Xare
Officially Xare (Chistera Joko-Garbi)
Basque pelota variant played with a loose-strung xare (small racquet with sheep-gut webbing) on a 30 m fronton — the ball is caught + held briefly before being flung against the front wall. One of ~14 modalities of Basque pelota; unique for the loose-string catch-and-throw.
What is Xare?
Xare is a variant of Basque pelota played with a specialised xare — a small wooden-frame racquet strung with loose sheep-gut cords in a diamond pattern that allows the ball to briefly nest in the strings before being flung. This makes xare unique among pelota disciplines: unlike pala or the rigid cesta of jai alai, the xare permits a fleeting catch-and-throw that gives the sport its distinctive tempo. Also called Chistera Joko-Garbi in French Basque tradition (Joko-Garbi = 'clean play' — no long delay allowed on the catch, no scraping the ball off walls). Court is a 30 m open fronton or trinquete; ball is a hard leather-covered rubber pelota. Played 2v2 (doubles) — winner is first to reach set point count (35 or 50, depending on federation). One of ~14 recognised modalities of Basque pelota under the Federación Internacional de Pelota Vasca (FIPV). Historically popular in French Basque Country + Argentina (immigrant tradition); scored the sport's Olympic demonstration appearance at 1992 Barcelona (though under 'Basque pelota' umbrella).
Quick facts
Category
Racket & Paddle Sports
Type
Team sport
Players
4–4
Duration
~60 min
Where played
both
Country of origin
🇫🇷 France
Estimated origin
Evolved late 19th century as chistera variant with loose-string webbing enabling catch-and-throw
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
Score points by winning rallies — ball must be caught + immediately flung against the front wall within the fair zone, before landing in-bounds on rebound.
Match structure
2v2 doubles on 30 m fronton or trinquete. First team to target point count (35 in French tradition; 50 in Argentine) wins.
Rules
Basic rules
Serve to front wall
Server flings ball with xare to strike front wall above the falta line + land in receiver's zone.
Rally continues with catch-and-throw
Each player catches with xare, immediately flings against front wall in one fluid motion — no scraping, no long delay.
Point ends on fault / out
Point ends if ball hits below falta line, out of bounds, second bounce, or held too long in xare.
Advanced rules
Joko-Garbi rule (no delay)
The catch must be immediate — extended dribbling or aiming in the xare pocket is a fault (this is the sport's defining rule).
Doubles positioning
Front-court player covers volleys; back-court player covers deep returns + serves.
Chibalete (spin serve)
Advanced serve variant with heavy spin, hard to return cleanly.
Scoring
Point per rally won. First team to 35 (French) or 50 (Argentine) wins.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Rally won | 1 point |
Win condition · Reach the federation-set point total before opposing team.
Equipment
Xare racquet
Small wooden frame ~35 cm long, loose sheep-gut cords in diamond pattern — creates the catch-and-throw pocket.
Pelota (leather-covered rubber ball)
~65-75 g, hard leather cover, high bounce.
Fronton (open one-wall court) or trinquete
30 m long × 10 m wide open one-wall fronton; trinquete adds side + back wall.
Boinas / white attire
Traditional Basque red beret + white shirt/trousers.
Positions & roles
Delantero (front-court player)
×1Covers volleys + short rallies at front of court.
Zaguero (back-court player)
×1Covers deep rallies + typically serves.
Officiating
One main referee + line judges; scoreboard operator.
- Juez principal
- Juez de línea (line judges)
Penalties & fouls
Penalties
Extended catch (Chapa)
Holding the ball in xare too long → point to opponent.
Falta (short serve)
Serve fails to reach falta line → serve replayed or point to opponent.
Boteproño (double bounce)
Failure to return before second bounce → point to opponent.
Strategies
Front-back rotation
Delantero + Zaguero must rotate on cross-court balls; miscommunication = free point.
Serve to backhand
Serve towards opponent's backhand-side wall causes awkward xare-angle catch.
Chibalete off-speed disruption
Mix hard-drives with spin-heavy chibalete serves to break opponent rhythm.
Terminology
- Xare
- The loose-strung racquet + name of the sport
- Joko-Garbi
- 'Clean play' — the no-delay-on-catch rule
- Falta
- Short serve / fault
- Chapa
- Illegal held catch fault
- Delantero / Zaguero
- Front / Back court player positions
Major competitions
World Basque Pelota Championships
quadrennial · worldwide · since 1952
Championnat de France de Xare
annual · France (Basque) · since 1930
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Federación Internacional de Pelota Vasca (FIPV)
Founded 1929 · Pamplona, Spain
Fédération Française de Pelote Basque (FFPB)
Founded 1921 · Bayonne, France
Federación Argentina de Pelota
Founded 1932 · Buenos Aires, Argentina
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Champions of French Xare championships
Records
One of ~14 pelota modalities
FIPV — Recognised as one of the ~14 official Basque pelota modalities (1929)
Olympic demo at Barcelona 1992
IOC — Basque pelota (including xare modality) featured as demonstration sport at Barcelona 1992 Olympics (1992)
Learn this sport
beginner
- 1
Xare grip + catch-and-throw drill
Practise clean catch + immediate release without ball nesting.
intermediate
- 1
Doubles positioning + serve variations
Learn front/back rotation + basic + chibalete serves.
advanced
- 1
Trinquete play + Championship-level tactics
Master three-wall trinquete strategy + regional championship rally patterns.
Frequently asked
How is xare different from jai alai / cesta punta?+
Jai alai's cesta is a long rigid basket; xare is a short racquet with LOOSE strings that let the ball briefly nest before being flung. Xare is Joko-Garbi (clean play, no delay); jai alai allows a longer scooping motion.
Where is xare played?+
Primarily French Basque Country (Pyrénées-Atlantiques), Spanish Basque Country, and Argentina (large Basque immigrant community). Small niche following elsewhere.
Sources & provenance
- Wikipedia — Basque pelota— Wikipedia