Rules & Conduct

Participation in the Portland Bocce League Association is a privilege, not a right. Accordingly, the PBLA requires that all participants maintain the standards, traditions, and decorum on which our league was founded. We do not condone, and will not tolerate, any behavior that disrupts play or offends players, including the use of offensive and/or discriminatory language and/or gestures. This Code of Conduct applies to all league members, whether engaged as players or spectators. Violations of this Code of Conduct may result in the disqualification from league competition of individuals and/or teams.

League members shall be permitted to play using their own sets of balls, provided that all balls used during league competition closely approximate the standards of balls measuring 107mm diameter and weighing 960 grams. Typical Open Rules competition balls measure 107 mm and weigh 920 grams. As such, PBLA’s competition ball standard shall be 107 mm (4.2") diameter and a weight range of 900-960 grams (2 - 2.1 lbs). Players should note that “Sportcraft” or other similar sets weighing closer to 1,200 grams shall not be permitted during league competition. The pallino shall be 50 mm in diameter.

A team is comprised of four players. Two players from each team stand at each end of the court, each throwing two balls. Players can not switch ends once the game has started. At the conclusion of each frame — a single scoring opportunity — the game resumes at the opposite end of the court. Matches begin with the flip of a coin between the team captains. The winner of the coin toss may opt for either the first roll of the pallino or the choice of ball color. At no time is the team or individual choosing a ball color allowed to choose another team's or individual's personally owned balls to use. If they don't have their own personally owned balls, they may only pick red or green league balls, or if no league balls provided, their opponent's secondary set. Any time a player is rolling a ball, opposing players must remain outside the court.

In each frame, the opening toss of the pallino shall be deemed valid if said pallino passes the center line and does not touch the back wall at the opposite end. Should any part of the pallino come to rest upon the center line, then the toss of the pallino shall be deemed invalid.

If the toss of the pallino is deemed invalid, then the opposing team shall roll the pallino. 

If both players fail to execute a valid toss of the pallino, the pallino returns to the original team for an additional attempt.

This alternating process continues until the pallino is set.

The team that originally tossed the pallino shall play the first ball.

Subsequent to the setting of the pallino, any ball rolled that stops short of, or comes to rest upon, the center line shall be considered in play.

The first ball will be thrown by the team that originally tosses the pallino. Should that ball hit the back board without touching the pallino, it shall be removed from play and the team must roll again. Otherwise, that team does not roll again until the opposing team has either rolled one if its bocce balls closer to the pallino or has rolled all of its balls. Whenever a team gets a ball closer, it steps aside and lets the other team roll. The other team throws until it beats (not ties) the opposing ball. This continues until both teams have rolled all their balls. The team who scored last throws the pallino to begin the next frame. 

Consecutive or alternating throws by teammates shall be at the option of the players. Players may use the side walls at any time. If a player rolls the wrong color ball, simply replace it with the correct color when it comes to rest. If a player rolls out of turn or plays more than two balls, the other team may either leave all balls as is or remove the illegal ball from play and return all balls to their approximate position.

Players may step on but not over the foul line before releasing the pallino or the ball.

Only one team scores in a frame. One point is given for each ball that is closer to the pallino than the closest ball of the opposing team. If at the end of any frame the closest ball of each team is equidistant from the pallino, no points are awarded to either team and the game resumes from the opposite end of the court with the same team tossing the pallino.

A ball hitting the back board is dead and must be removed from play, unless it first hits the pallino or another ball, in which case all balls are live. If a thrown ball does not first touch the pallino or another ball but hits the back board and then strikes a stationary ball, that stationary ball shall be replaced to its approximate position. The rolled ball is removed from play.

Once the pallino is in play, it remains live even if it hits the back board during the game.

If the pallino is knocked out of the court, or is propelled backwards to recross the center line, the frame ends and play resumes from the opposite end of the court with the same team tossing the pallino.

Any other ball that leaves the court will be removed from play for the rest of the frame.

Volo shooting is banned on the courts of the Portland Bocce League.(Volo shooting is basically hitting the target ball or pallino without hitting the ground first.) Raffa shooting is allowed but the ball must contact the court surface prior to crossing the center line. If violation of this rule occurs, the rule of advantage will apply. Rule of Advantage: When an illegal play is called the other team can decide whether to let all balls stay as they lie or put everything back to the way it was before the illegal shot took place, and the offending ball is removed.

Team captains, or their designees, may measure any balls at any time. All disputes will be resolved by a neutral observer.

Except when team capos, or their designees, are measuring balls, players may not cross the court’s centerline except for matters of personal convenience unrelated to the ongoing frame.

To avoid unintended ball touching, all non-throwing players should be out of the court. Players should never touch or move any ball until the frame has ended and opposing team members have agreed on which are the scoring balls for that frame. If any player moves any ball (including the pallino) prior to the end of a frame (for any reason), and the balls cannot be accurately relocated to their original positions, as determined by the non-offending team’s Captain, all remaining non-thrown balls of the non-offending team are counted as points in addition to any balls on the court that were consider to be points when infraction occurred. Conversely, for the “ball touching” team (the offenders), all non-thrown balls of that team are voided and the frame is over. Example, the red team has two balls that are currently scoring on the court. Both red team and green team have two balls left. A green team member in disgust steps out and kicks the balls and scatters them all over court and the red captain can’t determine the balls’ original location. The frame is over and the red team gets two points for the scoring balls on the court plus 2 points for the un-thrown balls. This rule should be used as last resort. In most cases, putting balls back to their original location should be fairly easy and a sign of good sportsmanship.

Start of Play

• All matches will begin at the designated start time. Two players from each team will play on opposite ends of the court.    
• If a team is short one player (only 3 players) the game can start at the designated time. The team with only 3 players will play with 2 players on one end each throwing 2 balls and one player on the opposite end throwing 3 balls.    
• If a team is short two players, the game can start at the designated time. The team with only 2 players will play with 1 player on one end throwing 3 balls and one player on the opposite end throwing 3 balls.    
• If a team has only one player there shall be a 10-minute grace time to start the game. If after 10 minutes a team still has only one player, the game is forfeited.

(Please note that though these are indeed PBLA Tournament Rules, we are human – we recognize that sometimes there may be uncontrollable issues impacting the timely arrival of a particular player or players. Capos always have personal discretion on whether to start a game against an opponent that is short-handed.)

Team A cannot field a team for their regularly scheduled match (not a make up of rainout game). They ask Team B to reschedule the league game. If Team B can’t, or is unwilling to, accommodate by rescheduling game it’s a forfeit by Team A. The game score recorded will be the average point differential in Team B victories for the season. Example: In 10 victories, their total point differential in victories was 100 points. Thus average point differential is 10. Thus score would be recorded as 10 to 0.

Forfeits cannot currently be recorded through the website. Send forfeit notifications to admin@portlandbocce.com.

• Play commences the week of Memorial Day and ends just before Labor Day. The championship game is generally the Friday or Saturday after Labor Day.
• The regular season consists of a 14-week schedule.
• For each night of play, each team plays each other team twice.
• Matches begin each evening at 6:00 PM (6:30 TPC PM) and at 7:30 PM (8 PM TPC). *Note that the late matches will begin at 7:20 PM as daylight wanes for the final 3 weeks of the Summer outdoor season.
• Teams play one game to 21 points.
• No two-point margin shall be needed to win.
• If, at 7:10 PM 8:40 PM (7:40 PM 9:10 PM TPC), it seems possible that the early game might remain undecided at 7:50 PM, then, at the mutual agreement of the two captains, a timekeeper shall be appointed from the ranks of onlookers who are league members.
• The timekeeper shall call the clock at 7:20 (7:50 PM, 9:20 PM TPC) precisely. At the conclusion of the frame already underway (pallino has been tossed) at 7:20 PM, 8:50 PM (7:50 PM, 9:20 PM TPC)  the leading team shall be declared the winner.
• In the event of a tie at the conclusion of that frame, one extra frame shall be played to determine a winner.
• Prior to 7:20 PM, 8:50 PM (7:50 PM, 9:20 PM TPC), should the timekeeper determine that any player is deliberately slowing play, the timekeeper may determine that said player’s team forfeits the match. All timekeeper decisions are final.

All games must be made up before there are two weeks remaining in the season. For rainouts occurring in the last two weeks of season, the following applies:    

• If the match's outcome affects possible playoff berths they should be made up within one day of season's end.    
• If not affecting playoff berths, the teams can decide to play the match or not.

The team capos will receive reminders after Week 7, Week 10, Week 11, and Week 12 for all unplayed games to complete them before deadline.

The teams’ capos must make at least three attempts through emails, phone, and in person to determine mutually agreeable date and time for make up match. If after these methods have been utilized and game is not played by deadline, the rules committee will have discussion with capos and will determine winner and loser of match by whatever method they consider appropriate.