Pétanque is an easy and fun game that’s quick to learn – but also offers a lot of strategy for those who want to go deeper. Here’s a guide to how it’s played and the basic rules.
The Goal of the Game
The goal in pétanque is to throw your metal balls as close as possible to the small wooden target ball – called the jack (or cochonnet). The team with the most balls closest to the jack at the end of a round scores points.
How to Play – Step by Step
Form Teams:
- 1 vs 1 (singles) – 3 boules per player
- 2 vs 2 (doubles) – 3 boules per player
- 3 vs 3 (triples) – 2 boules per player
Throw the Jack:
- One player draws a circle on the ground (35–50 cm in diameter) to stand in while throwing.
- The jack is thrown between 6–10 meters from the circle.
Throw the Boules:
- The team that threw the jack starts.
- Players throw one boule at a time, standing still with both feet inside the circle.
- After the first team throws, the opposing team tries to throw closer – or knock away the other team’s boule.
Who Throws Next?
- The team with the boule farthest from the jack continues to throw until they get closer or run out of boules.
Scoring:
- When all boules are played, the team with the closest boule scores 1 point for each boule that is closer than the opponent’s nearest.
- The game is played until 13 points.
Basic Rules
- All throws are made from the same circle.
- Both feet must stay inside the circle while throwing.
- The jack must always be visible and within the valid distance.
- It’s allowed to shoot (knock away) the opponent’s boule or the jack – that’s part of the game!
Tips for Beginners
- Focus on pointing (placing your boule close to the jack) to start – accuracy matters more than power.
- Learn shooting later – a good way to remove opponent boules.
- Play with strategy – sometimes blocking is better than trying to score.
Want to get started? Join an event, try a casual game, or just come by and learn pétanque with us. Everyone’s welcome!