Overview

Shuttlestones, more simply known as Stones, is a sport in which players aim small leather-fortified discs, roughly 9.85 centimeters (3.88″) in diameter, at a table from a distance of at least 183 centimeters (6′) away. The discs, officially known as “Stones”, are either tossed or thrown towards the surface of the table at various speeds and angles in an attempt to achieve a specific outcome.

The objective of the game is to be the first player, or team, to reach a predetermined amount of points (typically 21, 41, or 61). The points are tallied at the end of each round of play, and the game will last as many rounds needed to determine a winner.

Points are earned by 1) either having a stone or multiple stones closest to the top of the HeadThe Head is the 23 centimeters (9″) of playable board closest to the scoring edge, 2) having three or four stones in the Keep, 3) having a stone hanging off the bottom of the EndThe End is the 23 centimeters (9″) closest to the players throwing pit, or 4) by having a WarmA Warm board is when a player has 100% of their stones on the board at the end of a round board three or more consecutive rounds. Points are lost when stones do not make contact with any part of the table or another stone, or when a player has a Clear A Clear board is when a player has no valid stones at the end of a round, resulting in a negative point board.

Any stone balancing on the top edge of the Head is considered a Hanger and automatically doubles the amount of points that the player would earn that round from the Head; a Hanger does not increase the amount of points a player would earn in the Keep. Having two simultaneous Hangers, known as a Double Hanger, triples the amount of points the player would earn from the Head that round. Having three simultaneous Hangers, or Triple Hanger, quadruples the amount of points one would earn from the Head. The coveted Full Hanger, achieved when a player possesses four simultaneous Hangers in a single round, is worth 21 points.

The game is intended to be played by either three players (Naturals), or four players, who are divided into two teams (Doubles). A two-player variation known as Duels exists and is typically used in Naturals to determine the second place title in the event that one player earns enough points to win the game, but the remaining two players have an equal score.

At the beginning of the game, players are assigned an order (1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th, depending on the variation). Each player plays a single stone before allowing the next players to have a turn. This continues until all stones have been played and it ensures that no player throws two stones in a row.

Each player possesses four stones, but can only play three of them, unless he earns the Keep. The Keep is the center line of the table where the Front Keep meets the Back Keep. The player who has the center of his stone closest to this line is considered in possession of the Keep and will earn the chance to play a fourth stone if he maintains possession at the end of the round. The Keep is earned by only one player per round, and can only be used once all of the other players have exhausted their three stones.

In some instances, the last player in the order may already have possession of the Keep prior to playing his third stone. This would mean that all other players have played their three stones, and although the final player has only used two of his three stones, one of those two has earned him the Keep. In this circumstance, the player has the potential to throw two back-to-back stones; his third stone in normal play, and the fourth stone that he earned by possessing the Keep. This is called The Nuts. Remember, it is possible that his third stone may accidentally (or purposefully) push his current stone out of the Keep, causing him to lose possession and, subsequently, lose the benefit of playing his fourth stone.

If, at the end of the round, a player has the three stones closest to the Keep, he earns one point. In the event that a player is granted a fourth stone and has all four stones closest to the Keep, he earns two points. Deciding whether it is more advantageous to earn points via the Keep, the Head, or both, is a strategic decision players must make with every throw.

Landing stones in scoring position does not guarantee that points will be earned by the end of the round. Stones may be pushed out of scoring position, knocked off the table, or simply out-performed by another stone before the end of the round. There are four main ways in which one stone may undermine another; Sniping, Skipping, Pushing, and Smashing.

Sniping is a high-speed wrist throw intended to knock stones off the board. A good snipe will knock a competitor’s stone off the table while taking or beating its previous position. However, it is not uncommon for a sniping stone to knock both its target and itself off the table. This is a common technique used in order to prevent or extinguish an opponent who is earning FireAfter two consecutive Warm boards, a Fire point in awarded for each consecutive Warm board a player earns. points.

Skipping is a low-speed wrist or arm throw, often turning the stone upside down, intended to bounce over existing stones. This technique is typically used when a player wants to place a stone in front of his own stone without jeopardizing its position. Placing one stone in front of another is known as a Block, and is a defensive tactic against snipers.

Pushing is a low-speed wrist throw intended to move stones, but keep them on the table. This is a less aggressive snipe and is primarily used in two ways; either to push a friendly stone into a better position, or to push an opponent away from the Keep without putting them in position to earn a Front pointFront point(s) are earned by having the closest stone(s) to the edge of the Head of the table.

Smashing is a high-speed over-arm throw used to separate Stacked StonesStack Stones refers to stones that are stacked on top of one another, either fully, or in part or to knock hangers off the edge of the table. Smashing, due to the force and speed of the throw, is rather unpredictable and may result in the stone falling off the table or even rolling backwards. This technique is often used when a Hanger is Blocked and Skipping the stone may not have enough force to displace the Hanger.

As earlier mentioned, there are four ways of earning points; being closest to the Head, having three or four stones in the Keep, earning Fire Points, and earning a Back Hanger. A Back Hanger is when a stone is balancing on the bottom edge of the End. This is the polar opposite of the Hanger, and earns players 5 points per stone. This is the rarest method of scoring points because of the difficulty of the task and the ease with which opponents can undermine it with a Smash.

There are only two limitations to earning points in the game. The first limitation is in regard to a Fire point. A Fire point cannot win a game, so once a player reaches one point shy of a victory, he is ineligible to earn a Fire point, even if 100% of his stones are on the board. The second is in regards to a Back Hanger. A player may not use a fourth stone to earn a Back Hanger. As mentioned earlier, since a Back Hanger is relatively easy to knock off the table, the only situation a seasoned player will attempt a Back Hanger is when he has The Nuts.

A game of Shuttlestones typically last between twenty minutes and an hour, depending on the skill level of the players. Tournament games will continue until the desired score is achieved and this is when stamina and endurance play a major factor. To start playing now, go to our Join a League page and follow the simple instructions. To learn more about the game, check out the Glossary and watch the Instructional Videos.