1. 2 or 4 players - similar to horshoes, if playing with 2 players, both throw from the same end. With 4 players, one partner is at each end.
2. Set up - rock paper scissors (best 2 out of 3), the winner will throw first and in a 4 player game also chooses which person they will throw against. In a 4 player game, the loser may choose which box each pairing will throw at.
3. Play begins - the first thrower will throw all 4 of their washers in a row. They may stand on either side of the box but they must be behind the front of the box. Their opponent will then throw their 4 washers. This completes 1 end.
4. Scoring - a washer that lands and stays in the box is 1 point. A washer that lands in and stays in the pipe is 3 points. A washer that lands outside of the box is 0 points. The points scored by one player cancel out the points of their opponent. Therefore only 1 player can score points in 1 end. For example, player 'A' gets 1 pipe and 1 box for 3+1=4 points. Player 'B' gets 2 boxes for 1+1=2 points. Final points for the end are Player 'A' receives 4-2=2 points. The score is 2-0 and the next end begins with the team or player that scored points throwing first. If their is a wash (both players score the same amout) then their are no points awarded and the next end begins with the team that threw last in the last end, shooting first.
5. Winning - before the game begins all players must agree on the winning total needed. Most often this is 11 or 21 points. To win the game a player or team must score the winning total exactly (see 'The 'Chan' Rule' below).
6. The 'Chan' Rule - if 11 is the winning total, then in order to win a team must score 11 points without going over. If at the completion of an end, a team ends up with points that total over 11, these points are then subtracted from their current score. For example, If Player 'A' has 9 points and at the completion of an end scores 4 points, they have gone over the winning total of 11 (9+4=13). Therefore, the 4 points are subtracted from their score and they will then have 5 points total (9-4=5). The next end will begin with Player 'A' throwing first since they were the player that received or lost points in the last end.