Lawn Game RULES

Table Shuffleboard Rules

Slide your weights beyond the opponent’s, leave room for the hammer and settle close line calls.

Playing surface
20.67 × 1.67 ft(6.3 × 0.51 m)
Players
Singles use two; partner play uses four
Scoring
Only the deepest weight’s side scores the frame
Winning
15 points; doubles sometimes 21; events may publish another total

Court and dimensions

Table Shuffleboard board: Federation 2024 tournament boardTop-down diagram of the scoring end of a table shuffleboard playing surface 20.67 ft · 6.3 m long and 20 in · 50.8 cm wide. Measured back from the end, the 3 zone is 6 in · 15.2 cm deep, the 2 zone 6 in · 15.2 cm deep and the 1 zone 60 in · 152.4 cm deep, back to the short foul line 6 ft · 1.83 m from the end. A weight left overhanging the end is a hanger and scores 4.3214hangershort foul line6 in15.2 cm6 in15.2 cm60 in152.4 cm20 in50.8 cm6 ft1.83 mplaying surface 20.67 ft long, marked the same at both endsplaying surface 6.3 m long, marked the same at both ends2 ft0.61 m3214hangershortfoul line6 in15.2 cm6 in15.2 cm60 in152.4 cm20 in50.8 cm6 ft1.83 mplaying surface20.67 ft long,6.3 m long,marked the sameat both ends2 ft0.61 m
Showing: Federation 2024 tournament board. Drawn to scale.

All measurements and other layouts
Federation 2024 tournament board — all measurements
DimensionImperialMetric
Length20.67 ft6.3 m
Playfield width1.67 ft0.51 m
Playfield width20 in50.8 cm
Zone 3 depth6 in15.2 cm
Zone 2 depth6 in15.2 cm
Zone 1 depth60 in152.4 cm
Foul line from end6 ft1.83 m

The playing surface is 20 ft 8 in by 20 in. At each end, the 3-line sits 6 in from the edge, the 2-line 12 in from it and the short foul line 6 ft from it.

How to play

Equipment

  • Weight (puck)

    8 ×
    Size and equipment notes

    Key size 2.31 in

    Each side uses four weights with blue or red caps.

    A weight is 2.3125 in across and 0.75 in high, each ±0.05 in, and weighs 310–355 g assembled.

  • Shuffleboard table

    1 ×
    Size and equipment notes

    Key size 20.67 ft

    The complete cradle is about 22 ft by 31 in and ideally stands 34–38 in high.

    The playing surface is 20 ft 8 in long, 20 in wide and about 3 in thick.

Setup

  • The marked playing surface is 20.67 ft (6.3 m) long and 1.67 ft (0.51 m) wide. Leave room for the cradle around that surface and for players at the ends.
  • Set out 8 weights, divided by colour.
  • Level the table, sweep the playing surface and apply wax evenly. (Federation table spec, §§3.1 and 5.3) Decide which side waxes, then flip a coin; the winner picks hammer or colour and the other side gets what is left. (Federation table spec, §§5.3–5.4) In partner play, each partner stays at one end for the game; singles and the 3-player (ABC) team event use both ends. (Federation table spec, §6.2.2 and exception)

Alternate weights; hammer goes last

A frame is both sides shooting all eight weights from the same end, four each, one at a time in turn. The last weight of the frame is the hammer, and the side that shoots it is said to hold the hammer for that frame. (Federation table spec, §6.3 and definition 9.15; §§5.5–5.5.2)

In the selected Federation 2024 singles and partner format, the non-hammer side shoots first and sides alternate one weight at a time. After a scoring frame the scoring side shoots first next; after a blank the previous hammer side shoots first, so hammer still switches.

Each shot slides a weight down the board toward the far end. Knock the opponent’s weights off the board or push your own deeper; anything that leaves the surface is out of the frame. Shooting last matters because the hammer can clear whatever the other side left.

The shooter starts behind the 2-line with one foot on the floor; a weight must stay on the surface and be released before the short foul line, or the violation loses the shot. (Federation table spec, §6.4 and definition 9.19)

Score the weights ahead

Only one side scores in a frame: the side whose weight lies deepest on the board. Find that weight first. Its side then counts every one of its weights that lies beyond the opponent’s deepest weight, each at the value of the zone it rests in; the opponent’s weights score nothing. A hanger is a weight that overhangs the far end of the board, and it earns the top value. A zone value alone does not establish whether a weight scores.

Federation 2024 singles and partner Knock-Off

The whole weight must clear the line

The whole weight must clear the lineLook down from the scoring end. A weight overlapping the line stays in the lower band; the whole weight must clear the line to earn the higher band’s value. These are separate line-call examples, not a complete frame. Schematic; not to scale.12↑ Toward scoring endOverlaps lineFully clears line
Look down from the scoring end. A weight overlapping the line stays in the lower band; the whole weight must clear the line to earn the higher band’s value. These are separate line-call examples, not a complete frame. Schematic; not to scale.
How points are scored
ActionPoints
Scoreable weight beyond the short foul line1 point
Weight completely beyond the 2-line2 points
Weight completely beyond the 3-line3 points
Weight overhanging the scoring end4 points

Only the deepest weight’s side scores the frame.

How the game is won

  • 15 points or more

Tie: A dead heat removes the tied weights from scoring; only weights ahead of the dead heat remain eligible.

Variants and house rules

Federation tournament play

Federation Knock-Off supplies the main game above. Leagues may publish modifications; check the event’s target and any announced changes before the coin flip.

Shuffleboard wax is a powder, sometimes called dust; silicone spray is a separate product applied to the board itself. (Federation table spec, §3.4 and §3.5)

Apply silicone spray about every 10 to 12 games; a warped board is corrected with climatic adjusters under the plank, and its legs carry adjustable foot pads to level it. (Federation table spec, §3.5 Comment; §3.1.1.1 and §3.1.3)

Bar and home boards

Shorter commercial boards may use different markings. Ask which line controls legal release and what target the house uses before play.

Subtract 1 ft 4 in from a cabinet's total length to get its actual playing surface; cabinets are commonly sold from 9 to 22 ft. (McClure space guide, How much room is required behind the table to play shuffleboard?) McClure's own guidance suggests at least 2 ft behind each end, though its room-length chart lists 2.5 ft as the per-end minimum and 3 ft as comfortable; more is not needed. (McClure space guide, How much room is required behind the table to play shuffleboard?)

Singles and partners

See the ends rule in Setup above; the exception also covers the ABC team event.

Horse Collar

The Federation’s own Horse Collar game replaces Knock-Off’s four scoring bands with a scoring gate: nothing counts until a puck reaches the board’s highest zone, then center hangers and corner pucks pay far more than a hanger does in Knock-Off.

In Horse Collar, scoring 51 points does not decide the game; the winner must hold the hammer, the last shot, to claim victory. (Federation Horse Collar rules, How to Play the Horse Collar Shuffleboard Game)

See its scoring and finish below.

Horse CollarScoring & finish

Horse Collar

How points are scored
ActionPoints
Puck completely beyond the short foul line1 point
Puck completely beyond the 2-line2 points
Puck completely beyond the 3-line3 points
Puck hanging over the middle of the 3-point area13 points
Puck in a corner of the board26 points

Score only after a 3-pointer; win only while holding the hammer.

How the game is won

  • 51 points or more

Common disputes

My weight rests on a line. Which value applies?

Use the lower band. The weight must be completely beyond the line to earn the higher value.

Both sides are the same depth. Who scores?

The tied weights form a dead heat and neither scores. Only a weight lying ahead of that dead heat remains eligible.

What happens after a blank frame?

The side that held hammer shoots first next, which passes hammer to the other side.

A weight stops short of the foul line. What happens?

Remove any weight that does not finish completely beyond the short foul line. (Federation table spec, §§6.3.2 and 6.4.3 exception 1)

Someone shot out of turn. What happens?

If an out-of-turn shot is caught before the next shot, nullify it, restore affected weights and continue in order; a later discovery leaves play as it stands and may change hammer. (Federation table spec, §6.3.3.1 and comment)

Someone moved resting weights. How are they restored?

Before scoring, restore weights a player moved; if players disagree, the official resolves placement in the offended side’s favour. (Federation table spec, §§6.3.3.2–6.3.3.2.2)

  • Shuffleboard Rules

    One name, two sports: the painted court you push discs along with a cue, and the waxed table you slide weights down by hand.

  • Outdoor Shuffleboard Rules

    Push discs into scoring zones, avoid the penalty strip and count each colour after the half-frame.

  • Cornhole Rules

    Measure between the board fronts, alternate bags and count the difference at the end of the inning.

Sources

Rules used: Federation 2024 singles and partner Knock-Off. Reviewed . How we check the rules.

  1. Federation table spec
  2. McClure space guide
  3. Federation general rules
  4. Federation Horse Collar rules
Publication details and rule references
Official Table Shuffleboard Rules
2024 Edition, February 1, 2024. Retrieved .
§§3.1 and 5.3, board and waxing; §§3.1–3.1.3, board, cradle and legs; §§3.1–3.1.3, playing surface and cradle; §§3.1.1–3.1.1.2.3, playing surface and end lines; §§3.1.1.2–3.1.1.2.3, end lines; §§3.3–3.3.2, puck diameter, height and mass; §§5.3–5.4, wax, hammer and colour; §§5.5–5.5.2, practice weights; §§6.3.2 and 6.4.3 exception 1; §§6.3.3.2–6.3.3.2.2, moved weights; §§6.8–6.8.1.4 and 7.1.2; §§6.8–6.8.1.4, frame scoring; §3.1.1, playing surface; §3.1.1.1 and §3.1.3, adjusters and foot pads; §3.3 and definition 9.13, caps and game set; §3.3 and definition 9.13, game set of four weights per side; §3.4 and §3.5, wax and silicone spray; §3.5 Comment, 10 to 12 games; §6.1, event criteria; §6.2.2 and exception, partner and singles ends; §6.2.2 and exception; §§2.2 and 5.4.2; §6.3 and definition 9.15, shooting order and hammer; §6.3.3.1 and comment, out-of-turn remedies; §6.4 and definition 9.19, legal release and loss of shot; §6.8.1.1, one-point weight; §6.8.1.2, two-point weight; §6.8.1.3, three-point weight; §6.8.1.4, hanger weight; §7.1.1.1, dead heat; Rules 7.1.2–7.1.3, Line Call and Rub
Shuffleboard Table Dimensions & Room Requirements
Undated live page. Retrieved .
How much room is required behind the table to play shuffleboard?, at least 2 ft; How much room is required behind the table to play shuffleboard?, cabinet minus 16 in; How much room is required behind the table to play shuffleboard?, room-length chart
Shuffleboard Rules (how-to-play overview)
Undated live page. Retrieved .
How to Play Table Shuffleboard, 15-point regulation game; How to Play Table Shuffleboard, doubles to 21
Horse Collar Shuffleboard Table Game Information & Rules
Undated live page. Retrieved .
How to Keep Horse Collar Shuffleboard Game Score, center hangers; How to Keep Horse Collar Shuffleboard Game Score, corners; How to Keep Horse Collar Shuffleboard Game Score, zones; How to Play the Horse Collar Shuffleboard Game, hammer to win; How to Play the Horse Collar Shuffleboard Game, players; How to Throw Pucks in Horse Collar Shuffleboard Game, 3-pointer gate; What is the Horse Collar Shuffleboard Game?, 51 points