How do you play shuffleboard step by step?

Outdoor Shuffleboard


Equipment

An full outdoor shuffleboard court is a long rectangle with scoring areas at either end. The full length of the court is 52 feet and the following areas are drawn from either end. A line is drawn across the court, six and a half feet from the end. This is the "baseline" and the area from the end to the baseline is called the "shooting area". From this line to the next line, one and a half feet beyond, is the "10 Off" area. The edges of the 10-off area are reduced slightly by two slanting lines at the same angle as the scoring triangle described next. The 10-off area is also split into left and right sides by a small thin triangle centrally placed. The second line forms the base of an isosceles triangle, the scoring area, the point of which is a further nine feet down the court. The triangle is divided into five areas viz: a line is drawn 3 feet from the tip and the small triangle it delineates is marked "10"; the remaining area of the scoring triangle is bisected both horizontally and vertically to form four areas. The two areas next to the 10 area are marked "8" and the two areas next to the 10 off area are marked "7". A further 3 feet from the tip of the scoring triangle is yet another line across the court known as the "dead line" - disks must cross the line in order to be counted as in play. Discs must be six inches in diameter, between nine-sixteenths and one inch thick, and normally weigh 15 ounces. Two sets of four disks in contrasting colours are used to play the game - yellow and black being the traditional shades. The cues that are used to slide the disks are in the form of a long pole with two short prongs at the end of it, just less than a disk width apart. Cues must be shorter than six and a half feet long.

Play

The Players (or teams of two players, one at each end) take turns going first during a game. Flip a coin to decide who plays yellow and who plays black; yellow starts the first end. Players slide disks alternately. To start, the four yellow disks are placed within the right half of the 10-off area and black disks within the left side, the small thin triangle in the middle of this area dictating the middle boundary of each side. Each disk must be played with a cue and the sliding motion must start within the 10-off area and finish within the scoring triangle. If a disk does not reach the furthest dead line, it is immediately removed from play. Any disk that tips off the edge of the court is also immediately removed from play. Naturally, players will aim both to push their own disks into the scoring areas or strategically advantageous positions while also attempting to knock opponents disks out of play or into the 10-off area.

Penalties



  • Disk touching 10-off area line before being played - 5 off.

  • Disk touching side line or side of triangle while being played - 10 off.

  • Any part of a player's body going beyond or touching the baseline while playing a disk - 10 off

  • Shooting an opponent's disk - 10 off.

Disks that are played illegally are immediately removed from play. Any disks that that were displaced by an offending disk are also immediately removed. Any such opponent's disks are given back to the opponent to be replayed. For any disks so removed that had been lying within the 10-off area prior to the foul shot, the offender is penalised 10 points.

Scoring

Scoring occurs once all eight disks have been played and is according to the areas marked on the court with 10 points being deducted for any disks in the 10-off area. A disk must be entirely within one of the five areas and not touching the outside lines of that area in order to score the amount marked within. Disks that lie beyond the 10-off area are ignored. For the purposes of scoring the penalty 10-off area, however, the small triangle that delineates the left and right halves of the 10-off area is ignored. Disks still score if they are on top of another disk. Judges should position the eye directly above any disks that are controversially positioned in order to decide whether or not a line is being touched. The game is won by the first person to reach 75 points although this cannot be achieved during a game - all eight disks of the final game must be played and the scores calculated before a player can claim victory.

Deck Shuffleboard

Also known as Peel Billiards and Deck Billiards.

Equipment

A Deck Shuffleboard court typically consists of two oval scoring areas separated by a distance of 30 feet. Within each oval the middle portion is in the form of a square divided into 9 sub-squares which score from left to right 8, 1, 6, 3, 5, 7, 4, 9, 2. Notice that each diagonal or orthogonal row of 3 numbers adds up to 15 - it's a magic square. The top and the bottom edges of the square form the straight sides of two adjacent semi-circles stuck onto the top and bottom of the square to form the oval shape. The far semi-circle typically scores 10 points, while the near one typically scores -10 points (i.e. penalty points). Each oval scoring area is 6 foot from front to back. A further foot behind the far apex of each oval is the Gentleman's line. 2 feet in front of the near apex of each oval is the Ladies line. The game is played with eight wooden disks, around 6 inches in diameter which are pushed along the deck with long cues by the standing players. Each cue is a stick with a "shoe" at the far end. The shoe is a rectangular piece of wood with a semicircle cut into the far side so that it fits snugly around a disk. 4 disks are marked with one colour, the other four with a different colour.

Play

Players toss a coin to decide who starts first (note - it is advantageous to play second) and then slide disks alternately towards the target area from behind the Gentleman's line. It is legitimate and often desirable to cause disks to knock into each other thus changing the position of one's own disks for the better or opponents disks for the worse. Any disk which does not reach the Ladies line is immediately removed from play. Once all disks have been pushed, any disks that are completely within a scoring area and not touching a line, score the value indicated. Players then start a new "end" by playing from behind the Gentleman's line at the opposite end towards the other target area. The first player to the winning total, which is usually 50 or 100 points, wins.

The game lends itself to doubles with each partner playing from the same end throughout the entire game.

How do you play shuffleboard step by step?

Shuffleboard is a game of disputed origins that probably began around 500 to 600 years ago in Europe. It involves using paddles to “shove” pucks towards a target area and there are many variants within the game, as well as alternative names, including deck shuffleboard and shovel-board. King Henry VIII was a big fan of the game and especially betting on it! It has similarities to many sports, most notably bowls, curling and, in its table form, air hockey. In this article we are concerned solely with shuffleboard itself.

Object of the Game

The object of the game is simply to use the paddle to propel the weighted pucks into the scoring zone in order to win points.

Players & Equipment

Shuffleboard is played by either two players (singles play, one against one) or four (doubles, two against two). It is played on an outdoor court measuring 52 feet long by 10 feet wide, although there are different dimensions available on new portable and indoor courts.

The court has scoring triangles at either end beyond which is a further six feet for players to stand whilst playing towards the other end. The triangle is divided into point zones with 10 at the tip, nearest the players, then eight, then seven, the latter two with a central division creating a left and right area. At the base of the triangle is the “10 OFF” penalty zone.

The players use a paddle-like stick called a tang to propel the pucks (called biscuits) towards the scoring triangle. The tang, or cue, cannot be longer than 6ft 3in. The player who goes first (usually decided by coin toss) uses the yellow biscuits with the player going second using black and the biscuits are six inches in diameter and are no more than 1in thick.

Scoring

Players alternate “sending” the biscuits with the aim of getting as many into the scoring zones as possible. Scores are counted only after all eight (four each) pucks have been shot and the puck must be wholly inside the scoring zone to register – those touching the line do not count.

It is legal to aim your own shots at a player’s puck with the goal of removing them from the scoring zone or even into the 10 OFF zone, for which a player receives a penalty of minus 10 points. If a player’s puck is on the 10 OFF line then the player receives a five point penalty. Players also lose 10 points if they shoot the biscuit off the court, including if touching the side line.

Winning the Game

The winner is the first to reach a pre-defined target, usually 75 points, or the player with the highest score after 10 complete rounds, whichever comes first. If both players or sides reach 75 on the same turn then the player with the highest score shall be the winner.

Rules of Shuffleboard

  • The player to go first is decided by a coin toss and then the player who scored highest in the previous round goes first.
  • Players shoot one puck at a time and take alternate goes.
  • One smooth continuous forward motion must be used to shoot the puck and no “hook” shots are allowed.
  • Playing another player’s disc receives a 10 point penalty.
  • Player must wait until the preceding player’s biscuit is stationary before playing their shot.
  • Play begins at alternating ends so you start at the end of the court at which the previous game finished.