if a game winning score has been reached in the middle of a round.
19. The team that scores in one round throws the Pallino (and thus the first bocce ball) in the following round.
20. The team that wins the Pallino can move the “starting box” no more than 10 feet in any direction from the spot where the Pallino sat in the previous round.
21. If a player accidentally drops a bocce ball while in the starting box, it does not count as a throw, and he may pick that ball up and throw it again. If a player accidentally drops the ball a second time it will count as his throw.

(5) SCORING

1. Only one team can score per round.
2. Only the “inside” team scores. One point is given for each ball of the inside team that is closer than any ball of the opposing team. 4 points is the maximum possible for a round.
3. All disputes over ball position during a round must be agreed upon by 3 of the 4 players before it can be settled. In the event that two or more opposing balls are equidistant (tied) during a frame, the team that threw last will continue to throw until the tie is broken.
4. In the event of a disagreement, a judge can come in during a round and decide whose ball is closer. In this case the judge’s decision will be final. The judge can bring in others to give their opinion, but the judge’s official decision is final. Every player in the Turbo Bocce league is a potential judge for a game they are not playing in.
5. All disputes over ball position at the end of a round must be settled in the following way:

Step 1 – Can the two teams agree on a “Turbo” round. The ultimate and preferred way to settle any dispute. The details of the “Turbo” round are enumerated below.

Step 2 – If the two teams cannot agree on playing a “Turbo” round the a league member will be asked to decide (A) one of the disputed balls is closer than the other or (B) the disputed balls are tied and a “Turbo” round must be played. The league member/judge can bring in others to give their opinion, but the judge’s official decision is final.

Step 3 – Once the judge gives her decision, the losing team has the option of challenging the decision and having a measurement taken with an official league measuring device providing they have a challenge available. Each team has 1 challenge per 3 game round. If they use their challenge and are correct they keep the challenge. If they use their challenge and are incorrect they lose the ability to challenge again during any of the games in the 3 game round.

6. When a “Turbo” round is played, the Pallino is left where it is sitting, all the bocce balls are cleared away, and the two players who threw the equidistant (tied) or disputed balls will throw those bocce balls from the “starting box”. The team that threw first in that round must throw first in the “Turbo” round. The team with the “inside” ball wins the disputed point. (NOTE: “Turbo” round is not intended to be used solely to determine who wins the only point of the round. This technique can be used to determine if the winning team gets a second, third or fourth point in the round as well).

7. If three balls are equidistant (tied), or disputed and a “Turbo” round is called for. The team that threw

8. If the “starting box” is accidentally moved before a “Turbo” round is agreed upon it should be placed as close as possible to its original spot. If the two teams cannot agree on the “starting box” placement a judge should be obtained to place the ball.

9. A third party should be used to measure any challenge, whenever possible, and the third party should use a standard league measuring device. (NOTE: the most accurate way to determine which bocce ball is closest to the Pallino is by standing directly over the Pallino and observing the balls. Remember a “Turbo” round is the preferred way to settle any ball measurement dispute).

10. Any player can ask for a ball position measurement at any time in the match so long as they still have a challenge available.

11. If a ball is accidentally moved while measuring, or otherwise, the ball should be put in its original position with no penalty to the team that accidentally moved the ball, so long as the original position can be agreed upon by all 4 playing members. If the original position cannot be agreed upon, within reason, by all 4 playing members, and the ball is one of the offending parties balls (i.e. the party that moved the ball) than that ball will be discounted from play. If the offending party accidentally moved the opposing team’s ball, then that team will have full discretion to place it where they think it should go, within reason. (NOTE: please try to settle these disputes amicably).

12. Each competition will consist of three games up to 11 points between the same two teams.

13. The winning team must win by two points.

14. The first team to reach 11 and win by at least two gets one point in the standings.

15. Three points in the standings will be awarded during each match up.

(6) STATISTICS

1. Each game will have a score keeper who will keep track of total points for each team as well as individual points, bocces, de-bocces, and aces. Many times this scorekeeper will have to be the players themselves.

2. A Bocce is defined as striking an opposing team’s ball, one of your team’s balls, or the pallino in such a way that causes your team to take “inside” position (this can be for the sole point, or for a second, third or fourth point). Sometimes balls make incidental contact, this is NOT a Bocce. If the act of striking another ball is not what causes you to gain “inside” position then it is not a Bbocce.

3. A De-booce occurs when you unintentionally strike your own team’s ball in such a way so that it goes from having “inside” position to not having it. Or unintentionally striking an opposing team’s ball in such a way that it goes from not having “inside” position to having it. Or unintentionally striking the pallino in such a way that one of your team’s balls loses “inside” position when it previously had it.

4. An Ace occurs when a bocce ball is touching the pallino at the end of the throw (NOTE: you cannot knock another ball into or out of an Ace, it is scored directly after the throw).

5. A Turbo Round Win occurs whenever you gain a point during a “Turbo” round. In the event that two poitns are scored during a “turbo” round, both players will receive a Turbo Round Win.

5. Individual statistics will be kept on the website and medals will be given for the leaders in each (except de-bocces) at the end of the season.

(7) STANDINGS AND PLAYOFFS

1. Playoff standings are determined by BCS. BCS is determined by the following formula: Winning percentage + Winning percentage + Opponent’s Winning percentage. This is the formula because we want teams to get credit for playing a difficult strength of schedule but we want wins to count more.
2. Once a bracket is created, there will be no re-seeding between playoff rounds.
3. A regular season will last 10 weeks and 3 games will be played by each team each week.
4. Two make up weeks will be scheduled to allow teams to make up any games they missed during the year.
5. Each team should have 30 combined wins and losses by the end of the season.
6. If a team fails to play any of its games by the end of the final make up week they will forfeit those games.
7. No regular season game can be played after the final make up week.
8. Forfeits do not prohibit a team from participating in the post season tournament.
9. Substitute players are allowed during the regular season but must be given league approval during the playoffs.
10. No league player can substitute for another team during the playoffs.
11. Regular season games can be played “off site” so long as league permission is given first, and so long as they are played before the final make up week.
12. If two teams have the same BCS ranking a “Turbo” round will determine which team gets the higher seed.
13. Playoffs consist of a best 2 out of 3 match up with each game going to 11 points (win by 2). The winning team moves on to the next round and the losing team is eliminated from wining the championship but placed in a loser’s bracket designed to determine who finishes in what place (third through last).
14. Any team missing a playoff game automatically forfeits that game unless an “off site” make up time can be agreed upon, between both participating teams and the league.