Matchball
Matchball Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Object of the game
Be the first player to earn 15 points. Each ball that lands in a hole in the playing field is worth the amount of points indicated by the points ring surrounding the hole.
Game setup
When playing for the first time, carefully punch out the backboard and point rings. Set up the game on a table as shown.
Make sure that the launching pad with the number "3" is approximately 30 cm (1 ft.) away from the front edge of the table.
You will also need pencil and paper to keep score.
Components:
- 1 playing field (base with plastic insert)
- 1 backboard (placed in between the plastic game insert and the end wall of the game base)
- 3 launching pads
- 9 point rings
- 1 ball lifter
- 3 balls
- 1 die
Point ring setup for the standard game:
| 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 4 | 2 |
| 3 | 3 | 3 |
Choose a game master, for:
- Rolling the die,
- Judging if the throw is valid,
- Removing the ball out of the holes,
- Keeping score.
When it's the game master's turn to throw, another player assumes the role of game master.
Before starting the game, each player takes three practice throws (one for each launching pad) to get a feel for the ball and how hard to throw it.
Note: The higher the trajectory, the higher the ball will bounce, and the shorter the distance it will travel.
Let the game begin!
The youngest player starts and receives the three balls. The game master rolls the die, which determines which launching pad the player needs to use to bounce the first ball off of and into a hole.
The ball must bounce exactly one time off of the right launching pad before landing in the playing field. The ball may bounce off the backboard before falling into the playing field, but it doesn't have to.
The game master must give the "OK" if the throw is valid. An invalid throw counts as one attempt and cannot be repeated. A ball that lands outside of the playing field also counts as an attempt and cannot be repeated.
If the ball lands in one of the nine holes, the game master records the points and removes the ball from the hole, using the ball lifter to make it easier.
Example:
- It's Tanya's turn.
- The game master rolls a 2.
- Tanya bounces the ball off the number 2 launching pad;
- it bounces off the backboard and into a 2 points ring.
- The game master writes down two points for Tanya.
Tanya then continues with her remaining two throws. Before each throw, the game master rolls the die and tells the player which launching pad to aim for.
After three throws, the next player takes a turn and gets three throws. The game continues until the first player reaches or surpasses the agreed number of points. The round is played out so that each player has had an equal amount of throws.
End of game
If more than one player has 15 or more points at the end of the last round, the player with the most points wins.
If multiple players have the same point total at the end, these players have a play-off round. Each gets three throws. Whoever earns the most points after this play-off round, wins the game. If points are still even, the player with the highest throw is the winner.
Game variations
Match point
To win the game, earn exactly 15 points! If a player surpasses the agreed point total, points earned from ensuing throws are subtracted from the player's score.
Example:
At the end of the round, the players have the following point totals: Alex: 16, Kim: 13, Tanya: 12 and Tom: 17 points. Tom is not the winner, and the game is not over yet! Points earned by Kim and Tanya are still added to their total, while any points earned by Alex or Tom are subtracted from their respective scores, and if they're not careful may wind up with less than 15 again. Depending on the point total, a player may have to switch back and forth between adding and subtracting points. A little luck, or skill, can decide the game; the first player to reach exactly 15 points immediately ends the game as the winner!
No die
The first throw is made from launching pad 1, the second from 2 and the third from 3. The same order is maintained for the remaining rounds.
Party game
Throw the ball from awkward positions! For example:
- While standing on one foot
- From your knees
- With your back towards the game, throw over your shoulder
- Using your weaker hand, etc.
If more than four players
Have only two throws each per round, or reduce the goal to 12 points.
Handicap
The last player to win the game has to throw from a greater distance: 1 m (3 ft.) behind the edge of the table. The position can be marked on the floor.
Rearrange the point rings
To change things up a bit, change the order of the rings. Unlike the standard game rules, arrange the eight rings in any order. Only the number 4 ring must remain in the middle, as it doesn't fit anywhere else.
Any of these game variations can be applied by themselves, or in combination.
However you play, have fun!