Official Rules of Bola

Terms and Definitions

Bola Game

Bola is a strategy game played with numbered bowling balls on an outdoor course consisting of four targets. Players attempt to advance their bolas through Targets 1, 2, 3, and the Poison Target while earning opportunities to interfere with opponents. A successful strike earns a Hit, allowing a player to redirect opponents’ bolas. A bola that reaches the Poison Target becomes a Poison Bola capable of eliminating opponents. The last Bolar remaining in the game wins.

WBA

World Bola Association.

Tournament Master

A member of the WBA responsible for a given tournament. A Bola match held without prior approval of the WBA or Tournament Master is not an official Bola contest. The Tournament Master may postpone or cancel a tournament because of weather or other unsafe conditions.

Bolar

A player participating in a game of Bola.

Bola

A bola is a bowling ball as defined by the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Equipment Specifications. A Bola may be new, used, or cracked, but must be painted with a number from 1 through 10. Bolas will be provided by the WBA Tournament Master, not the participant.

Bola Graveyard

The Tournament Master provides the bolas for play.

Playing Field

1. Targets are placed at the sole discretion of the Tournament Master. They will typically be placed 100 feet apart in a roughly rectangular pattern.
2. The playing area has no out-of-bounds limits. A bola remains in play regardless of where it comes to rest unless it is removed following elimination.

Hits

A hit is the opportunity for a Bolar to throw their bola at an opponent’s bola. Earning a hit and using hits is explained in the rules of play.

Target

An official target consists of a 7.5-inch round disc attached to a pipe driven into the ground. The targets are numbered 1, 2, and 3, with the fourth target designated “Poison.” Each target has a bell hanging from the disc that typically will ring on a strike. The Referee will resolve any disputes as to whether a target has been hit or not.

Throw

A throw is the act of a Bolar picking up their bola and throwing it.

1. A Bolar has 30 seconds after the Referee calls “Next!” to throw their bola. Failure to throw within 30 seconds, or a throw taken out of turn, results in a penalty.
2. A throw is when a Bolar throws a bola in any manner, provided the throw is accomplished while at least one foot remains behind the location where they picked up the bola. Examples of legal throwing methods include:
   1. Standing with one foot on the point where they picked up the bola, leaning forward as far as possible without the trailing foot leaving its position, and releasing the bola.
   2. Taking a running start and releasing the bola before stepping past the location where the bola was picked up.
   3. An illegal throw is anything that violates 1 or 2, or a throw taken out of turn.
3. No Bolar may interfere with an opponent’s throw.

Regular Turn

A single bola throw made during a player’s normal turn in numerical order.

Strike

A strike occurs when a Bolar hits the correct target in sequence. The Referee will resolve any disputes as to whether a target has been hit or not.

Referee

The Referee is responsible for enforcing the rules, determining strikes and penalties, keeping time, and carrying the official equipment, including a stopwatch, whistle, yellow flag, and a paper tracking game progress. The Referee’s rulings regarding strikes, hits, penalties, elimination, and interpretation of these rules are final during tournament play. Any situation not specifically covered by these rules shall be decided by conferring with the Tournament Master.

The Referee writes a number indicating the target that has been visited by a Bolar, and writes an “H” each time a Hit is earned, then crosses off the “H” when it has been used.

Referee’s tracking grid

Bola #	Target #1	Target #2	Target #3	Poison
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Objective of the Game

Each Bolar attempts to advance their bola through Targets 1, 2, 3, and finally the Poison Target while strategically interfering with opponents. The last Bolar who has not been eliminated wins the game.

Starting Regular Play

1. Line the bolas up in numerical order next to the Poison target.
2. Bolars draw a number randomly from the Referee’s hand. This number corresponds to the bola they will use in the game.
3. Each Bolar stands behind the bola bearing their assigned number.
4. The Referee blows the whistle and shouts “Bolars to their bolas” to start the game, and Bolar #1 then has 30 seconds to make the first throw.
5. Bolar #2 throws their bola within 30 seconds after bola #1 stops its motion, and so on through the last bola.
6. Bolars, on their regular turn, may attempt to advance their bola by striking the targets in order: Target 1, Target 2, Target 3, and finally the Poison Target.
7. Players remain next to their own bola while other Bolars are taking their turns, as long as their position doesn’t interfere with play.

Striking a Target

1. A Bolar attempts to advance to and strike each target on their regular turn.
2. A Bolar’s turn continues after a strike.
3. The Bolar continues play by picking up their bola at the point it stopped in motion after striking the target. The Bolar is not permitted to stop the motion of their own bola after a strike. For example, if the Bolar successfully strikes a target with a glancing blow, their bola will continue rolling. The Bolar’s next throw will be made from the point that their bola came to rest.

Earning and Using Hits

Earning a Hit

1. A Bolar earns a hit when they strike a target in the proper sequence during their turn. The Referee notes it on the clipboard.
2. A Bolar earns a Hit each time they strike a target, unless they already possess one. A Bolar may possess no more than one hit at any time.
3. A Bolar without a Hit may not exercise a hit.

Using a Hit

1. A Bolar possessing a Hit may use the hit immediately after earning it, or save it for a later opportunity. A hit may be used only during a Regular Turn.
2. To exercise a hit, the Bolar picks up their own bola and throws it at an opponent’s bola. The opponent may not interfere with the bola before it hits the ground — but once it has hit the ground, any Bolar may stop it.
3. If the Bolar’s throw strikes an opponent’s bola, the striking Bolar may pick up the opponent’s bola and throw it in any direction.
4. After throwing the opponent’s bola, the Bolar returns to the location where their own bola came to rest after striking the opponent’s bola and continues play from that location. If they hit the next target in sequence, the cycle starts over — the Bolar earns another Hit and another throw.
5. Once a Bolar uses a hit, they have no more hits until their bola strikes the next target in sequence.
6. If a Bolar strategically plans a throw, their bola may contact more than one opponent’s bola during a single throw. Any opponent’s bola that moves as a result of that throw, whether by direct contact or by a chain reaction, may then be picked up and thrown by the striking Bolar, one at a time, before play resumes with the Bolar’s own bola.

Two Players Left Rule

When only two Bolars remain in the game, either of the following conditions ends the game:

1. A Poison Bola strikes and eliminates the only other remaining bola. The Bolar controlling the Poison Bola wins.
2. Special Rule: Either of the two remaining Bolars may win immediately by striking the Poison Target during their Regular Turn, regardless of which targets they have previously completed.

Penalties

When a foul occurs, the Referee indicates the foul by blowing the whistle and throwing a yellow flag. Play stops until the Referee explains the foul and restarts play and the clock.

1. Throwing out of turn, or making an illegal throw as defined in these rules.
   • All bolas remain in the position they end up being in after the out-of-turn throw, and the offending Bolar cannot take further action during that turn. If they had a “hit,” it is erased.
2. Failing to execute a throw within 30 seconds after the Referee calls “Next.”
   • The Bolar loses that turn.
3. Unfair play, as determined by the Referee.
   • The Referee determines what the penalty is.

World Bola Championship

Championship Purpose

To determine the World Bola Champion for that year.

Eligibility

There is no age limit. The contestant doesn’t even have to be able to pick up the bola.

Men, women, and children can all play at the same time — there are no separate divisions.

Prize fund: There is no prize money. Participants are asked to make a donation of any size to the Tri-Cities Food Bank.

Tournament Format

A typical game consists of 10 players (Bolars). If there are 10 or fewer Bolars registered, the tournament consists of one round with those Bolars, and the World Champion is the winner of that one round.

Additional games are played in groups of 10 until all pre-registered players have participated. The winner and 2nd place from each game move to the next game.

The tournament directors determine before the tournament how many games will take place, based on the number of Bolars who pre-registered.

For example, if 25 Bolars registered, the tournament director would divide the Bolars into 3 games — 8 in two of the games and 9 in the third. The 1st and 2nd place winners of each game then play in a final game of 6 Bolars to determine the World Champion.

Awards

The World Champion is awarded a trophy.