Boules Set

How to play

This game is played between two teams of 1, 2 or 3 players. The game begins by tossing a coin to decide who should begin the game and also have the right to place the small ball, known as the “but” or “jack”.
 
The first player then traces on the ground a circle large enough to stand in (.35m - .50m diameter) and throws the “but” forward, a distance between 6 and 10 metres.  If he throws it outside these distances his team has the right to try twice again, otherwise the opposing team attempts to do the same.
 
The first player of the team who won the toss, or the preceding end, throws his first boule as near the “but” as possible; he must be careful to keep his feet inside the circle until the boule touches the ground.
 
As soon as the boule has stopped rolling, the first player of the opposing team throws his first boule from the same circle and must try to place his boule nearer to the “but” than his opponent.
 
The act of trying to put one’s boule as near as possible to the “but” is called “marking”, he can also try, if he wishes, to knock his opponent’s boule out of play and this is called “shooting”.  If he succeeds in placing his boule nearer to the “but” than the first player, it is then the turn of the opposing team to throw a boule to try to place one of their boules nearest to the “but”.  As long as a team has one of their boules nearest to the “but” the players of the team must try to get a better point by “marking” or “shooting” their boules.  When they have no more boules to play, it is the turn of the other team to throw their boules.
 
When all the boules have been played, the team who has the boules nearest to the “but” counts one point for each boule nearer the “but” than his opponent’s nearest boule.  Another round or “end” then commences in the same way; a player of the winning team traces a new circle, throws the “but” and starts to play.  The game continues until one team has reached 13 points.  When the “but” has been thrown, no obstacle, even the smallest stone, may be removed between the circle and the “but”.  A boule once played may not be moved.  It may happen that two boules touch the “but” or are at equal distance from it; then the players of each team play alternately until the point is won by one of the two teams.