What is Knock Off Shuffleboard Game?
Knock Off is the most popular table shuffleboard game and the most commonly played game in major professional tournaments. It is the game with the most basic rules, but it still presents challenges for beginners and seasoned players alike.
How to Play Basic Knock Off Shuffleboard Games
This game can be played with 2 people or 2 teams of 2 people each. A player from each team will play at the opposite end of the board through the entire game. To win the game, a team must score 15 points or more rarely, 21 points. Before the game begins, the game's director decides if you'll be playing the short foul line or the long foul line. In tournament play, typically the short foul line is used. This means that a puck must go past the foul line closest to the person shooting for it to be in play. In long foul line play, pucks are in play only if they go past the foul line furthest from the player. Home shuffleboard tables that are 14 feet or shorter only have a single foul line in the center.
How to Throw Shuffleboard Pucks in a Knock off Game
The shooting order and the weight color are determined by a coin toss. The winner chooses the shuffleboard puck color or the hammer. Having the hammer gives you the last shot of the round, which is considered an advantage as you'll have the final chance to knock off your opponent's puck from the table. Players take their shots in succession until the round ends and all 4 weights have been thrown. The player or team that scores points shoots first on the following round. If all weights are knocked off and no one has scored points, the hammer is given to the other player or team. The game continues until 15 or 21 points is reached.
How to Score a Knock Off Shuffleboard Game
Only the player or team whose puck is the closest to the end of the board scores in each round. Pucks that are beyond your opponent's farthest weight count towards your score and are added together for your score total in that round. Any weight between the foul line and the 2-point line scores 1 point. A weight that is across the 2 or 3 line counts for the number of points designated for that part of the table. For weights that are close to the line, view them from above. They must be completely over the line to count as the higher value. Weights that are hanging over the end of the board are called "hangers." They count as 4 points.