ITALIAN GAMES How to play
BOCCIE
Variation of lawn bowling with roots as far back as the Roman empire. Court is a sand box of about 10 feet wide and 60 feet long enclosed by wooden planks about one foot high. Four-inch-deep troughs are dug at each end to prevent the balls that have been bowled too hard from rebounding into play. Wooden bowling balls are 4.5 inches in diameter with a 2.75-inch jack ball used as the target. Eight balls are divided equally to two teams by color, usually red and green.Two, four or eight people can play at one time. When eight players compete, two stand at opposite ends of the court for each team and bowl in alternating directions. The starting team is usually determined by a coin toss.A player from the winning team tosses the jack ball toward the far end of the court, then rolls his first ball underhanded as close to the jack as possible.The opposing team then bowls in an attempt to place a ball closer to the jack.This continues with partners and teams alternating until all the balls have been used.A point is awarded for each ball closer to the jack than the opposite team's best ball. The winning score is 12, unless the opponent has 11, in which case the game continues until one team has a two-point advantage.
MORRA
A game of concentration, but mostly chance, requires no accessories and can be played between two friends who meet on a street corner or in teams with members competing one at a time.Two opponents face each other, sometimes standing as close as 6 inches. The players raise then throw out their right hand, extending some fingers while simultaneously shouting a number between 2 and 10.If the number called by one contestant corresponds to the total number of fingers extended by both players, a point is awarded to the correct caller.If the numbers thrown do not match the numbers shouted, no point is scored.A match consists of 11 points.