Akron Press March 18, 1924 – 9:1

HERE'S HOW TO PLAY MARBLES

Clip these Official Press Tournament Rules

ALL games shall be for fair. Marbles must be returned to owners after each game.

     Players shall provide their own shooters and ducks for the games. Shooters of any material or quality shall be allowed.

     Shooters shall not be less than five-eighths inch, nor more than seven-eighths inch in diameter.

     Ducks shall be not less than one-half or more than three-quarters inch in diameter.

     Players shall knuckle down on all shots.

     Hunching and histing shall not be permitted on any shots. Where called by referee, the shot shall be played over.

The referee's decision shall govern in all cases of disagreement and shall be final.

     Description of the Game

     Play will be by groups of not more than six. In match games, two only play.

     Groups will lag for a line marked on the ground from a distance of 10 feet for the order of their turns in each game.

     Player tossing or shooting taw nearest the line shoots first, next shoots second, etc.

     The ring shall be 10 feet in diameter, with a cross scratched in the center of the ring. In all games 13 ducks shall be used, one at the intersection of the cross lines, and the others placed three inches apart on each cross line. Each player shall lay in his ratio of ducks -- the referee or one of the players making up the odd duck.

     Starting the game, each player in turn knuckles down on the ring line and shoots -- by lofting preferably -- to knock one or more of the ducks out of the ring, or to hit the shooter of a preceding player, if it happens to be in the ring. A player, when shooting from outside of the ring, must always knuckle down from ring line.

Held By Player

     Ducks knocked out of the ring are held by the player knocking them out. Ducks  knocked only part way out of the ring will be left where they come to rest and the player following will be permitted to shoot at them. A player whose taw goes outside the ring, at the same time he has been successful in shooting a duck out, will continue shooting from the ring line and is permitted to take roundsters.

     If after a miss the taw comes to rest inside the ring, it must be left there until the player's next turn. If the taw on a miss travels outside the ring, the player picks it up until his next turn. He is permitted roundsters on ring line at his next turn.

     A duck coming to rest exactly on the ring line shall be considered as having been knocked out, but a duck with its center resting on the ground inside the ring is considered still in the ring.

Hitting Opponent

     A player hitting an opponent's taw left inside the ring on a preceding miss, and not knocking the opponent's taw outside the ring, is entitled to pick-up one duck for the hit, but he is "dead" on his opponent's taw until he knocks out another duck or hits another opponent; excepting that, if his taw goes out of the ring on the play, he becomes "live" on his opponent and may shoot at him again. It he hits the opponent's taw out of the ring, that kills the opponent, and puts him out of the game, and entitles the shooting player to all ducks that opponent has won in the game but if opponent has not won any ducks, shooting player cannot pick up duck for such hit.

Gets Them All

     After hitting an opponent and taking a duck for the shot, or after knocking a duck out of the ring, or after knocking an opponent's taw out of the ring, a player shoots front where his taw comes to rest, providing his taw does not go outside the circle. If taw goes outside of circle he will continue play by shooting from ring line, and is permitted roundsters.

     Should opponent knock more than one duck or opponent's taw out of the ring on a single shot, he shall be entitled to all marbles going outside the ring.

     When a marble is knocked from line in center of ring and comes to rest near the ring line (but inside the circle) it is not necessary that the marble has to travel the entire length of ring, when hit by a player following. It can be shot from ring at any angle but players must knuckle down on ring line.

     When a taw slips from a shooter's hand and when it has not been touched by the thumb so that there is no question that it slipped accidentally, it is "no play." The referee, if he is satisfied that it was a bona fide slip, should permit the player the shoot again from the original spot where the taw had lain.

All Shoot At Him

     A player who shoots the last marble out of the ring, and whose taw stays inside the ring, must allow his opponent to shoot at him as follows: The player whose taw is hung inside the ring after he shoots out the last duck places his taw on the ring line. Players who were still in the game may shoot at him from the opposite side, across the whole length of the ring. If one of the other players hits him, he gives up all his ducks, but if he escapes them all he keeps the ducks he has.

     Players are forbidden from picking up marbles and smoothing or otherwise re-arranging the ground around them. If a player calls "picks,' the referee may, if he finds it necessary, pat the ground or clear any obstructions.

     In case one of the players should be “killed” during the course of the game, this does not eliminate him from the contest, but only from the game then in progress.

     A scorer must keep accurate count of all marbles each player scores, and the player having the largest number after all the marbles are out of the ring will be declared the winner of that game.

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