How to Play
Curious about tchoukball but don’t know where to start? Check out our basic guide below and you’ll be up and running in minutes! Our website also includes basic teaching resources and you’re always welcome to contact us for help and support 🤗
(photo by Yan Weber)
The Basics
Scoring a point
Scoring
A point is scored when a team throws the ball at the “frame” (the rebounding net) and it lands outside the forbidden zone (the semi-circle) and inside the court.
The defending team has to catch it off the frame to prevent that happening.
Shots landing in the forbidden zone or directly out of court give a point to the opposition!
TUK Tips: You can shoot from anywhere, but advanced players will jump towards the frame to increase the range and height of the shot. Defending on your knees is the best way to catch most shots.
(photo by Mickaël Sauser)
Tchoukball works in 3s!
Steps, passes, shots
Rule of
threes
In tchoukball, we love the number 3! Even our matches are 3 periods of 15 minutes.
3 steps with the ball before you pass or shoot.
3 passes in your team before you must shoot.
3 shots at any frame before teams must shoot at the other frame.
TUK Tips: To take the full 3 steps, you must catch it in the air otherwise you have 2 steps. Confused about 3 shots then shooting at the “other frame”? Read on!
(photo by Victor Gonzenbach)
Shoot at either end!
Move the ball, make space
Shoot
either
end
We know it’s strange, but in tchoukball you can score at either end! We have shooters and defenders at both ends.
Scoring in tchoukball is about moving the ball and making space to shoot at, and this unique twist of both ends being in play makes for our most spectacular moments!
TUK Tips: Players from the opposite end to the shot should move up the court in case the ball rebounds high. Advanced teams pass the ball fast and long to catch the opposing team’s defence out!
(photo by Lara Sauser)
Get your feet right!
Foot on line and landing
Foot on
line and
landing
2 more rules now – both involving the technical part of jumping when shooting.
Keep your foot outside the forbidden zone when you make the jump (full marks to our under-16 athlete in the picture).
You must release the ball before you land. For beginners or senior players, we’re very generous with this part, but for advanced players, be strict!
TUK Tips: When you practice a new shot or technique, don’t worry too much about the landing rule. Get it right, then perfect it!
(photo by Christophe Strahm)
Hands off!
No interceptions / tackles
Blocking,
tackling,
intercepting
You must let the opposition shoot. You can’t block them, intercept the ball or tackle them.
Sounds strange? It’s essential for the game. Our game is about your own skill, not your opponent’s size, weight or strength. It’s what allows a 50kg player 150cm tall to compete equally with a 100kg player 2m tall!
It also makes mixed-sex sport possible for PE lessons. Everyone is included!
TUK Tips: Sounds slow without interceptions? Remember we have 3 passes and only 3 seconds with the ball so a shot happens on average every 10-15 seconds!
(photo by Selma Rostock)
Restarting after a fault
Breakdown ball
Breakdown
ball
When any foul is made, we restart by the team taking a “breakdown”. The referee indicates where it should be taken on court and the player touches the ball on the ground with both hands.
After a point is scored, we restart behind the baseline like in basketball.
TUK Tips: Quick breakdowns with players in position can cause chaos in the opposing team! Get in position quickly and get those shots in!
(photo by Christophe Strahm)
Fair play in tchoukball
The Tchoukball Charter
Fair
play
The Tchoukball Charter is a document written by our founder highlighting the role sport plays in bringing people together.
In tchoukball, we don’t just pay lip service to fair play. It’s enshrined in our governance and the rules. A referee can award possession against a team for any breach of fair play.
Athletes will own up to points for the other team from school games to World Championship finals. Fairness is in our DNA!
TUK Tips: Talk to your players about the importance of fair play. Encourage them to be honest and reward young athletes for doing so. A match is temporary – being an athlete and a role model lives long past the final whistle.