How to Play Pétanque

By Jaques of London · Est. 1795 · Updated 2026-08-17

Pétanque is a throwing game for two to six players in which each player lobs or rolls heavy metal balls, called boules, towards a small wooden target ball called the jack (or cochonnet). The game is played in rounds, with points awarded to whichever side has a boule closest to the jack at the end of each round.

Its appeal is straightforward: it requires no specialist fitness, almost no equipment beyond a set of boules, and can be played on almost any reasonably flat surface. Gravel, grass, and packed earth all work well, which is why the game thrives in parks, pub gardens, and back yards across Europe and beyond.

A little history

Pétanque as it is played today is widely documented as having developed in the south of France in the early twentieth century, with the town of La Ciotat near Marseille frequently cited in recorded accounts. The name comes from the Provençal expression meaning roughly "feet planted" (pieds tanqués), referring to the rule that a player must throw from a stationary position with both feet together. The broader family of boules games from which it descends is considerably older, though its precise origins are unclear.

Setting up

1. Choose teams: two players compete singles (3 boules each); three or four players compete doubles (3 boules each); six players compete triples (2 boules each).
2. Agree a target score before play begins. Standard is 13 points.
3. Draw or mark a starting circle on the ground roughly 35 to 50 cm in diameter. Players must keep both feet inside this circle when throwing.
4. A player from the starting team stands inside the circle and throws the jack between 6 and 10 metres away. The jack must land in the open, visible, and clear of any obstruction.
5. If the jack is not thrown correctly, the opposing team throws it instead. If they also fail, move the circle and try again.
6. The player who threw the jack throws the first boule.

How to play

1. The player who threw the jack throws the first boule, trying to land it as close to the jack as possible.
2. The opposing team then throws until one of their boules is closer to the jack than the closest boule of the first team, or until they have used all their boules.
3. Whichever team does NOT have the closest boule continues throwing. The team that holds the point (closest boule) waits.
4. This alternation continues until both teams have used all their boules. This completes one end (round).
5. All players must throw from inside the starting circle with both feet flat on the ground and must not step out of the circle until the boule has landed.
6. A boule may be thrown through the air (a pointer, for precision) or thrown hard so it knocks an opponent's boule away (a shooter, called a tirer). Both are legal.
7. Boules and the jack may be moved by a thrown boule. Whatever position they come to rest in is where they stay for scoring.
8. If the jack is knocked out of the agreed playing area, the end is void: no points are scored and the next end begins.
9. After all boules are thrown, measure to determine which boule is closest to the jack. The winning team scores one point for every boule closer to the jack than the nearest boule of the losing team.
10. The team that won the previous end draws a new circle at the jack's position and throws the jack to begin the next end.
11. Play continues until one team reaches 13 points.

Winning and scoring

The first team to reach exactly 13 points wins the game. Points are scored at the end of each round by the team whose boule is closest to the jack. That team counts one point for every one of their boules that is closer to the jack than the nearest boule of the opposing side. Only one team scores per round: there is no sharing of points. A team can go from 0 to 13 in a single game if circumstances allow, though this is rare.

The fine points

The most common dispute is determining which boule is closer when two boules appear equidistant. A tape measure or boule-specific calliper is the accepted tool. Measure from the surface of the boule to the centre of the jack, not the nearest edge. If the two boules are genuinely equidistant after careful measurement, no point is awarded for either and play moves to the next end. If neither team has a boule closer than the other at the end of a round, no points are scored by either side and the team that played last in that round throws the jack for the next end.

A boule that comes to rest outside the agreed boundaries scores nothing and is removed from the end. A jack knocked outside the boundaries means the end is void, unless a prior agreement was made to extend the boundary (common in confined pub gardens). Players may not touch or move any boule or the jack during an end except when carrying out a legitimate throw. If a boule or the jack is accidentally disturbed by a player, the opposing team may either put it back to its original position (estimated, if no mark was made) or leave it where it landed: that choice belongs to the non-offending team.

How to win more often

• Place your first boule tight to the jack rather than attempting a powerful shot: a well-placed pointer forces your opponent to beat a precise target.
• Learn to read the ground before you throw. Gravel and earth surfaces have slopes and hollows that will deflect a boule unpredictably; study where previous boules have rolled.
• Shooting (tirer) is high risk and should be reserved for moments when the opponent holds multiple boules very close to the jack and pointing is unlikely to displace all of them.
• When your team already holds the point, conserve boules: let the opposing side exhaust theirs trying to beat you, then score with your remaining boules if they succeed.
• Mark the position of the jack discreetly with a small stone or chalk before you throw, so that if it is moved you can argue for an accurate replacement.

Variations

Milieu (Mixed Singles)

Two players each use three boules and play a full singles game to 13. This is the quickest format and ideal for a head-to-head match in a limited space or time. All standard rules apply without modification.

Tireur Challenge

A practice variant in which players nominate before each throw whether they will pointer or tirer. A successful shot scores a bonus point on top of the end score; a failed nominated tirer that misses entirely deducts a point. This encourages deliberate skill development and makes casual games more engaging for mixed-ability groups.

Progressive Pétanque

Suited to larger gatherings of six or more players split into teams of two. After each completed end, players rotate partners across teams in a predetermined sequence. Final standings are based on cumulative individual points tallied across all ends. This format works well for pub garden events where everyone wants to play with and against everyone else.

Short End (Garden Rules)

Where space is limited, the jack throwing distance is reduced to a minimum of 4 metres and a maximum of 7 metres, and the winning score is reduced to 11 points. All other rules remain standard. This version is common in small urban gardens and is a reasonable adaptation provided all players agree before the game begins.

Pétanque: frequently asked questions