Cardinal Ball – Official Rules

🛠️1. Core Setup

👥1.1 Players

Cardinal Ball can be played with either:

• 2 Players: Competing in a 1 vs 1 format.
• 4 Players: Competing in a 2 vs 2 team format. In a 4-player game, one player from each team stands at each pole, meaning teammates are positioned at opposite ends of the playing area.

⚙️1.2 Essential Equipment

• Two (2) Poles: Approximately keg height (around 23-24 inches). Must be able to stand upright.
• Two (2) Target Balls: Lightweight, round balls (e.g., whiffle balls) that can balance on top of the poles.
• One (1) Throwing Ball: Denser, smaller ball suitable for throwing (e.g., racquetball, tennis ball).
• Measuring Tape: For setting the correct distance. 📏
• Drinks (Optional): If playing the drinking game version. 🥤

🗺️1.3 Playing Area Setup

• Position the two poles upright and parallel to each other.
• The distance between the front of the two poles must be 14 feet.
• Carefully balance one target ball on top of each pole.
• Players take their positions behind their respective pole lines.
• Flip a coin to determine the starting team. 🪙

🎯2. Gameplay Mechanics

🔄2.1 Turns & Throws

• Teams take turns attempting to knock the target ball off their opponent’s pole.
• Each team gets three (3) throws per turn.
• In a 4-player game, teammates at the same end alternate throws for their team’s turn. The player whose pole is *not* being targeted is the one throwing. After three throws, the throwing ball is passed to the opposing team member at that same end.

🏀2.2 Throwing Rules

There are two types of throws in Cardinal Ball:

• Mandatory Bounce Throw (Standard):
  • The throwing ball must bounce at least once on the ground before hitting (or attempting to hit) the opponent’s pole or target ball.
  • A successful hit using a bounce throw scores 1 POINT.
  • If playing with drinks, the opposing team takes a penalty drink.
• Optional No-Bounce Throw (High Risk/High Reward):
  • A player may choose to throw the ball directly at the target without a bounce.
  • If a no-bounce throw HITS the target ball off the pole:
    • The throwing team scores 2 POINTS.
    • If playing with drinks, the opposing team takes a penalty drink.
  • If a no-bounce throw MISSES the target:
    • The thrower must retrieve the ball themselves.
    • If playing with drinks, the thrower must take TWO (2) drinks gulp! as a penalty.
    • The throw still counts as one of the team’s three throws for that turn.

💯2.3 Scoring Points

• 1 POINT is awarded for successfully knocking the target ball off the opponent’s pole with a Mandatory Bounce Throw.
• 2 POINTS are awarded for successfully knocking the target ball off the opponent’s pole with an Optional No-Bounce Throw.
• After any successful hit (and point scored), the target ball is reset on the pole by the defending team.

✨2.4 “Clean Sweep” Bonus

• If a team successfully knocks the target ball off the pole with all three (3) of their throws in a single turn (regardless of throw type, points are accumulated normally), they are awarded a bonus round of three (3) additional throws. Hooray! 🥳
• The drinking rule (if applicable) applies for each successful hit during the bonus round as well.
• There is no limit to the number of consecutive “Clean Sweep” bonuses a team can earn.

🤲2.5 Retrieving the Ball

• If a throw misses (and it was a Mandatory Bounce Throw, or a successful Optional No-Bounce Throw that hit), the throwing player (or their teammate at that end in a 4-player game) retrieves the throwing ball.
• If an Optional No-Bounce Throw misses, the thrower who made that specific throw must retrieve the ball.

🏆3. Winning the Game

• The first team to reach 7 POINTS wins the game.
• A team must win by at least 2 POINTS. For example, if the score is 6-6, play continues until one team achieves a two-point lead (e.g., 8-6).

🤝4. Important Conduct & Fair Play

• Legal Throws: All throws must be made from behind the front line of the thrower’s pole. Players can lean over the line but cannot step over it before releasing the ball.
• No Interference:
  • Players cannot interfere with the thrown ball in any way.
  • Defending players cannot touch their own pole or target ball to prevent it from falling if it’s hit or wobbling as a result of a hit. Doing so results in the appropriate point(s) being awarded to the throwing team.
• Resetting Equipment: After a point is scored, the target ball is reset on the pole by the defending team before the next turn begins. If the throwing ball knocks off the target ball and subsequently causes the pole to fall, it is still considered a valid point, and the pole should also be reset.
• Sportsmanship: Play fair, communicate clearly, and agree on any optional rules (like drinking penalties) before starting. The primary goal is to have fun! 😊