The Sjoelbak board should be placed on top of a table and the game is mostly played while standing but can also be played sitting down. The entire game consists of a wooden board approx. 16” wide by 79” long with a 4-slot portal bar and 30 pucks.
Taking turns the player with the highest score wins. Each turn consists of three rounds. The player slides all available pucks down the board aiming for the slots. After the first and second round, all pucks that did not go into a slot are returned to the player, the pucks that went in the slots should be stacked in the back of the slot.
After the third and last round the pucks in the four slots are totaled using the following scoring system.
Each puck is counted at face value until the player gets a set (1 puck in every slot) a set doubles the score for those 4 pucks (2+3+4+1=10x2=20) Getting as many sets as possible greatly improves your score.
For example in this picture:
Slot 2 has 4 pucks
Slot 3 has 4 pucks
Slot 4 has 4 pucks
Slot 1 has 3 pucks
In this score there are 3 sets counting as 3x20 and the remaining pucks count once for a total of 60 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 69
The puck needs to cross the front of the slot bar to be counted.
This picture (from the top) shows puck 1 does not count, Puck 4 counts, puck 3 does not count and puck 2 counts.
The maximum score is 148 (7x20+2x4=148), but it could be higher if you accomplish this score in your 1st or 2nd sub-turn. In that case you will get an extra (2) or (1) puck respectively. So it might be possible to get a score of 148+4+4=156.
These are the basic rules, many families add their own “house rules” in regards to pucks bouncing back, landing on top of each other, bouncing out etc. For more detailed tournament rules you can check various websites.
If you're not sure if the puck crossed the line, hold the closure slat against the front of the slot; and if the puck moves, it is not completely in. If the puck does not move, count the score!
Use a dust rag to clean off the board before playing. One could use Pledge sparingly to make the board smooth, but the Dutch prefer to use fine potato flour, which is a type gluten free flour that is available at health food stores.
Keep the Sjoelbak stored in upright position, keep away from heat sources and store in dry conditions to avoid warping.
In case one of the two panels of the foldable Sjoelbak become uneven, the hinge can be easily adjusted to help restore the smooth playing action of the pucks sliding across the seam.
Adjustments are made using a shim made of a small piece of manilla stock paper (approx. 3/16" x 1/2"). Install the shim under the hinge cross bar on the pocket end of the Sjoelbak. Please make sure the screw is tightened securely after the shim is inserted. If you have any questions, please call and we will help talk you through each step of this adjustment (1-877-233-8824).