• Player's TAWS or SHOOTERS cannot exceed 1" (2.54 cm) in diameter and must be a minimum of 1/2" (1.27 cm) in diameter.  Diameter is defined as an imaginary line extending through the center of the marble.  At the discretion of the officiating committee, a players taw may be measured.  Measurement should be accomplished using calipers.

• TAWS or SHOOTERS cannot be made of solid, metallic material (i.e., steelies or ball bearings).  Trace amounts of metal is allowable (i.e., aluminum, titanium, etc.).  Otherwise, TAWS or SHOOTERS can be comprised of most any type of mineral and/or material (e.g., glass, ceramic, clay, agate, diamond, moon rock, non-metallic composites, etc.).

• Other than the "flicking" action of the thumb and fingers, a player's shooting hand must not move horizontally (i.e., backwards, forwards, left or right) during the shooting process.  The term used for this type of shooting motion in BUM-DEE is fudging.  This is especially true while performing a kill or carry maneuver.

• Fudging is when a player utilizes body movements other than or in addition to the flicking action of the thumb, to shoot his/her marble.  Fudging, as a general rule is not allowed and is considered very poor BUM-DEE etiquette.  This is  especially true during a tournament match.  One example of fudging is if a player, during the execution of his/her shot, moves any part of their arm vertically or horizontally as a means of propulsion assist.  The only example of when fudging is allowed is if a player's marble is shot or knocked off of the playable BUM-DEE course.  That player may then lift his/her marble (so long as the same general horizontal position of the marble is maintained) and shoot.  For example, a player can shoot from his/her waist.
  

• If a player fudges while on the playable portion of the BUM-DEE course, members on the opposing team can require that the player that fudged  re-shoot from the place the marble was originally at prior to the shot even if the shot resulted in a hole made or another player's marble struck.  In this event, best effort will be made to place all marbles affected by the offending shot back in the position they were in prior to the shot.  A fudged shot cannot be taken back or re-shot at the discretion of the offending shooter.  Only opposing players may allow or disallow the shot.  Opposing players may elect to allow especially if the outcome of the offending player's shot is advantageous to their next shot or turn.  In the case of cut throat, the majority decision of the opposing players will stand.

• Under no circumstances may a player interchange his/her taw during a match.  For example, a player cannot interchange marbles for one that is better suited for scoring holes and or kills.  Sometimes due to the force exerted during a kill operation, a player's taw may become chipped, damaged or split into two pieces.  If a player's taw is damaged, that player must continue using that taw until that particular match has ended.  If a player's taw is broken in half, in the absence of a designated judge or referee, it is at the sole discretion of a majority of the other players in that specific match whether or not that player must continue using the "split" taw.

• A SPAN is the distance from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the pinkie finger when a players hand is fully extended.
  

• The SPAN is used when a player successfully shoots his/her taw into the hole they are for and or touches another players marble.  That player can take a SPAN and shoot again.
  

• The SPAN originates either from the edge of the hole that player has made or from the lie of his/her marble after touching another players marble.

• There are situations were a player may take two and even rarer, three spans.  The examples below entitle a player to only one additional shot.  The number of spans are the only thing affected in the instances below.  The following is a list of conditions that must be met before a player can take more than one span:
  

  • During the same shot a player strikes more than one marble assuming he/she is not striking a marble they have struck before (going dead) during the same shot series and without having made a hole they were for.

  • A player strikes another marble and then makes a hole they are for during the same shot.

  • A player shoots and makes a hole they are for and there is already another player's marble in the hole.
    

• If it is the intent of the player to get behind another player's marble for the purpose of "traxing" or "carrying", that player's hand SPAN must be sufficient in so much as the tip of his/her pinkie places it directly behind the others player marble in relation to the direction the SPANNING player is shooting.

• (TRAXING):  TRAXING is defined as glancing, lightly touching or clipping another players TAW during a shot.  For example, TRAXING is when a player shoots his/her marble in such a way as to glance off of another players TAW with the intent of realizing another SPAN & subsequent turn or shot.  TRAXING can be a potent strategy move that allows a player for example, to shoot his/her marble, glance off another players marble and with any luck, be positioned in such a way as to be able to take full advantage of another SPAN & shot.  The player having TRAXED may then opt to shoot for another hole or deal an opposing player's TAW a decisive blow.
  

• (CARRY):  To "CARRY" means that a player has the ability through either a SPAN or as a role function of defending /assisting in the BUM-DEE ring, to place his/her TAW directly behind another players TAW and shoot.  The carry shot can be a much more accurate (compared to the kill) method of propelling another player's marble to where you want it to go.  This type of shot is used for both defense and offense depending on the strategy.  For example, a friendly carry could be used to assist another team member's marble forward so that the carried players subsequent shot is more easily made.  Another strategy of the CARRY shot (in the event a member of the opposing team has already gone out) is to coordinate with another team member so that one of you can carry the other into the BUM-DEE ring and toward the BUM-DEE hole.  In this example, the player's marble that was carried is not subject to the opposing team's BUM-DEE defender until that player shoots again.  However, the player having performed the carry operation would be subject to the opposing team's BUM-DEE defender if the carrying player's next hole is the BUM-DEE hole for the final time.  The advantageous part of this operation is that the TAW of the player that was carried into the BUM-DEE ring is safe until he/she shoots again.  This type of shot ideally affords the carried player a much closer shot to the BUM-DEE hole and a chance to go out and assist other team members.
  

• (KILL):  The KILL shot is a shot were one player shoots his/her TAW at another player's marble, generally with as much force as possible.  Ideally, the result of this type shot would be to knock another player's marble as far off course as possible or in a direction benefiting the shooter.  The kill shot is both defensive and offensive.  It is not uncommon for very skilled players to be able to shoot and strike another players marble from distances of up to 5' and more and with sufficient force so as to knock the other players marble 10' or more.  Suffice it to say that the KILL shot is generally executed against players on the opposing team.

• BUM-DEE holes must be made in sequential order, two times.  The exact sequence players must make holes is:  hole #1, #2, #3, #4, #3, #2, #1, #2, #3 and #4 or BUM-DEE.  If a player makes hole #1 for the first time and then decides to use his/her subsequent SPAN and shot to assist at hole #4, that player is still FOR hole #2.  Regardless of where that players marble is on the course or how many shots or turns have lapsed since having made hole #1.  A player who is FOR hole #2 cannot shoot their marble into any other hole and have it counted as a hole made.  All holes must be made in the above sequential order.  Furthermore, if a player that is FOR hole #2 by way of intent or accident, goes into another hole other than #2, that player will not realize a subsequent SPAN and shot.  The only exception to this is if another players marble was in the same hole at the same time that the shooting player went in.  This is further assuming that the shooting player is not going dead on the players marble that was in the hole.

• A player "makes" a hole when their marble breaks the plane (top) of the hole or cup (depending on what is used) and comes to rest within that same hole.  For example, a hole will not count if a player shoots his/her marble and it goes into the hole then bounces/ricochets out.

• The term "DEAD" means that a player can no longer shoot and must wait his/her turn in the order of play to shoot again.  A player goes "DEAD" by striking another players marble twice in the same shot series without having made a hole they were for.  A player may strike another player's marble in the same shot series and not be dead if in between strikes, that player has made a hole they were for.

• The term "PUD" is another interesting term to come from the game of BUM-DEE.  PUD is essentially slang for something liken unto fodder.  It can also be the marble game equivalent of "talking trash" albeit in a "friendly" way.  Often times when someone is shooting for a particular hole or area of the BUM-DEE course they might exclaim:  "there's a lot of PUD down there".  Basically what they are referring to are a lot of targets (marbles) belonging to team members on the opposing team (and sometimes on the same) in any one given area.  This frequently affords a shooter multiple targets to hopefully hit and obtain another span and shot from.  Generally speaking, you'd want to try to avoid being PUD for someone else especially on the opposing team.  (SIDE NOTE:  No one in the game of BUM-DEE has ever matched the fervor nay, ferocity of the use of this term like either Stefan F. or Tim W.)

Enforcement - The Referee and the BUM-DEE officiating committee will enforce these rules. The BUM-DEE officiating committee is the final arbiter on the interpretation of all rules and may change or amend these rules at their discretion.  Any changes will only be applied prospectively