How To Play Shuffleboard | Shuffleboard Rules Explained

Shuffleboard is one of the easiest and most popular games in the USA. It is widely inspired by a Medieval-era game known as shove-groat. 

In the USA, it was first played at Daytona Beach, Florida, on the ground back in 1913. Since then, It has become widespread and now has many alternative names in Latin America. 

Due to its similarities with other games, including tabling and air hockey, many people confuse about understanding its rules. Well, this is where we came in.

I’ve collaborated with professional shuffleboard players for proper insight. So, worry not and keep on reading to understand its rules effortlessly.

Outdoor Shuffleboard Equipment

To play the game, the player needs proper equipment, which includes:

• Tang
• Pucks

The tang is a paddle-like stick that is used to propel the pucks, a.k.a biscuits. A tang should be 6ft3in long.

How To Play Shuffleboard?

Shuffleboard matches can either be played in doubles or singles. In singles, players usually stand against each other and aim for the opposite triangle.

In doubles, the pucks are divided into both players of the team. Each player gets 4 pucks. The winner is decided by the best of 10 games. To win a game, a player or team must score 75 points.

If both teams or players have a score tie, then the team with the highest score is decided as the winner.

Size Of Shuffleboard Court

Shuffleboard is an outdoor game that is usually played on either floor or pavements. The only essential requirement is that the surface must be smooth and plain.

The court is 52 feet long and 6 feet wide. The court is divided into 5 sections. There are 2 triangles drawn opposite to each other 18 feet apart.

Both triangles are further divided into point zones and left and right areas. The point zones are marked with 10, then 8, and then 7, respectively.

Shuffleboard Court Rules

The general rule states that the court surface must be plain and smooth. Apart from it, you also need to follow several rules for fair play.

•  Players need to shoot their pucks at the other end triangle.
• The corresponding number is awarded to the player where the puck landed.
• The dice or puck must not touch the boundary line to earn any point numbers.
• The bottom of the triangle is marked with 10 points.
• If the puck of any player lands in this section, they will lose 10 points.
• Both players must stand within the assigned box. The standing box should be 6 feet wide.

Another court is that the player who serves will use yellow biscuit pucks. While the second player plays with the black-colored pucks.

Shuffleboard Scoring Rules

The player who will play first is decided by a toss. The aim of the game is to pass as many scoring zones as possible. 

• You can shoot one puck at a time.
• A player gets 10 points plenty if they use another player’s disc.
• The biscuit must be stationary before you proceed to the second shot.
• The game is played at the alternative ends.
• You can count your score only after all eight pucks have been shot. 
• To score points, a puck must be fully within the scoring zone without touching any sidelines.
• If the puck is on the 10 OFF line, then the player will get 5-point plenty.
• If the biscuit/puck touches the sideline or shoots off the court, then the player loses 10 points.
• Players must switch positions to the alternative ends after every game.

To win the game, a player must have the highest score after 10 rounds. Usually, the game is played against a pre-defined target.

Carrom Shuffleboard Rules

Shuffleboard is considered a fair-weather game. But with the carrom shuffleboard, you can enjoy the game all around the year. The rules of the game remain the same, but the scoring rules mainly vary.

• It is played on a solid 0.75-thick wooden frame with a play area drawn over it.
• The game is scored on a 50, 75, and 100 points basis.
• At the tip of both triangles, the foul lines are drawn.
• While playing, the player’s hands can’t go beyond the foul lines.
• A puck is considered dead if it stops between the foul lines.

The aim of the game remains the same. Both players compete to score the pre-decided target first. Alike the outdoor shuffleboard, players need to switch positions after every game. The carrom shuffleboard is primarily suitable for beginner’s practice.

Shuffleboard Line Rules

The line rule remains the same in all variants of the shuffleboard games. The rule states that “any puck touching the lines of two score zones will only receive the minimum score.”

Suppose in the outdoor shuffleboard game, the puck stops between the 2 and 3. Then, the player will only get the 2 points. Keep in mind that pucks within the scoring zones that touch the sidelines don’t count.

Triangle Shuffleboard Rules

As mentioned above, at the end of the game, the players count their scores. Well, the score is listed on the triangle in numeric terms:

• The tip of the shuffleboard triangle is marked with 10.
• Then, the rest of the surface is divided into two halves and marked 8 and 7, respectively.
• The bottom line of the triangle is 10 off.

While playing, if the puck the player stops in the 10 OFF line of the opponent’s triangle, a 5 point penalty is awarded.

The Rules Of Shuffleboard FAQs

Wrapping It Up!

Shuffleboard is a relatively new yet famous sport in the USA. It is played outside. But now there are many variants of it that are played indoors i.e. table shuffleboard.

Mostly, it is played as singles, but you can also play it in more than two teams. The court is 52 feet long and must be at least 6 feet wide. Each player gets eight pucks to shoot.

A player who scores 75 points first wins the match. Keep in mind that you can only count the score after shooting all your pucks. If the dice slide out of the court, you lose 10 points.

We hope that this article helps you to understand the rules of shuffleboard more easily. Well, in the meantime, be happy and keep on conquering your dreams!