Full Rules

Setup

Mark a target square 7 ft by 7 ft wide. Twelve feet away from the target square mark a line 7 ft wide parallel to the square. This will be the throwing line.

Objective

The game is played by 2 teams. Each team has 3 balls of their own color. Each team will take turns throwing the balls from behind the throwing line into the target square. The goal is to surround your opponent’s balls inside the triangle formed by your three balls inside the square.

Rules

Randomly determine which team will go first. A player from that team will stand behind the throwing line and toss a ball into the square. If the ball does not come to rest inside the target square, it is out of the game and will not be counted in the scoring for that round.

After the first team has thrown 1 ball the other team will throw 1 ball into the square. This continues until both teams have thrown all 3 of their balls. At this point the round is over and will be scored. After scoring, the balls are collected and a new round begins.

The team that scored the most points in the previous round must throw first in the next round. If there was a tie in the previous round, the team that went first the previous round continues to go first.

Play continues until one or both of the teams have exceeded 15 points and there is no tie. The team with the most points wins.

Scoring

There are 3 ways to score.

1. Surround your opponents ball(s) in a triangle formed by your 3 balls. You earn 3 points for each of your opponent’s balls inside your triangle. Note: all 3 of your balls must be inside the target square to form a triangle and surround your opponent’s balls.
2. Knock an opponent’s ball out of the square. You earn 1 point for each of your opponent’s balls you knock out of the square.
3. If neither team has surrounded any of the other team’s balls with a triangle, the team with the most balls inside the square earns 1 point for each of their balls inside the square minus 1 point for each of the other team’s balls inside the square. For example if the black team has 3 balls in the square and white team has 1 ball inside the square, the black team will earn 2 points. If both teams have the same number of balls inside the square no points are earned.

Scoring

There are 3 ways to score.

1. Capture your opponent's ball(s) in a triangle formed by your balls (+3 pts for each ball captured)

2. Knock an opponent's ball out of the square (+1 pt for each ball knocked out)

3. In the case that neither player has captured an opponent's ball in a triangle, the player with the most balls inside the square earns 1 point for each of their balls in the square MINUS 1 point for each of their opponent's balls in the square. If both players have the same number of balls in the square no points are scored by either player. (remember this is only in the case that neither player captured an opponents ball in the their triangle)

Note:

This has been updated. Years ago the original rules were somewhat different but Jake and I have simplified the rules and greatly improved our enjoyment of the game.

Tip 1

Make the biggest triangle possible. The bigger your triangle the more likely your opponent will land inside of it. If you can throw your balls in different corners as show below you can make a triangle that will cover half of the square.



The other advantage to landing your balls near the corners is that it makes it very difficult for your opponent to capture you balls inside his or her triangle.

Rule 6

If your ball does not land in the square it is out-of-bounds and out-of-play for that round.

That means you cannot use it for scoring. So don't cheat!

Rule 5

The player that won the previous round must toss first.

This means the player who scored the most points on the previous round (not their total score). In case the last round was a tie the player who went first last round continues going first.

The better looking player tosses first on the first round or whoever wins the ensuing fist fight to determine who the prettiest player really is. Alternatively, and surprisingly less bloody, a coin toss may be used to determine who should toss first on the first round. Of course you still have to decide who tosses the coin...

Rule 4

Once all six balls have been tossed, the round is over and the points for that round are tallied.

Both players add the score from the round to their total score. Once one or more of the teams achieves 15 points the game is over and the winner is determined by who has the highest score. In case of a tie, additional rounds are played until the tie is broken.

Rule 3

Each round each player alternates tossing/throwing/bowling/rolling 1 ball from the standing area into the square.