Each side takes turns rolling bowls up the rink toward the small white ball — the jack. Bowls are weighted on one side, so they curve as they slow: that's the bias, and it's why a good bowl swings in at the end.

When all bowls are rolled, that's an end. The side with the bowl closest to the jack wins the end, and scores one shot for every bowl of theirs closer than the other side's best bowl. Only one side can score in an end.

Singles — four bowls each, first to 25 shots wins. Pairs — four bowls each over 21 ends. Triples — three bowls each over 18 ends. Fours — two bowls each over 21 ends. In the team games, the side with the most shots after the last end wins.

If the jack gets knocked off the rink, the end is dead and is replayed — the card here handles that. If neither side is closer (a measured tie), the end counts but nobody scores. A level score after the last end can be played off with an extra end or called a draw.