The Terrain
First you need to choose a terrain. This is the easy part, since pétanque can be played almost anywhere. You should, however, choose a flat area (unless you want a real challenge!) 3 to 4 meters (9 to 13 feet) wide and about 12 meters (39 feet) long.
First you need to choose a terrain. This is the easy part, since pétanque can be played almost anywhere. You should, however, choose a flat area (unless you want a real challenge!) 3 to 4 meters (9 to 13 feet) wide and about 12 meters (39 feet) long.
Players
You can play one-on-one (called "tête-à-tête"), or in teams of two ("doublettes") or three ("triplettes").
In triplettes, each player has two boules. In doublettes and tête-à-tête, each player plays with three boules.
You can play one-
In triplettes, each player has two boules. In doublettes and tête-
Of course, in informal play, you can play one against two, two against three, etc. The important thing is that each team has the same number of boules.
The Aim of the Game
The aim of the game is very simple: each player tries to throw his or her boule as close to the jack as possible.
The aim of the game is very simple: each player tries to throw his or her boule as close to the jack as possible.
At the start of the game, you draw a circle on the ground. This is where each player has to stand to throw. But first, for the game to begin, someone needs to throw the jack 6 to 10 metres (6½ to 11 yards) from the circle. The jack must also be visible from the circle.
Once the jack has been thrown (and can be seen from the circle, or you need to throw it again!), one player from each team throws a boule. The team whose boule is closest to the jack is said to be "holding".
