Each player has five "draughts" and a goal-man (two "draughts", one stuck atop the other). They are positioned as follows... Goal-man on the centre of the goal line, two defenders immediately in front of the goal-area and three attackers on the points of the centre circle. The puck is placed on the centre spot.
There are three plays of six minutes each, during this time the object is to play the puck into the opponents goal as many times as is possible.
The first play is from the central attacker of the opening player; a goal is not permitted from the opening position at any point in the game, should a goal occur the game restarts with the opponent opening play. After the initial move, players have alternating turns at the table, at his turn the player moves a chosen draught via a short stroke of his "hockey stick". The played draught need not touch the puck, however should it hit an opponent's draught without first touching the perimeter wall, the puck or the goal structure a foul is awarded. This is also true if a second draught is pushed, by the first onto an opponent's draught without one of them having fulfilled the previous conditions. The goal-man may play anywhere as long as he does not touch the puck one over the first thick line, should he touch it a foul is awarded. Inside the goal area a goal-man cannot commit a foul. Outside the area he is subject to the same rules of contact as other draughts, at no time may he score a goal, should he do so the scoring player restarts the game from the opening position (although the goal is disallowed).
A removed draught rejoins the game after a goal or at the end of a six minutes section.
A penalty is awarded if the puck touches a defender in the goal area after the opponent makes a legal play. This is not true if the defender was pushed into the area on the first of the two plays awarded after a foul, nor if the puck was touching the goal area, nor if it was touching or behind the goal-line at either end at the time of the play.
A penalty begins with the defending goal-man centrally on the goal line and the attacker on his central point of the centre circle, the puck is placed on the centre point. The attacker has three moves. He cannot score on the first, should the puck enter the goal the penalty is over with no score. If the puck touches the goal-man without then entering the goal, the penalty is saved, the draught may not pass the puck. Subject to these conditions, if the puck enters the goal without touching the side-wall, it is a goal.
It is a goal if the puck passes or touches the back line of the goal (beware of own goals). Play resumes from the opening position.
If the game is drawn it is possible to continue for one section of three minutes (first goal wins). If at the end of three minutes there is no winner then best of three penalties each, after which sudden death. (This method is always used in tournament play)
Written by Nigel Kerr