The placing of a jack is key to the success of your team. Three whole sections of the rule book are dedicated to the pesky little wooden thing!
Here is the first
Article 7, Valid distances for the thrown jack
For the thrown jack to be valid, the following conditions apply:
1) That the distance separating it from the internal edge of the circle must be - 6 metres minimum and 10 metres maximum for Juniors and Seniors. - For competitions intended for younger players, shorter distances may be applied.
2) That the throwing circle must be a minimum of 1 metre from any obstacle and 1.5 metres from another circle or jack in use.
3) That the jack must be a minimum of 50 cm from any obstacle and from the end line of the lane, it must also be a minimum of 1.5 metres from another jack or circle in use. (note: no minimum distance is required from the “side” line that separates the lanes or the dead ball lines at the side of the lanes).
4) That the jack must be visible to the player whose feet are placed astride the extreme limits of the interior of the circle and whose body is absolutely upright. In case of dispute on this point, the umpire decides, without appeal, if the jack is visible. At the following end the jack is thrown from a circle placed or traced around the point where it finished at the previous end, except in the following cases: - The circle would be less than 1 metre from an obstacle, 1.5 metres from another circle or jack in use. - The throwing of the jack could not be made to all regulation distances. In the first case the player places or traces the circle at the regulation distance from the obstacle or object in question. In the second case, the player may step back, in line with the previous end's play, without exceeding the maximum distance authorised for the throwing of the jack. This opportunity is offered only if the jack cannot be thrown to the maximum distance in any other direction. If the jack has not been thrown in accordance with the rules defined above, the opposing team will place the jack in a valid position on the terrain. They may also move the circle back, in accordance with the conditions defined in these rules, if the first team’s positioning of the circle did not allow the jack to be thrown the maximum distance. In any case, the team which lost the jack after the invalid throw must play the first boule. The team that won the right to throw the jack have a maximum of one minute to do so. The team that won the right to place the jack after the unsuccessful throw of the opponent must do so immediately.
