Bocce is one of the oldest games known to mankind. There’s evidence that as early as 5000 B.C., the Egyptians played Bocce with polished rocks. However, the early Romans were the ones who played the game most closely to the way we do today. And at Now Resorts & Spas, bocce is a very popular beach activity among our guests.

Bocce is played with eight large balls and one smaller ball, called the pallino. The game can be played with 2, 4, or 8 players.  Once the number of players is decided, divide the bocce balls evenly between them. The purpose of the game is to get your bocce balls as close to the pallino as possible. Points will be awarded based on the distance of a player’s balls from the pallino.

To begin, choose a player at random to throw the pallino. This player must also throw the first bocce ball. After the first player has thrown his first bocce ball, he is now as the “inside” player and will not throw again until someone throws his or her ball closer to the pallino. Once someone throws closer to the pallino, he is now considered the “inside” player. The “inside” player cannot throw twice in a row.

After all players have thrown their bocce balls, points will be awarded to the “inside” player whose ball is closest to the pallino. One point will be awarded for every ball that is closer to the pallino than his or her closest competitor’s ball.  The game is won when a player reaches 13 points.