Complete Marbles Rules

1. Game varieties

1.1 All varieties of the game have the same rules. The only difference consists in the quantity of marbles used by each player during the game.

1.2 Classical game - each player uses 10 marbles.

1.3 Shortened game - each player uses less than 10 marbles.

1.4 Extended game - each player uses more than 10 marbles.

2. Marbles and playground properties

2.1 During the match, both opponents have to use marbles of different colors or be able to distinguish them in another way to avoid confusion.

2.2 In case both opponents want to use marbles difficult to distinguish, the dispute is resolved as follows: Both opponents throw one marble towards the hole. The player whose marble is closer to the hole has the right to continue in the game using his marbles. His opponent has to choose different marbles according the article 2.1. This determining throw has no influence on who starts the game.

2.3 The marble is a sport equipment from a solid, non-metallic material with unchanging shape and properties. It should be no greater than 16.5 mm in diameter. Players are obligated to present their marbles to the referee at his request for a check.

2.4 Marbles are played on a playground which should be arranged within the bounds of possibility. The throwing line is 7.5 m from the center of the hole. The diameter of the hole is between 7 and 11 cm and its minimum depth is 5 cm. In case of the use of a hole stiffener, the diameter is measured in the upper inner part of the stiffener. There must be at least 2 m of the free space behind the hole. The hole should be of round shape.

3. The game

3.1 Determining throw and opening throws

3.1.1 The game begins by a determining throw. The determining throw is defined as a throw of one marble by both opponents (one by one) towards the hole according the article 3.1.4. The player whose marble is closer to the hole becomes the determining throw winner. In cases both marbles are in the same distance from the hole, both fall into the hole or one marble touches the other, the opponents repeat the determining throw. In this case the players throw in reverse order. In case of disagreement between the opponents who will start the determining throw, the order is determined by a random drawing.

3.1.2 The determining throw winner has the right to decide who will start the opening throws in the first game. The player who starts in the first game also starts in all following odd games while his opponent starts in all even games.

3.1.3 The marbles used during the determining throw are picked up from the playground and used together with other marbles during the opening throws. The opening throws are defined as throwing of the given number of marbles according the articles 1.1 - 1.4 towards the hole.

3.1.4 During the determining throw and the opening throws, the player who is throwing the marbles:

  • Has to stand with his feet behind the level of the throwing line placed 7.5 m from the hole center. He can move in both directions as far as he wants as long as stays behind the level of the throwing line and does not obstruct other players.
  • Is not allowed to arrange the terrain apart from the obstacles that have arisen during his or opponent's throwing in the actual game.
  • In case a player by mistake lets fall a marble at the ground, he is allowed to pick it up and throw it again.

3.2 Flicking the marbles

3.2.1 After the opening throws, players continue by flicking marbles towards the hole. Flicking is defined as a movement of only one finger of one hand (the player is allowed to touch the marble only using this finger) while the finger strikes one own marble and the marble changes its position. If a player touches a marble more than once (the so-called double flick), it is considered a valid flick as long as all conditions of this article are fulfilled. During the flicking, both opponents have to avoid to stand in a position where they could stop or slow down a moving marble.

3.2.2 The flicking part of the game starts the player:

  • Who has more marbles in the hole.
  • In case both opponents have the same number of marbles in the hole, the player with the closest marble starts to flick. If the closest marbles of both opponents are in the same distance from the hole, the second closest marble determines who starts to flick, etc.

3.2.3 Players are alternating in the game after each flick - it does not matter if the marble falls into the hole or not.

3.2.4 Each player may flick only his own marbles. It is allowed to flick own marble towards opponent's marble(s) to change its position or flick it between the hole and opponent's marble(s) to create a tactical obstruction this way.

3.2.5 If during the flicking a player touches a opponent's marble(s) by any part of his body and changes its position, both marbles are placed back and the player flicks again.

3.2.6 Any time at his turn, the player is allowed to move any of his own marbles behind the level of the throwing line and continue by flicking from there.

3.2.7 In case a player cannot find some of his marbles during the game, he can substitute it by another one by putting it behind the level of the throwing line and flicking from there.

3.2.8 If a player throws less marbles than should be used in a given game and the mistake is discovered after the first flick of the game, he puts missing marble(s) behind the level of the throwing line and flicks from this position when becomes his turn. Even in case of multiple marbles he flicks only one marble each turn.

3.2.9 One time per game, the player has the right to pick up the marble with which is going to play in the actual turn, arrange the terrain under the marble and put it back. Apart from this occasion, the player is not allowed to change intentionally the position of his marbles using other way than by flicking. If he does so, he must put given marble behind the level of the throwing line and flick from this position.

3.2.10 When a player puts a marble behind the level of the throwing line, he can place it in both directions from the marked line as far as he wants as long as it stays behind the level of the throwing line and does not obstruct other players.

3.3 End of the game and the match

3.3.1 The winner of the game becomes the first player who puts all his marbles in the hole while at least one opponent's marble remains outside the hole. A marble is considered as placed in the hole when its whole volume is under the level of the terrain around the hole. In case after a flick all marbles of both opponents end in the hole, the result of the game is a draw and the game is played again (the score remains the same as before this game).

3.3.2 After the end of the game, the loser has the responsibility to check the number of the opponent's marbles in the hole. The winner is obligated to let the loser to make the check immediately after the end of the game. If the check reveals that not all marbles are in the hole, the game continues. By picking up any of his marbles from outside the hole, the loser confirms the victory of his opponent which remains valid even in case some of the winner's marbles are found outside the hole later. If the supposed winner picks up any opponent's marble placed outside the hole and later is discovered he had not all his marbles in the hole, he becomes the loser of the game.

3.3.3 The winner of the match becomes the player who has won given number of games.

3.3.4 After the end of the match both opponents are obligated to make sure there have left no marbles on the playground and its neighborhood.

3.4 Rules applied to all parts of the game

3.4.1 In case of unintentional moving of a stationary marble(s), the marble(s) is placed back to its previous position. If the previous position is unknown, this situation is resolved as follows:

  • If the marble(s) belongs to the player who has caused the mistake, he puts the marble(s) behind the level of the throwing line and flicks from this position when becomes his turn.
  • If the marble(s) belongs to the player who has not caused the mistake, he throws all moved marbles from the throwing line as soon as becomes his turn and continues by flicking any of his marbles.

3.4.2 If the player's marble trajectory is affected by anything what has moved in any moment of the marble's movement, after the agreement of both opponents the affected marble is put in the position which would the marble probably reach. In case of no agreement between the opponents, the situation is resolved as follows:

If the situation means a disadvantage for the player, he chooses one of the following options:

  • Leave the marble in its position.
  • Place the marble in the position where its trajectory was affected.
  • Throw or flick again.

If the situation means an advantage for the player, his opponent chooses one of the following options:

  • Leave the marble in its position.
  • Place the marble in the position where its trajectory was affected.
  • Throw or flick again.

In case of no agreement of the opponents if the situation means an advantage or a disadvantage for the player, the referee makes the decision based on information from the opponents and trustworthy witnesses. In case of the lack of information for such decision, the player throws or flicks again.

3.4.3 In case of broken marble the player can use a new marble and repeat the throw or the flick from the previous position.

3.4.4 In case a player has used more marbles than had been determined for the actual game, he must finish the game with all used marbles.

If it is clear that the player did not play with more marbles than had been determined and it is possible to identify the redundant marble(s), the redundant marble(s) is removed from the playground.

In case there are more player's marbles on the playground than had been determined for the actual game and it is not clear if the redundant marble(s) belongs to the player and also is not clear which marble(s) is the redundant one, the situation is resolved as follows:

  • If this situation occurs during the game, the player removes any of his marbles from the ground.
  • If this situation occurs after the end of a game which the player has won, he stays the winner of the game.
  • If this situation occurs after the end of a game which the player has lost and has outside the hole at least 2 more marbles than is the number of redundant marbles, the winner of the game is his opponent.
  • If this situation occurs after the end of a game which the player has lost and has outside the hole max. 1 more marble than is the number of redundant marbles, the game is played again.

3.4.5 Players are allowed to arrange the terrain of the playground without using any tools (they can arrange it only using their own hands or feet) in a way that eliminate obstacles and ground unevenness. Any other kind of arrangements are possible only with the permission of the referee.

3.4.6 The distance of the marbles from the hole after the determining throw and the opening throws is measured from the nearest hole's border to the nearest part of the marble. Players have the right to ask the referee for measuring the distance.

3.4.7 Players must always stay in a position where they do not obstruct other tournament participants.

3.4.8 A player can be sanctioned for unsportsmanlike conduct by the loss by default in an actual game or in an actual match or be disqualified from the tournament, depending on severity of the unsportsmanlike conduct.

4. Other

4.1 Players have to follow not only the letter of these Rules, but also their spirit.

4.2 In case a situation not described by these Rules occurs, the referee takes the decision based on the spirit of these Rules and his conscience.