Raffa (Boules)

Officially Raffa Bocce (FIB / CMSB)

Italian boules specialty — synthetic balls (~1kg) played on 26.5m × 4.5m clay lane; features unique 'raffa' shooting technique (ball rolled with hand-arc past thigh) making Italian raffa distinct from French Boules Lyonnaise.

📐Raffa lane (26.5m × 4.5m clay strip)⏱~90 min🌤outdoor

What is Raffa (Boules)?

Raffa is the Italian codified specialty of boules, part of the broader Punto Raffa Volo (PRV) system encompassing Italian precision boules disciplines. Played with synthetic (composite/polymer) balls ~1000-1100g on a 26.5m × 4.5m clay lane, Raffa is distinguished by its unique shooting technique — 'raffa' — a rolling arc thrown from below thigh height with the palm facing up (not the aerial throw of French Boules Lyonnaise). Codified by FIB (Fédération Internationale de Boules) with Italian federation FIB-Italia as national body, Raffa is contested at the CBI World Championships (annual, since 1946), World Games (since 1985), and pan-Italian professional Serie A + B leagues. Italian regions Piedmont, Liguria, Emilia-Romagna, and Sardinia dominate. Distinct from bocce (small, family/backyard) and from Boules Lyonnaise (French classical). Argentine + Uruguayan raffa scenes are strong via Italian immigrant history.

Quick facts

How it works

Objective

Score by placing team's balls closer to pallino than opposing team's closest ball; race to target score.

Match structure

Race to 12/15. Each round (mano): both teams throw all balls; nearest-ball team scores 1 pt per ball closer than opponent's nearest.

Rules

Basic rules

Pallino placement
Round starter throws pallino 6-10m from throwing zone.
Accosto (pointing throw)
Balls thrown to stop close to pallino.
Raffa (shooting throw)
Ball rolled at speed with hand-arc from below thigh height; must displace target ball at least 40cm.
Bocciata (aerial shooting)
Full aerial shot allowed in some rulesets; must hit target directly.
Score end of round
Team with balls closest to pallino scores 1 pt per closer ball.

Advanced rules

Raffa vs. bocciata distinction
Raffa is rolled; bocciata is aerial. Raffa is signature Italian technique; distinct from French rafle.
Pallino minimum distance
Pallino must land at minimum 6m from throwing zone in Raffa; different from Boules Lyonnaise's 12m.
Marked landing zones
Some tournaments mark specific pointing landing zones like Boules Lyonnaise.
40cm displacement rule
For a shot to be legal 'raffa', target ball must be displaced at least 40cm.

Scoring

1 pt per ball closer than opponent's closest per round; race to target.

Action	Points
Ball closer than opponent's closest	1
Multi-ball closer	1 per closer ball

Win condition · First team to 12 (singles) or 15 (doubles/triples) wins match.

Playing area

Called

Raffa lane (26.5m × 4.5m clay strip)

Dimensions

26.5m × 4.5m; slightly different from Boules Lyonnaise 27m × 4m

Clay/sand playing surface; approach line + throwing zone at each end; symmetric play from either end.

Equipment

Raffa balls (synthetic)
Composite polymer balls 1000-1100g; distinct from Boules Lyonnaise metal balls.
Pallino (jack)
Small target ball ~35mm; thrown to establish target position.
Measuring string
Referees use for distance disputes.
Court shoes
Non-marking soft-soled.

Positions & roles

Puntatore (pointer)
×1
Specialist in accosto (pointing throws).
Bocciatore (shooter)
×1
Specialist in raffa / bocciata (shooting throws).
Mezzano (middle, triples+)
×1
Flexible role in team formats.

Officiating

3-4 officials at FIB events.

Referee (1)
Line judges (2)
Scorekeeper

Penalties & fouls

Penalties

Ball outside lane
Ball invalid — no score.
Illegal raffa (below 40cm displacement)
Shot invalid — target replaced.
Pallino knocked out
Round replayed.

Strategies

Accosto first, raffa on threat
Start with pointing throws; raffa (shoot) only when opponent takes closer position.
Raffa vs. bocciata choice
Raffa (rolled) more controlled but shorter range; bocciata (aerial) faster + longer but harder.
Pallino distance advantage
Throw pallino to your team's comfort distance (6-8m typical for Italian raffa).
Team role assignment
Doubles: 1 pointer + 1 shooter. Triples: pointer + shooter + flex.

Terminology

Pallino: Small target ball (Italian equivalent of French cochonnet).
Accosto: Pointing throw.
Raffa: Signature Italian rolled shooting technique.
Bocciata: Aerial shooting throw.
Mano: Round / end of throws by both teams.
Punto Raffa Volo (PRV): Umbrella of Italian precision boules disciplines.

Major competitions

FIB World Championship Raffa
quadrennial · worldwide · since 1946
World Games (Raffa)
quadrennial · worldwide · since 1985
Italian National Championship (FIB-Italia)
annual · Italy · since 1897
European Championship Raffa
biennial · Europe · since 1975

Where it is played

Governing bodies

Fédération Internationale de Boules (FIB)
Founded 1946 · Turin, Italy
Official site ↗
Federazione Italiana Bocce (FIB-Italia)
Founded 1897 · Rome, Italy
Confédération Mondiale des Sports de Boules (CMSB)
Founded 1985 · France

Famous names & records

Famous athletes

Diego Rizzi (Italy — multiple Italian national champion + FIB World)
Luigi Poggi (Italy — Serie A legend)
Enrico Birolo (Italy — Italian champion multi-year)
Various Argentine national team members (immigrant Italian raffa community)

Records

Most Italian raffa titles
Various Italian pros — Serie A + national championship dominance rotates across top clubs (2023)
Longest continuous Italian bocce federation
FIB-Italia — Founded 1897 as world's oldest national bocce federation (2024)
World Games participation
Raffa — Contested at every World Games since 1985 (2025)

Learn this sport

beginner

1
Join Italian FIB-Italia club (Bocciofila)
Every Italian town has a bocciofila (bocce club); 1000+ nationally; casual + competitive available.
2
Learn accosto pointing first
Master consistent pointing before raffa shooting.
3
Practice raffa technique
Rolled shooting from below thigh — signature Italian technique different from French rafle.

advanced

1
Compete in Italian Serie B → Serie A
Italy's professional raffa league pyramid.
2
Italian national championship qualifier
Regional → provincial → national pathway.
3
FIB World Championship + World Games
Quadrennial peak events.

Frequently asked

What's the difference between raffa, volo, and punto?+

These are three related Italian boules disciplines under the Punto Raffa Volo (PRV) umbrella. PUNTO is pointing-only skill contest; RAFFA is the rolled shooting technique specialty; VOLO is the aerial shooting (French Boules Lyonnaise-style) specialty. All three are contested at Italian championships as separate events + combined.

How is Raffa different from Boules Lyonnaise?+

Raffa uses synthetic polymer balls (vs. Lyonnaise's metal); shorter lane (26.5m vs. 27m); Italian rolled raffa shooting technique (vs. French aerial rafle); pallino at 6m minimum (vs. 12m in Lyonnaise); Italian rule sets. Both are FIB-governed and share history but are distinct competitive disciplines.

Is Raffa played outside Italy?+

Strong scenes in Argentina + Uruguay (Italian immigrant heritage), France, Slovenia, Croatia, Morocco, Tunisia, San Marino, and Monaco. Italy remains dominant with ~1M FIB-Italia members.

Sources & provenance

FIB— Fédération Internationale de Boules
Wikipedia — Bocce— Wikipedia

Last verified 2026-08-29.verified