Home of the Rant

Overview

With origins based in 15th-century England, Shuffleboard began as a game played with sliding coins down a wooden table. Upon arrival in the early-United States, shuffleboard was popular among the “ne’er-do-wells” of Salem, Massachusetts, and other New England colonies, for its gambling exploits. By 1897 metro New York City newspapers were giving shuffleboard as much print space as prize fighting and baseball.

Playing Surface

The playing surface of a shuffleboard table is a raised piece of rectangular-cut wood, set inside a larger holding area called the “cradle.” Lines mark the playing surface creating scoring areas ranging from four points–closest to the end of the table without falling off the edge–to one point.

Official Pucks, Adjustments, and Maintenance

The puck, or weight as it is sometimes called, is measured by 2.315 inches wide and .75 inches in height. Each puck must weigh as little as 310g and as much as 350g.

All pucks must be in good playing condition and without rust, chips in the finish, or unusual wear that comes from playing the game.

A player may powder dry spots on the end they are shooting towards only before it is the player’s shot. A player is not allowed to touch or cause powder to be removed from the playing surface at any time.

How to Play

Players alternate shooting four pucks with their opponent. Each tries to get them as near as possible to the end of the board–but past the foul line–without falling over. The object is to shoot the puck that ends up closest to the end of the board to win the round. Players also try to knock their opponents’ pucks off the board to create an advantage.

Scoring

Shuffleboard games play to 15 points unless determined otherwise by the tournament director. Points go to the puck finishing its motion closest to the end of the board, in the marked numbered area. A puck that does not clearly cross the foul line is illegal and removed. Each player or team is responsible for keeping track of their own points. A team forfeits all points not recorded before the next round.