Background:

Quidditch-Juggle is a new type of game for the experienced juggler. The concept for this game comes from the book series “Harry Potter” and rules reflect those described within these novels.  While being inspired by a few games from the “Zirkus-Spiele-Kartei” (a collection of games decribed in reference card format), the idea of a Quidditch game presented itself on the table to be developed even without a test try. At the “Gauklertreffen 2001” (a small cosey convention) there were many jugglers who had interest in the game idea and thus gave it a try and in turn had a lot of fun!  A few loopholes in the rules were identified and other rules were discussed and discussed and then discussed some more.  From this feedback, there were a lot of good constructive proposals for a revision.  Regarding this point, we would like to give all that were involved in the premiere Quidditch game a very big “thank you”!  Some people have voiced that they would like us to attend other conventions where Quidditch-Juggle could be played.  Unfortunately, we can not travel to all the meetings at this time to field answers to questions regarding the rules. Also, it is not possible for everyone to remember all the rules. The game is very complex and therefore there will always surface many questions and variations of rules.  In order to improve the game and to incorporate new ideas, we wish to use this common space to build a Forum.  In this forum can we include updates, news and dates.

TO BEGIN

The Quidditch-Juggle Rules

Idea        Equipment / Preparation     Field       Player roles    Flow of the Game        Fouls

The Idea:

2 teams, each consisting of 6 players (specifically, 6 good juggling muggles), play against each other. Every player must be able to continually juggle 3 balls in order to participate.  Points are scored by throwing (while juggling) the quaffle (game ball) through the goals (3 rings suspended in the air on each side of the playing field).  The game ends when the “golden snitch” (a secret ball) is found.  Additionally, the finding of the golden snitch earns the team many bonus points as well.  The team with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.

Idea        Equipment / Preparation      Field       Player roles    Flow of the Game        Fouls

Equipment and Preparation:

For Quidditch-Juggle certain equipment is necessary.  6 goals (3 for each side) are made up from 6 broom handles and 6 juggling rings.  They are assembled in such a way that the ring is attached to the top of the broom handle at a 90 degree angle so that it resembles a basketball hoop.  The broom handle is attached to a chair or a traffic cone so that the ring is 1.8 meters (approximately 6 feet) high above the floor.  Next, one needs a set of Quidditch Balls which consists of:   32 Nimbus Balls, 4  Bludgers, 1 Quaffle, and 1 Golden Snitch.

The Quaffle (the game ball) is a large red stage ball.

The Bludgers are soft but not too light.

The 32 Nimbus balls are all the same inexpensive juggling balls.  Each ball has a small symbol drawn on it to tell them apart. (refer to the photo).  The symbols should be very similar in form so that the searching is not too easy.  If using the cheap 4 color beanbags from Toys R US then please put the symbol on the green panel (Eddy‘s favorite color!)

The Golden Snitch is one of the above marked Nimbus balls that is secretly chosen before the game begins.

Idea        Equipment / Preparation      Field       Player roles    Flow of the Game         Fouls

The Quidditch Playing Field:

The playing field should be approximately 10 by 20 meters and is marked before the game.  Each team has 3 goals on each side to defend.  The playing field is divided into two halves by a centerline.  The Quaffle is placed on the centerline.  A circle of 1,5 meters is marked around the center. The starting positons for the players and Quaffle are shown in the following diagram.

Jä = Tor-Jäger, St = Startspieler (Tor-Jäger), Su = Sucher, Tr = Treiber  

For international communication:

    ENGLISH                         GERMAN

    Beater                                  Treiber

    Bludger                                 Klatscher

    Chaser                                  Tor-Jäger

    Quaffle                                 Quaffel

    Seeker                                  Sucher

    Snitch (Golden Snitch)           goldenen Schnatz

Idea        Equipment / Preparation      Field       Player roles    Flow of the Game         Fouls

Players roles:

2 teams play against each other.  The 6 players of each team specialize in the following different roles:  3 Chasers, 2 Beaters, and 1 Seeker.

The chasers have special juggling skills for driving the quaffle (play ball) to the opposing goal.  Note that every player is allowed to play the quaffle and score points. But it´s not allowed to walk with the quaffel!  The beaters are the ones that can best utilize the bludger.  They try to use the bludger to disturb the juggling pattern of the opponent by irritating them and causing them to drop a juggling ball.  Note that every player is allowed to play the bludger.  The seeker has certainly the most important role in the entire game.  Only the seeker can end the game and often lead his team to victory.  The seeker searches (while juggling) for the golden snitch.  When this is successfully accomplished, the game is over.

Idea        Equipment / Preparation      Field       Player roles    Flow of the Game         Fouls

The Flow of the Game:

Fundamentally every player has 3 balls that he/she must juggle.  As soon as he/she looses a ball, he/she can not move (walk or run).  That means that another player must pass him/her a ball and then this person must pickup a ball from the ground in order to still have 3 balls to continue moving.

The Startplay

At the beginning of the game the player of each team position themselves in the starting lineup based on their roles (please refer to the game field diagram).  The umpire selects secretly a ball from the mixed nimbus-ball pile and declares this ball with its symbol “the golden snitch”.  The seeker from each team is shown secretly which symbol is the snitch.  The two seekers take their 3 balls each (which guarantees that their balls do not contain the golden snitch) and then the gold snitch is mixed in with the rest of the nimbus balls.  All of the balls are then given to the rest of the players and are placed on the field in front of each player.  The players are allowed to have 2 balls in the hand but one must be on the head. The players are not allowed to show  the symbols to anyone before the game starts.  The beaters get 2 nimbus balls and 1 bludger, the seeker and the chasers get 3 nimbus balls.  The quaffle is placed on the middle line.

Now the game can start!

After the starting whistle (signal) from the umpire, every player grabs his/her balls and begins to juggle.  At the beginning of the game the starter player tryes to pickup the Quaffel. Nobody is allowed to step into the circle before one of the starter player has taken the Quaffel. The game has begun.

Since the player that has the quaffle is not allowed to move (walk or run), the advancement of the quaffle to the goal is done by passing!  The goal of the chaser is to throw the Quaffle through the opposite goal.  For a goal to be valid the quaffle must be tossed through the rings while juggling. Every successful goal with the quaffle scores 20 points.  In an effort to defend the goal, the Beater can try to disrupt a goal by throwing a bludger at the opponent.  When the Beater has thrown a bludger, the player has only two balls and therefore can not move until he/she recieves a third ball and continues to juggle.  The third ball may be passed by a teammate or may be picked up from the ground.  After a goal, the players return to the start position and play begins again.

During the course of the game, the Seeker has the job of finding the golden snitch.  He/She begins with three balls and must pass and exchange these balls with the other players in order to check each ball for the secret symbol that identifies the golded snitch. The game is over when the seeker finds the golden snitch. This brings the team 50 bonus points.  

Idea for Variations:

When playing outside in good weather, the bludger can be a foam ball soaked with water so that it is more effective.

Ambience rules:

In order to make this complicated game easier to follow for the observer, the teams should differentiate themselves. The seeker can wear hornrimmed glasses in oder to make it obvious of his position and task.  The beater can wear a snake hat (can buy them cheaply at IKEA) ... and the Chaser can ....

Idea        Equipment / Preparation      Field       Player roles    Flow of the Game         Fouls

TO BEGIN

The Fouls:

It is a deadly foul when:

• A seeker gives away (tells someone) the secret sign of the Snitch

• A player communicates the symbols on his balls to the seeker.

as a result the team lose the game.

TO BEGIN