How To Play Shuffleboard

09/04/10

Briefly, shuffleboard play consists of sliding or shuffling eight metal weights over the highly polished playing field. Four weights are red and four are blue to distinguish teams or opponents The object of the game is to outscore your opponent by sliding your weights farther into the scoring area than his weight; this is accomplished either by dislodging his weights or out-drawing (passing) them.

In the basic two-handed game, both players stand at the same end of the shuffleboard. They select their weights (four red and four blue) and decide who shall shoot first weight. The first player slides his weight by hand from the playing end of the shuffleboard toward the scoring zones at the opposite end. His opponent then shoots his first weight in a similar manner. The two players continue to alternate shooting weights until all eight weights have been thrown.

At this point a round of play has been completed and the score is tallied. (See Method of Scoring below.) Both players then proceed to the opposite end of the shuffleboard where the weights are now resting. The board is cleared and play is continued in exactly the same manner from that end, with the winner of the previous round shooting first.

In a two-handed (singles) match, the first player to score 15 points is the winner; when more than three players play, 21 points win.

METHOD OF SCORING

After all weights in a round have been played, the score is tallied by counting only the advance or leading weights of the color farthest away from the players' end. Thus, if red is the most distant weight from the playing end at the completion of a round, score the sum total of all red weights ahead of the leading blue weight. Any red weight behind the leading blue weight (that is, toward the players) would be cut off and cannot be scored.

Only one side scores in a round. Scoring weights are counted as follows:

1. Weights touching or in front of the deuce line score one point.
2. Weights between the deuce line and trey line, or touching the trey line, score two points.
3. Weights between the trey line and the end of the board, but not hanging over the far end, score three points.
4. Weights hanging over the far end of the shuffleboard are called hangers and score four points.

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