BOULES – Welsh Pétanque Association

Article 16 – Throwing of the first and following boules

The first boule of an end is thrown by a player belonging to the team that has won the toss or has been the last to score. After that, it is the team that does not hold the point that plays.

The player must not use any object or draw a line on the ground to help him/her in playing a boule or mark its landing point. Whilst playing his or her last boule, it is forbidden to carry a boule in the other hand.

The boules must be played one at a time.

Any boule thrown cannot be replayed. However, boules must be replayed if they have been stopped or deviated accidentally from their course between the throwing circle and the jack by a boule or jack coming from another game, or by an animal or any moving object (football, etc.) and in the case defined in Article 8, second paragraph.

It is forbidden to moisten the boules or the jack.

Before throwing his/her boule, the player must remove from it any trace of mud or whatever deposit, under threat of penalties outlined in Article 35.

If the first boule played goes out-of-bounds, it is for the opponent to play first then alternately so long as there are no boules on the designated terrain.

If after shooting or pointing no boules are left on the designated playing area, the arrangements concerning a dead end as defined in Article 29 apply.

Article 17 – Behaviour of players and spectators during a game

During the regulation time allowed for a player to throw a boule the spectators and players must observe total silence.

The opponents must not walk, nor gesticulate nor do anything that could disturb the player about to play. Only his or her team-mate/s may remain between the throwing circle and the jack.

The opponents must remain beyond the jack or behind the player and, in both cases, to the side with regard to the direction of play and at a distance of at least 2 metres the one from the other.

The players who do not observe these regulations could be excluded from the competition if, after a warning from the Umpire, they persist in their conduct.

Article 18 – Throwing of the boules and boules going outside the terrain

Absolutely no-one may, as a test, throw his/her boule during the game. Players who do not observe this rule will be penalised as set out in the chapter “Discipline”, Article 35 During the course of an end, boules going outside the marked terrain are valid (except as in the application of Article 19).

Article 19 – Dead boules

Any boule is dead from the moment that it enters an out-of-bounds area. A boule straddling the boundary line of the authorised playing area is valid. The boule is dead only after having completely crossed the boundary of the allotted playing area, that is to say, when it is situated entirely beyond the boundary when viewed from directly above. The same applies when, on marked terrains, the boule completely crosses more than one of the lanes alongside the lane in use or when it crosses the end line of the lane.

In timed games played on a marked terrain a boule is considered dead when it completely crosses the line of the designated lane.

If the boule then comes back into the playing area, either because of the slope of the ground or by having rebounded from an obstacle, moving or stationary, it is immediately taken out of the game and anything that it has displaced after its passage into an out-of bounds area is put back in place provided these objects have been marked.

Any dead boule must immediately be removed from the game. By default it will be considered to be live the moment another boule is played by the opposing team.

Article 20 – Stopped boules

Any boule played that is stopped or deviated by a spectator or the Umpire, will remain where it comes to rest.

Any boule played, that is stopped or deviated accidentally by a player to whose team it belongs, is dead.

Any boule pointed that is stopped or deviated accidentally by an opponent, can, according to the wishes of the player, be replayed or left where it comes to rest.

When a boule shot, or hit is stopped or deviated accidentally by a player, the opponent may:

leave it where it stopped;
place it on the extension of a line which starts from the original position it occupied to its stopping point, but only on the playable area and only on condition that it had been marked.

The player purposely stopping a moving boule is immediately disqualified, along with his or her team, for the game in progress.

Article 21 – Time allowed to play

Once the jack is thrown each player has the maximum duration of one minute to play his or her boule. This short period starts from the moment when the previous boule or jack stops or, if it is necessary to measure a point, from the moment the latter has been effected.

The same requirements apply to the throwing of the jack, which is 1 minute for the 3 throws.

All players not respecting this rule, incur the penalties outlined in Article 35 “Discipline”

Article 22 – Displaced boules

If a stationary boule is moved by the wind or slope of the ground, for example, it is put back in its place. The same applies to any boule accidentally displaced by a player, an Umpire, a spectator, an animal or any moving object.

To avoid any dispute, the players must mark the boules. No claim will be admissible for an unmarked boule, and the Umpire will give a decision only in terms of the position the boules hold on the terrain.

However, if a boule is moved by a boule played in this game it is valid.

Article 23 – A player throwing a boule other than his own

The player who plays a boule other than his own receives a warning. The boule played is nevertheless valid but it must immediately be replaced, possibly after measuring has been done.

In the event of it occurring again during the game, the guilty player’s boule is disqualified and anything it displaced is put back in place.

Article 24 – Boules thrown contrary to the rules

Except for cases in which these rules provide specific and graduated penalties as outlined in Article 35, any boule thrown contrary to the rules is dead and if marked, anything that it has displaced in its travel is put back in place.

However, the opponent has the right to apply the advantage rule and declare it to be valid. In this case, the boule pointed or shot, is valid and anything it has displaced remains in its place.