HoleyBoard is a extremely competitive and fun game of skill and luck. These rules have been updated as of 8/2016 and are the Columbus 1.5 version of the rules.
Object of the Game
Two competitors or two, two person teams can play
Holeyboard at one time. The object of Holeyboard is to score exactly 21 points
before your opponent does and hope they don’t cancel your win and score 21
points for their win.
HoleyBoard Mantra
You can only win on your own third throw.
Unofficial HoleyBoard Manta
Cocky wins.
Set-up
The
Holeyboards should be measured 8' 4" apart or two end-over-end
board lengths. Competitors throw from
the same side and alternate sides between rounds. During a doubles match, teammates spilt up to
either side and do not switch sides between rounds. Challengers always go first. Standing anywhere on top of the board, each
competitor has three washers that he/she pitches towards the holes of the other
Holeyboard. The first Player up throws
all three of their washers, one at a time, before the second Player throws their washers. The
Player that scores last, cancels a score or knocks in an opponent’s washer goes
first the next round.
Example:
Player A throws all three of their washers.
Then Player B throws. During their turn, Player B knocks Player A’s
washer in a hole. Player A receives the points, but Player B has to throw first
the next round.
It is best if
one set of 3 washers look different from the other 3. Sometimes there is a lot of bouncing and easily
determining whose washers are whose will reduce argument time.
Scoring Points
Points are scored
when a washer goes in, stays in a hole and is not canceled. Each hole has a point value: the first hole
closest to the person pitching the washers is worth 1 point, the second/middle
hole is worth 3, and the third hole farthest away is worth 5 points. You score points if you throw your washer in,
knock your own washer resting on the top of the board in, or have your opponent
knock one of your washers in.
Competitors can cancel each other out, but only during the
same turn.
Example:
If Player A pitches a 5, then Player B can cancel those points by also pitching
a 5, not a 3 and two 1’s. If Player B would hit a 3 and two 1’s, then the score
would be 5 – 5.
Winning the Game
You must
score 21 points to win and you must win on your third throw by either getting
exactly 21 with the third throw or by Sticking the Victory with the third
washer. You can only win with your
own third throw.
If a Player
has successfully scores exactly 21 points and still has two washer left,
they must throw must “throw off” the second washer and the last washer
he/she pitches has to stick and stay on top of the board without falling off or
landing in a hole (otherwise known as STICKING THE VIC). If a Player
has successfully scored exactly 21 points and only has one washer left,
that washer must stick the vic. If he/she is unsuccessful in
their attempt, then they go back to the score they had at the beginning of the
round or if they have gone over 21 points, they go back from their starting
score the number of points scored that round.
(See “Going Over 21” below)
A competitor
can win without sticking the last washer is if he/she reaches 21 on the third
throw or causes another washer to fall in giving the thrower exactly 21. Players may use their 3rd washer
to knock in another washer for the win.
In this case, the thrown washer does not need to stick.
Example:
Player B goes second and has 18 points On the second throw he/she lands the
washer very close to the 3 point hole.
With the third throw, the third washer knocks the second washer in the 3
point hole and then the third washer goes flying off the board. Player B has 21 and wins the game because the
third washer caused the win.
A canceling
throw does not count as a Stick the Vic.
A competitor cannot
win if an opponent knocks in their washer giving them exactly 21 points. A player who is given 21 points (either by
knocking points in or by being cancelled backwards to 21 points) will have their
score returned to what it was at the beginning of the round.
Example: Player A goes first with 18 points. Player A lands his first washer near the 3
point hole and misses his/her last two throws.
Player B knocks Player A’s washer in the 3 point hole. Player A would go back to 18 points. It is possible to knock your opponent’s
washers in and have them go over 21.
Canceling a Win
A player can
void an opponent’s win in one of thee ways: canceling points, knocking in
opponent’s washers causing them to go over or by knocking their Stick the Vic
off the board.
Skunking your Opponent for the Win
11- 0 is a skunk.
The Player must stick the last washer to win or score exactly 11 on the
third throw.
Example:
Player A has 11 and sticks last washer.
Player B misses all three throws and Player A wins the game.
Example:
Player A has 11 but does not stick the last washer; he/she still
has 11 and must play to 21.
Example:
If Player A does not stick last washer but Player B cancels the
1, then Player A has 10 and still has a chance to skunk.
A skunk is
over as soon as the opponent scores any points by the end of the round.
Example:
Player A throws a five and two threes during the first round for a possible
skunk. Player B throws a one and avoids
the skunk. The score is now 11-1.
Going Over Twenty-One
If you go
over 21, your score is determined by taking the total number of points scored
that round and subtracting that from your score at the beginning of the round.
Example:
Player A has 15 points. Player A throws
two 3’s and accidentally throws a 1 while trying for the Stick the Vic. Player A’s score starting score (15) would be
reduced by 7 (3+3+1=7) giving them a score of 8 (15-7=8.)
If Player B
were to then cancel out any of Player A’s points and reduce the score of Player
A below 21 then Player A receives the new, under 21 score. If Player B cancels out points and leaves
Player A with exactly 21, then Player A’s score will return to the points they
had at the beginning of the round.
Example:
Player A has 15 points. Player A throws
two 3’s and accidentally throws a 1 while trying for the Stick the Vic. Player B throws a 3 and cancels Player A’s 3. Player A’s score would be 19 (22-3=19.)
Example:
Player A has 15 points. Player A throws
two 3’s and accidentally throws a 1 while trying for the Stick the Vic. Player B throws a 1 and cancels Player A’s 1
giving them a score of 21. Player A
would go back to his original score from that round (15), as if he had
attempted to win and missed.
If you go
over with the first washer, each throw after that continues to push your score
backwards.
Example: Player A has 20 and hits a 5, he/she will
drop to 15. He/she continues to throw on that same turn and hits another 5,
knocking them back five more points to 10.
In other words, once a Player goes over 21 they cannot score positive
points on that same turn.
Can There Be a Tie?
Are you
kidding? There are no ties. You must cancel the opponent’s win first
before attempting your own win. If
Player A scores 21 on third throw or Sticks the Vic, Player B must terminate
the win by canceling Players A’s points or by knocking off the Stick the Vic
washer before claiming their own win.
Example
1: Player A has 18 points; he throws in three 1s for the possible win. Player B has 15 points and throws a 1;
canceling A’s victory and follows it up with two 3’s for the win.
Example
2: Player A has 18 points; he throws a 3 and then Sticks the Vic for the
possible win. Player B has 15 points and
throws a brilliant shot knocking off player 1’s VIC, canceling A’s victory and
follows it up with two 3’s for the win.
NOTE: You
cannot win on a cancelled throw.
Example:
Player A has 18 points: he throws three 1s for the possible win. Player B has 15 points; he throws two 3s for
21 and then throws a 1, canceling player A’s win. Player B’s score goes back to 15. Player A’s score goes to 20.
There is no
score until all washers are thrown.
Rules of
Note: (Some of these
occur rarely but need to be addressed.)
No overhand throws.
Players
can stand anywhere on the board in any stance, but can not leave board surface
(i.e. stepping off board during throw or jumping towards other board.)
Any
throw that hits the floor first and bounces on the board does not count and
should be removed from the hole or playing surface. Any action caused by a bounced washer should
be reset to its original position.
The
throwing of two or three washers at the same time is not allowed. Throwing two or three washers at once is only
allowed when throwing off and the washers must not be thrown at the board, but
instead off to the side.
It is a very good idea to mark both sets of washers
with identifying marks before playing.
Both sets should be marked with the same medium to ensure an even
match. (i.e. both marked with Sharpie or
both painted with same type, but different color of spray paint.)
This is a gentleperson’s game and any washer
accidentally dropped is allowed to be picked up and thrown. Any miss-throw (i.e. any washer toss while
arm is in motion) does count. Tough
luck.
Vocabulary
Time!
THROWING
OFF is defined as when a Player intentionally throws one, two, or all three
washers to the ground as to not score any points or to set themselves up for a
final throw win. If you have 20 points
and only need a one to win, you can THROW OFF the first two washers and aim the
third for the one hole, avoiding the need for Sticking the Vic. You can also THROW OFF in strategic
situations to avoid canceling an opponent’s points if they have gone over 21 or
to avoid knocking in an opponent’s washer that is about fall in a hole that
might give them points.
A
FIRST ROUND SKUNK happens when a Player gets an 11-0 score in the first round
without it being cancelled by the other Player.
This is a very desirable win cause for great celebration.
