Is it for real? Yes and no. Yes for those who can manage to run with a broomstick underneath them while no for those who have no interest in fantasy.
The game was devised by JK.Rowling in his bestselling fantasy series Harry potter. Quidditch didn’t seem to get real in the beginning but when the Harry Potter fever grew at an alarming rate among the readers of the book, this game was accepted as real.
However, unlike in the book and the movie, you can’t fly on a broomstick. Instead, you have to run with this broomstick. The idea of running with a broomstick is insane but for some it is exciting and they feel real, especially those who admired The Boy Who Lived.
Object of Playing Quidditch
The object of quidditch is to score more goals than your opponent. Each goal is worth 10 points but that’s not everything. There’s a small snitch that comes into the game after a certain time, and this snitch is worth 30 points. Or in some cases, this snitch can be worth 150+ points which means the team catching the snitch can easily win the game without even scoring goals.
How to Play?
Quidditch is played on broomsticks which players fix between their legs while running. Each player is assigned a specific role and goals are scored by sending the quaffle in the opposition’s half. And there is a snitch which can add more than 150 points to your account if it is caught by the seeker.
But there’s more about this interesting game, fouls, goals, time period and legal ways of scoring a goal. Keep reading till the end and you’ll find out each and every rule regarding the game.
General Rules of Quidditch
- Quaffle is used as a ball for scoring a goal.
- Snitch is worth 30 or more points and it comes into the game after a few minutes.
- There are bludgers moving around which try to hit the players – a bludger is a magical object whose job is to deviate players from their original positions or in worst cases hit them if they don’t spot them quickly. In real world quidditch, this bludger doesn’t fly on its own but beaters from each team throw this bludger at each other.
- Each team can play 7 players per match.
- Since we are playing quidditch in real life and the snitch can’t fly so the snitch is hidden somewhere while
- all the players have their eyes closed, before the start of play.
- Any player hit by a bludger is required to get down from his broom, run back, touch the net before resuming play.
- In quidditch, you can use your full force against your opponent but deliberately hitting your opponent is strictly not allowed and can result in a foul.
- Each team has a seeker who’s job is to catch the snitch while the rest look to score a goal or protect their goal post.
- In the end, when the snitch is caught, the team with the most number of points wins the game.
- Players who commit foul can be given a yellow card which means they have to sit in the penalty box (near the playing field) for one minute. As a punishment, their team has to play with one player short.
Time Duration of Quidditch
It’s a fantasy game and has no time limits. The game only ends when the snitch is caught. As per the inventor of the game, the writer of Harry potter, the quidditch games can go on for months and years if the snitch is not caught or by chance the referee has disappeared.
Quidditch Playing Field
The field of quidditch is 60 yards long and 36 yards wide. The good thing about a quidditch field is there are no markings except the hoops. All you need is an open field with hoops placed on it, and you are ready to go for a wizardry game of quidditch.
Quidditch Playing Equipments
For a game of quidditch, you need following equipment:
Broomstick: In the movie and book of Harry Potter, these brooms could fly but of course, not in the real world. So what players have to do is fix these sticks underneath them and between their legs. These are typical brooms and there are no dimensions for weight and size.
Hoops: There are three hoops at each end of the pitch, these serve as the goal posts for the respective teams. These hoops are at different heights (2m, 1.4m and 1m). Each of the hoops is at least two brooms apart with the tallest on the extreme left.
Quaffle: Quaffle is the ball that is chased by chasers and keepers because this is the object by using which players are supposed to score a goal or keepers are supposed to protect their hoops from this ball. There are no dimensions specified for a quaffle.
Bludger: They are deflated dodgeballs used by beaters. In fact, only beaters can use them and there are three of them on the pitch. Beaters pick up these bludgers and throw at their opponents so that they have to dismount their brooms for a while, run back to touch the net and then they can resume playing.
Golden Snitch: Golden snitch is actually quite similar to a tennis ball in a long yellow sock. These are chased/found by the seekers who are designated for this job.
Referee
There are 2-3 referee’s in a quidditch game who ensure that all players comply with the rules of the game and they are further responsible for running the game smoothly by avoiding any chaos that can easily occur in such a busy game.
Roles of Players in Quidditch
Players are assigned different roles in quidditch and a game of quidditch can only be won if all players fulfill their role responsibly.
Chasers: Chasers try to get the possession of the quaffle and score a goal by throwing the ball in any of the opposition’s hoops.
Beaters: Two beaters from each side can catch and use the three bludgers in play to disrupt their opposition players. These bludgers are thrown by beaters on opposition players and beaters are usually the strongest players of a team.
Keeper: Keeper’s job is to defend the hoops and surprisingly, in quidditch, keeper can come forward and score a goal as well because there are no restrictions or markings for particular positions on the ground.
Seeker: While all other players are doing their jobs, a seeker keeps looking for the snitch and once the snitch has been spotted, seekers from both teams try to get to it first to win 30 points or more, and most likely win the game.
Governing Body
The International Quidditch Association (IQA) is the governing body of quidditch. The association was founded in 2009 following the first intercollegiate quidditch match. Surprisingly, despite belonging to a fantasy world, the federation for the sport now comprises more than 10 national associations governing quidditch in their respective nations.