Last Updated on April 4, 2020 by Jake
Shuffleboard is one of America’s favorite pastimes for a reason. This entertaining game can be played at home, at the park, at the office or even at a bar. While the game may be easy to grasp, it requires skill and practice to be good at it. Here we’ll take you through how to play shuffleboard and all of its variations.
Let’s get started with the basics. To play, you need a good quality shuffleboard table and 4 disks for each player. Have a look at our article on the best shuffleboard tables. A shuffleboard table and shuffleboard disks are the main pieces of equipment you will need after learning how to play shuffleboard.
Two players then proceed to slide disks on the playing surface of the shuffleboard. The playfield has different scoring areas (the farthest areas of the board have the highest score) and four edges.
The main objective of the game is to ensure your disks stop on high scoring areas as well as blocking opponents’ disks from reaching these high scoring areas or knocking their disks off the board. Any disk that falls off the edges of the playing surface isn’t scored.
Table of Contents
After each end (each round is called an end – this occurs when all players have played their 4 disks), the farthest disks’ (i.e. closest discs to the edge of the table) scores are added up. The first player to score 15 or 20 wins the game.
How to Play Shuffleboard – Table Shuffleboard
Shuffleboards surfaces come in different lengths. The lengths range for 9 to 22 ft. For shuffleboard tournaments, the playing surface needs to be 22 ft. long, which is the regulation size. Shorter boards are great for friends and family. The table needs to be about 30 inches tall and 20 inches wide.
The playing surface is divided into sections. 6 feet from the far end of the playing surface, you will find the foul line drawn across the width of the playing surface. Two more lines are drawn after the foul line. These delineate the 3 scoring areas.
The 3-point line is drawn at 6 inches from the far end of the playfield. The area between the 3-point line and end of playfield is the 3-point area. The 2-point line is 12 inches from the far end of the playfield. The area between the 2-point line and the 3-point line is the 2-point area. Finally, the area between the foul line and the 2-point line is the 1-point area.
Players are given 4 uniquely marked/colored circular metal weights. These are what the players will slide across the shuffleboard surface.
The surface of the playing surface needs to smooth, polished and well finished. This will allow the disks to effortlessly slide across the surface.
Playing the Game
- A coin toss or chance event like rock paper scissors determines which player goes first. It is advantageous to go second as you have more chances to knock the first player’s weights off the playing surface. At the same time, the first player will have fewer chances to knock your weights off the playing surface. After each end, the winner of the recently finished end goes first. If the previous end results in a no score, the player that went second previously goes first.
- The players each have four weights, which they slide across the board in turns. The aim is to slide the weights farthest on the board without falling off. If a weight doesn’t make it across the foul line, it is removed from the board immediately so as not to interfere with any other weights that are slid after it. Players can intentionally knock opponents’ already played weights out of play or use them to ricochet their weight into higher scoring areas.
Scoring
- Once all weights have been played, the weights are scored. The player with a weight closest to the far end wins the end. The other player scores zero. All the winning player’s disks closer to the far end than the losing player’s best disk are scored. For a disk to be scored –
- It needs to be on the playing surface.
- It needs to cross the foul line fully
- Finally, it needs to be closer to the far end than the losing player’s best disk.
- If a scoring weight is in two areas at the same time, it is scored as being in the lower area. The weight that touches a line is scored as being in the lower area. For example, even if a weight crosses into the 3-point area but still touches the 3-point line, it is scored as 2 points. (The weight needs to cross the 3-point line completely and be in the 3-point area to be scored as 3 points.) The same applies to all other scoring areas.
- Weights that hang over the far end scores 4 points.
- In 2 player games, the first player to score 15 points (or 11 points in some games) wins. For team games, the first team to reach 21 points wins. (The team comprises of 2 players.)
How to Play Shuffleboard – Outdoor/Floor Shuffleboard
This is played on a shuffleboard court, which is 52 feet in length. The scoring areas are triangular and are on both ends of the playing surface. Between the scoring areas are two dead lines.
Similar to indoor shuffleboard, each player has 4 disks. Unlike indoor shuffleboard, these disks are wooden. Each player’s weights are uniquely marked usually black or yellow. The disks are 6 inches in diameter and about an inch in breadth. They weigh about 15 oz. A cue is used to push the disks on the playfield. Cues are usually about 6 ft. long and have a U-shaped pushing prong.
The scoring area of the shuffleboard court is divided into 6. The 10-point area is found at the apex of the triangle and occupies the smallest area. The 2 scoring areas below the apex are the 8-point areas. They are larger than the 10-point area but smaller than the 7-point scoring areas found below the 8-point scoring areas. At the base of the triangle is the 10-OFF area.
Playing the Game
- The disks starting position is inside the 10-OFF area at the opposite far end of the scoring areas.
- In turns, players slide their disks across the playfield using their cues to launch them. It is essential that every disk is inside the 10-OFF area before and during the entire launch duration (when the prong of the cue is in contact with the disk).
- Penalties are incurred if the sliding motion continues after any portion of the disk leaves the 10-OFF launching area. Any disk that doesn’t make it to the farthest dead line is removed before play continues.
Illegal Plays in Shuffleboard
Understanding illegal plays in shuffleboard is key knowledge for knowing how to play shuffleboard. They lead to points being deducted and are called penalties.
- If the disk comes into contact with the 10-OFF line before it is launched, 5 points are deducted.
- If the disk comes into contact with the side lines of the triangular scoring area when being launched, 10 points are deducted.
- If any part of the player’s body crosses the baseline or touches it, 10 points are deducted.
- If a player launches an opponent’s disk, 10 points are deducted.
Illegally launched disks are removed before play can continue.
Scoring
The disks are scored accordingly:
- A disk has to be inside the scoring area entirely to be scored. If it touches any line, it isn’t scored.
- If the disk stops in the 10-OFF scoring area, 10 points are deducted.
- If a disk goes beyond the triangle, it is not scored.
- If a disk ends up on top of another, it is still scored.
The first team/player to reach 75 points win.
How to Play Shuffleboard – Deck Shuffleboard
Another popular form of shuffleboard is deck shuffleboard, which is also known as Deck Billiards or Peel Billiards.
The deck shuffleboard court has two scoring areas at either end of the playing surface. Oval scoring areas are usually 6 feet in length while the distance between scoring ovals is 30 ft. The Gentleman’s lines are lines located about a foot behind each scoring area on the outside of the playfield. The Lady’s lines are lines located about a foot in front of each scoring area on the inside of the playfield. Inside the scoring area is a square, which is divided into 9 scoring areas as follows.
- 8, 1, 6 (on the first row)
- 3, 5, 7 (on the second row)
- 4, 9, 2 (on the third row)
You will notice that each row or column adds up to 15. For example, when you add up the first row, you get fifteen – 8 + 1 + 6 = 15. In the same way, when you add up the second column, you get fifteen – 1 + 5 + 9 = 15. Also diagonally, the numbers add up to 15. On the far end of the square is the 10 points area; on the near end of the square is the -10 points area (if your disk lands there, 10 points are deducted).
Similar to outdoor shuffleboard, each player has wooden 4 disks. Each player’s disks are of the same color while the other player’s disks are of another color. The disks are 6 inches in diameter.
Playing the Game
- A coin toss determines which player goes first. Going second provides the player with a strategic advantage.
- Players launch their disks behind the Gentleman’s line in turns. If a disk doesn’t make it beyond the Lady’s line closest to the scoring area, it is removed before play continues. Players can intentionally knock opponents’ disks out of play or use them to get into higher scoring areas.
- After every disk has been played, a new end begins at the opposite far end.
Scoring
- A disk has to be inside the scoring area entirely to be scored. If it touches any line, it isn’t scored.
The first team/player to reach 100 or 50 points wins. Two teams of two players can play this game with teams playing from opposite ends throughout the whole game.
Conclusion
Shuffleboard is fun game can be played by all. Best of all you can easily get the hang of it since learning how to play shuffleboard is easy. There are also different formats of the game, so make sure you know which type you will play when learning how to play shuffleboard.
Some of the more popular rule formats include crazy eight shuffleboard game rules, horse collar shuffleboard rules, knock off rules, and official tournament rules. Have fun playing shuffleboard!
Need some ideas for your game room? Check out our post on game room ideas to get inspired!