Ptanque is the French equivalent of the sport of Bocci except the balls are made of

metal, and about the size of an orange; the playing surface is like a baseball infield
(dirt, gravel, hard-packed sand) and may or may not have a boundary. The object is
to stand in a circle drawn in the ground, and roll; lob; throw your ball as close as
possible to a target ball. Only one team gets points per round, and the teams play as
many rounds as it takes to arrive at 13 points. The first team to arrive at 13 points
wins.

Steps
1.

1
Players divide into two teams. You can play 1 vs. 1 (3 balls per player); 2 vs. 2 (3
balls per player); or 3 vs. 3 (2 balls per player)

2
The teams flip a coin to see who starts

1.

3
The starting team draws a circle in the ground - then throws the target ball or
cochon out to a distance of 6 to 10 meters.

2.

4
The starting team then throws their first boule, trying to get as close as
possible to the cochon.Then the 2nd team's player stands in the circle, and tries to
get their boule closer to the cochon than the opposing team. They can try to do this
by rolling their boule; lobbing it; or even throwing it at the opposing team's boule
moving it away.

3.

5
Learn that if that team does get a boule closer than any of its opponents, it's
called "having the point" - and then the opposing team has to attempt to throw
a boule closer.

4.

6
Understand that the team which does not have the closest boule (to the
cochon) keeps throwing boules until either they get closest, or they run out of
boules to throw.

5.

7
When all boules are thrown, only the boules of the one team that are closest to
the cochonet are added to the running score. That is, if team-A "has the point"
and has 2 of it's 3 boules closest to the cochon before then opposing team's boule
(in this example, the 3rd closest boule), then team-A gets 2 points added to their
score.

6.

8
Know that the teams continue to play until a team reaches 13 points (the team
which had the point, starts the new round, drawing a circle around the position
of the cochon and uses that as the new throwing circle).
Ad

Add your own method

Name your m

Save

Video

Tips
It is permitted, after the initial throwing of the cochonet, that a boule can (while

being played) move the cochonet to another position.

Players have different throwing styles. After some practice, a player is usually

designated as: Pointer (one who can roll; throw; lob a boule close to the cochonet);
Shooter (one who is good at throwing; rolling a boule to hit their own or an
opponent's boule); or a Milieu (both a Pointer and a Shooter).
There can be lots of strategy used when playing Petanque. Defensive "walls"

of boules in front of the cochonet (for example) block an opponent from rolling in and
"getting the point"

Balls are called boules; the aim ball is called a "cochonet" ('piglet' in french).

Boules are usually thrown with the palm down. This allows for use of some
backspin (which helps to stop the boule from rolling too much on a smooth surface.
Ad

Warnings

Each player must stand in the same circle and not raise their feet off the
ground until their boule is thrown.

If using a bounded court (usually stringed lines on the ground) and the cochon
is moved outside the boundary of the playing field (roughly 4 meters by 15 meters) then it is deemed: "dead"

When the cochonet is deemed dead, and both teams have boules still to play -

then no points are awarded, and the team which threw out the cochonet that round,
starts off the new round. BUT, if only one team has boules left to play - then that
team wins as many points as they have "boules left to play."

Related wikiHows

How to

Play Cover the Cones

How to

Ride a Laundry Cart

How to

Stay Cool by Playing Water Games

How to

Play Rocket Attack

Sources and Citations

http://www.michiganpetanque.com

Article Info
Categories: Bowling
Recent edits by: Savannah, Steve, Harri
In other languages:
Espaol: Cmo jugar petanca