First up for the Second Half

Image by Lottery Monkey via Flickr

It's time to start playing shuffleboard again!

This Wednesday the Crowe BarFlies face the VFW Flyers and we are out for blood! Just kidding (or am I?). They beat us on their board so I want to give them a taste of their own medicine. Also, they're right on our heels at only one game back from us. We need this win to stay ahead of them.

Hopefully, I can pull our team together and pull out a win. Right now we are in a 3 way tie for second. All of us 2nd place teams are two games back from the league leaders, our sister team, the Crowe Wildpuckers. They are playing out in Stafford against the Stafford Ye "Olde" Puckers, one of the teams we are tied with. The other team, Cozy Corner I, has a bye, so a win for us would definitely be nice!

Record
5-3

Next Opponent - VFW Flyers

Go BarFlies

Baseball

So all Baseball is, in shuffleboard, is a slight variation on Horse Collar. Instead of playing to 51, you play 9 "innings." 


I'm guessing that if after 9 rounds the score is tied and you keep playing until one team/person is the winner. But everyone should get another shot if the first person scored. Kind of like being the home team, you always get a final chance.

Horse Collar

Okie dokie folks! Time for another shuffleboard variations! This one is called Horse Collar. I've never actually played this one but unlike Crazy Eights I have heard of it.


game overview provided by Bowers' Corner
Horse Collar Overview
Games can be played one-on-one (2 players) or with two or more teams of two players per team, playing on same end of the board.  Each player/team uses one set of weights [red or blue].  Depending upon the number of players,  teams may need to alternate ends as the frames change. Games are played in frames until one team scores 51-points.  However,  scoring 51-points first does not necessarily make that team the winner. Every team gets to finish each frame and the highest score is the winner. If the team that scores 51-points or more has the hammer (the last team to play), then they are declared the winners. Before a team can score any points at all, at least one weight must be 3-points or more. Weights are considered in play if they are on the board and past the designated foul line [which typically is the "short" foul line nearest to the player's end of the board].  It is important to know before the game starts which foul line has been designated, but typically it will be the "short" foul line nearest to the player that is shooting. 


If playing singles, one player will throw all eight weights.  If playing teams (4 or 8 players), one player will throw 4 weights of the same color, then the other player will throw the remaining 4 weights. The objective is to get at least one weight into the 3-point or more zone to get the scoring started. You may bump or tap weights to accomplish this or simply lag one in. All weights must be past the designated (short or short) foul line or off the board.  If a weight remains on the board that is not past the designated foul line, no points can be awarded - but if it is not your last weight, it may be knocked off.  Again, the objective is to get at least one weight into the 3-point or greater zone [without any weights short of the designated foul line - again, typically the "short" foul line], in order for any points to count.  See below for specifics of How to Play with 2 players or in teams of 4 or 8 players. 

How To Play With 2 Players

Players stand at opposite ends of the board, facing each other.  The first player shoots all 8 weights (4 blue; 4 red) consecutively towards the opposite end of the board.  After all weights have been shot, the score is counted as shown in below illustration under "Method of Scoring".  Then the board is cleared and the opponent shoots in the same manner from the end of the shuffleboard at which he is standing.  Players alternate shooting until one player has scored 51 points (See "Technical Points" - Rule 1 below).

How To Play With 4 or 8 Players

With more than two persons, Horse Collar is a team game.  If there are 4 players, they divide into teams of 2 each; if 8 players, they divide into teams of 4.  To start a game the opposing teams station themselves at opposite ends of the shuffleboard -  all players of one team at one end, all their opponents at the other end.  The first team shoots all 8 weights toward the opposite end at the other end of the board.  The first team shoots all its 8 weights toward the opposite end, with each member of the team shooting his quota consecutively, in the following manner:

On a 2-player team, the first player shoots 4 weights, in a row and then his partner shoots the remaining 4 weights of opposite color.

On a 4-player team, the first player shoots 2 weights in a row, and each of his partners in turn shots 2 weights in a row until all 8 weights have been shot.

When all 8 weights have been thrown, score is counted as shown below in "Method of Scoring".  Then the opposing team clears the board and shoots its 8 weights in the same manner as described above.  Teams continue to alternate shooting until one team has scored 51 points (See "Technical Points" - Rule 1 below). 

How To Count Players/Teams Scores - "METHOD OF SCORING RULES"

After all 8 weights in a round have been played, it must first be determined whether at least one weight is completely in the trey (3)-zone or overhanging the End or the left or right hand Corner of the shuffleboard playing field.  If there is NO weight in this zone, NO SCORE OF ANY KIND CAN BE COUNTED, regardless of how many weights remain on the board.

If there is at least one weight in the trey (3-point zone) or overhanging the End (13-point zone)  or the left or right hand Corner of the board (26-point zone), then the score is counted, as follows:

	All weights touching or in front of the deuce line count 1 point.  This applies to the entire area up to the designated foul line (typically "short" foul line is designated), but weight must be completely clear of the designated foul line to count.
	All weights between the deuce line and the trey line (including any touching the trey line), count  2- points.
	All weights between the trey line and the far end of the board count 3-points.
	All weights overhanging the board at the far end count 13-points (13 point hanger) .
	All weights overhanging the left and/or right hand corner of the board count 26-points (26-point hanger).  Note:  Some establishments or tournament directors may not include or count the hanging corner any more than a hanger from the end of board, but most tournaments will include the 26-point count possibility.  Hanging corner is another item you should be informed about before you start to play.
	All weights which fall into the alleys, or do not clear the designated foul line are dead and do not count.

SCORE COUNT SUMMARY:

In order to score, a team must have at least one weight being worth 3-points or more [It does not have to be the first weights thrown in order to score].  For example, if a team throws 1 weight worth 3-points and 2 weights worth 2-points and 3 weights worth 1- point and all remaining weights on the board are past the designated foul line (again, typically "short" foul line), the team would score 10-points.

Hangers are worth 13-points [hanger being a weight that is hanging partially off the end of the board].

Hanger on Corners are worth 26-points [weight is hanging partially off the end and partially off the side of the board in either corner].  Note:  a weight just hanging only off the side of the board does not have any special meaning or point value unless it is a 26-point hanger on one of the two Corners.

Games are played in frames until one team scores 51-points.  However,  scoring 51-points first does not necessarily make that team the winner.

Every team gets to finish each frame and the highest score is the winner (51-points or greater).

If the team that scores 51-points or more has the hammer (the last team to play), then they are declared the winners.

OPTIONAL:   Sometimes players will play Horse Collar also having what is called a "Hickey" count which means every time a player does not score, it constitutes a "Hickey", and each player that does not score in a round puts an agreed upon amount of money into a "Hickey Jar"  (e.g., $.25, $1, $5, etc.) and the final winner of the game gets the contents of the Hickey Jar.  This is just something that can be done to make the game more interesting, but may or may not be part of your agreed upon Horse Collar tournament rules.
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Technical Points

1. A game is NOT complete until player or team which has been shooting last has taken its LAST TURN AT THE BOARD, even though the player or team shooting first has already scored 51-points or more.  If both teams go over 51 points, the one with the FINAL HIGHEST SCORE IS THE WINNER.
2. During play, no contestant may leave his position to check the location of weights he or his partners have played.
3. All weights which do not completely CLEAR the designated foul line (typically the "short" foul line nearest to the player shooting are dead weights, but must not be removed from the board.
4. On the 9-ft. and 12-ft. cushion boards (a.k.a. bank boards), Horse Collar is played and scored exactly the same as described above, except that each weight played must first carom off either side cushion on its way to the scoring areas.  On cushion shuffleboards, the center foul line applies on all foul line rules (Note:  On the 9-ft. BANK-SHOT the "5" zone is disregarded and anything in that zone is considered in the trey zone.)

I have played a shortened version of this game that is called Horse Race. In Horse Race, you only get one shot to try and get the highest score possible with all 8 pucks. We usually play for $1 since most of the time you get one shot at it. Also, in Horse Race we have a rule called "One Tie All Tie." This means that even if you got 0 points and there were two people who tied for the highest score, everyone (including you) pay another dollar and everyone shoots again. This continues until one person has the highest score and they take the pot.

Good Luck!

Crazy Eights

Since we don't have shuffleboard this week, I figured I'd find some variations on the normal shuffleboard game that we play in league. First up we have Crazy Eights.

Crazy Eight - Overview     below text viaShuffleboard Corner

Crazy Eight is a singles game played with 2 or more players and is played in frames allowing all players to have an equal chance. Players alternate ends of the board between frames, each player using all eight weights/pucks [red and blue]. The Game is played until one player scores  some agreed upon number of points (e.g., 1-point, 15-points, 21-points, etc.).  You continue frames until a winner is determined.  


Scoring the agreed upon points first does not necessarily make that player the winner. Every player gets to finish that frame and the highest score that is equal to or greater than the agreed upon game point (e.g., 1-points, 15-points, 21-points, etc.) is declared the winner. If the player that scores equal to or greater than the agreed minimum required points has the hammer (the last player to play), then he/she is declared the winner. If the last player ties with a prior player, then another round must be played to determine the winner.  


Before a player can score, the first 4 weights (same color) must be thrown simultaneously with one hand and all 4 weights must stay on the board and be past the long foul line (the foul line furthest from the shooter).  If all 4 weights do not stay on the board, then that player gets no points for that round and the next player is up to play.  If all 4 weights do stay on the board past the long foul line,  then the player must shoot all 4 weights/pucks (in four shots) of the opposite color and must knock off those first four weights thrown past the foul line before any points can be scored for that frame.  After all 4 original weights are knocked off, the remaining weights left on the table are scored.  For instance, if a player does not get all four of their first 4 weights past the long foul line, no points are scored; if a player does get all 4 weights past the foul on first throw, but does not knock them off and keep at least one of the final 4 weights on the board, no points are scored; if a player gets all 4 first weights past the foul line, knocks them all off and has at least one of the final 4 weights left on the board, points are added and count.  

OPTIONAL:   Sometimes players will also have a "Hickey" count which means every time a player does not score, it constitutes a "Hickey", and each player that does not score in a round puts an agreed upon amount of money into a "Hickey Jar"  (e.g., $.25, $1, $5, etc.) and the final winner of the game gets the contents of the Hickey Jar.  This is just something that can be done to make the game more interesting, but may or may not be part of your agreed upon Crazy Eight tournament rules.

How To Play

Take 4 weights [of same color], group them together, and throw them with one hand.

If  all 4 weights do not pass the long foul line and stay on the board, no points are scored for that round [and player gets a "Hickey" if your tournament includes a "Hickey Jar"], and next player is up on the opposite end of the board for their turn.

If all 4 weights of the same color group did pass the long foul line and stay on the board, then player shoots the remaining 4 weights [of opposite color] one at a time and attempts to knock off the 1st 4 weights and keep at least one of the last four weights of the opposite color on the board to score points (this is great practice for knock off, making combination shots to remove more than one of the 4 weights with one shot, and to be able to either stick a final shot or lag with the weights you have left after you've knocked off all 4 weights of the original color group).  


If all of the first color group weights are knocked off and you still have at least one of the second color on the board and past the long foul line, this is your score; otherwise,  no point is scored [and player gets a "Hickey" if your tournament includes a "Hickey Jar"].  In either case, the next player is up on the opposite end of the board for their turn.

How To Count Player's Scores

Scoring (e.g., 1-point, 2-points, 3-points, or 4-points) is similar to  "knock off" with the exceptions noted above where first 4 weights of the same color must remain on the board and past the long foul line, and then they must all be knocked off with the remaining 4 weights of the opposite color while keeping one or more of these weights on the board.

A weight scores 1-point if it is located between the long foul line and the "2" line.

Weights completely across the "2"  line count 2-points; weights across the "3" line count  3-points, a weight hanging over the end of the board (a.k.a. hanger) counts 4-points, etc.  

If any portion of the weight is hanging over the end of the board (not the side) it is called a "hanger" and counts 4-points. Close calls can be checked by holding a weight so the top of a weight is along the back end of the board. The weight is then slid along the back end of the board.  If it hits the "disputed" hanger the weight is indeed hanging and is worth 4-points.




Good Luck!