World Series EXTREME PETANQUE Rules
Petanque is a world-recognised sport/game (reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%A9tanque). The official UK site is here: http://www.petanque.co.uk/
Petanque is a form of boules (a great game, played especially in France.) However – both games are played on relatively flat surfaces – be it a hard, gravel-like surface (for boules, which have metal balls) or on sand (for the lighter, brightly coloured water-filled plastic balls).
Extreme Petanque is similar – but with one MASSIVE difference. The ground is (ideally) totally random, and hilly. On a really good world series pitch, it is hilly, with bare patches of earth, divots, bumps and all manner of intriguing challenges for the players to work with.
The rules are the same as Petanque / boules (as I know them). One player throws the Jack (a small target ball). In Extreme Petanque, that person is either biggest/most sulky/passing by. It may even even be the winner of the previous round. They decide to drop/throw/lob/catapult/fire the Jack in “an” direction. Where it lands is where the players must aim for (see subclause 1). There is no minimum distance or direction.
When the jack comes to rest (as it may roll on, fall down a rabbit hole etc), the first player plays their first ball. The throw is an underarm throw to land as close to the jack as possible – where it lands is immaterial, where it stops is where it is counted from. First player is typically picked by the biggest/adult/passing by. The first player may sometimes be referred to as “the mug” as other players will then learn how the ground/earth/hill/cliff/beach is going to change where the ball finishes. Each player then plays one ball in turn, before going round (in order) again.
Once all balls are played, the closest person wins the round. No points are calculated because, well, no-one said we needed a pen and paper.
At the end of the game, the winner is the biggest/most sulky/ passing by.
Subclauses
1. If the jack thrower decides to be “really clever” and throw it somewhere that makes it wholly unplayable/ possibly dangerous to play, then players may invoke this subclause requiring the thrower to “go get it or else”. The “or else” sub-sub-clause may involve talking to parents, meeting a bigger brother, a general re-alignment of principles, or just total abandonment of the game. Basically, putting the Jack in a non-playable place is just so not cool.
2. If using plastic water-filled petanque balls on hard surfaces, there is a risk that the balls may crack and the liquid may leave the balls. At that point, the “tough Tutties” rule is invoked where the now empty ball must be continued to be played, but at the end of the game the player with said ball must apologise to the leader who provided the set. Failure to do so will lead to guilt and possibly punishment for the entire Scout Troop
3. Although there are no official boundaries for the World Series Extreme Petanque series in regard to playing area; consideration must be given where there are other campers on the Scout site who could be inconvenienced. Consequently – all Tentage is out of bounds (even if all occupants of the tent are playing) or if a Leader says “no, that’s a step too far” or similar. This will include playing across rivers, waterfalls, cliffs, Leaders areas, minefields, war zones – or the campsite wardens garden.
