Quidditch is a wizarding sport played on broomsticks. It is the most popular game among wizards and witches, and, according to Rubeus Hagrid, the equivalent to Muggles' passion for football.
The object of the game is to score more points than your opponents. Each goal is worth ten points and catching the Snitch is worth one-hundred fifty points. The game ends when the Snitch is caught or an agreement is reached between the captains of both teams. Some games can go on for many days if the Snitch is not caught (the record, according to Quidditch Through the Ages, is three months).
| Rules | 1. Players must not stray over the boundary lines of the pitch, although they may fly as high as desired. The Quaffle must be surrendered to the opposition if any player leaves the boundary (it is unknown what the penalty is if a player on defence leaves the pitch).
2. "Time out" may be called at any time by the Captain of a team. Time out may be extended to two hours if a game has already lasted for more than twelve hours. Failure to return to the pitch after this time will lead to the team being disqualified.
3. Penalties can be awarded to teams by the referee. A single Chaser may take the penalty by flying from the central circle towards the scoring area. The opposing team's Keeper may attempt to stop the shot being scored, but all other players must not interfere (it is unknown if the Seeker may still attempt to catch the Snitch while a penalty is being attempted).
4.Contact is allowed, but a player may not seize hold of another player's broomstick or any part of their anatomy.
5. No substitution of players is allowed throughout the game, even if a player is too injured or tired to continue to play. (Note: According to Goblet of Fire, during the Quidditch World Cup, at some point it lasted for days, and the players had to be switched out so that they could get some sleep).
6. Players may take their wands onto the pitch, but they must not be used on or against any players, any players' broomsticks, the referee, any of the four balls, or the spectators.
7. A game of Quidditch will only end once the Golden Snitch has been caught, or at the mutual consent of both team Captains.
8. Only the Keeper can block quaffle shots thrown by the opposing team.
9. An amendment to the rules of Quidditch in 1849 determined that if a member of the crowd casts any spell on a player, their team would automatically forfeit the match, whether or not the team ordered or approved of the magic performed. (It is not clear how this is enforced, though, as taken literally, this rule would make it even easier to sabotage an opposing team with a false-flag attack).
| Fouls | There are seven hundred Quidditch fouls listed in the Department of Magical Games and Sports records, though the entire list has never been made public (it was the department's view that some wizards and witches "might get ideas"). 90% of these are banned anyway, by the rule concerning wand use against the opposing team (or rather, lack thereof) and the remaining 10% would not occur even to the dirtiest player. There are, however, 11 common fouls, named below (names of those to whom the fouls apply in brackets):
Blagging: Seizing the opponent's broom tail to slow or hinder. (All players)
Blatching: Flying with the intent to collide. (All players)
Blocking: Deliberately putting oneself in the way of the opposing team's Seeker, with the intention of obstructing their way towards the Snitch
Blurting: Locking broom handles with the intent to steer an opponent off course. (All players)
Bumphing: Hitting Bludgers towards spectators. (Beaters only)
Cobbing: Excessive use of elbows towards opponents. (All players)
Flacking: Pushing any portion of anatomy through the goal hoop in an attempt to push the Quaffle out – the Keeper should defend from the front, not the rear. (Keepers only)
Haversacking: Hand still on the Quaffle as it goes through the goal hoop – the Quaffle must be thrown through the goal. (Chasers only)
Quaffle-pocking: Tampering with the Quaffle – e.g. puncturing it so that it falls more quickly or zig-zags. (Chasers only)
Snitchnip: Any player other than Seeker touching or catching the Golden Snitch. (All players but Seeker)
Stooging: More than one Chaser entering the scoring area. (Chasers only)
The object of the game is to score more points than your opponents. Each goal is worth ten points and catching the Snitch is worth one-hundred fifty points. The game ends when the Snitch is caught or an agreement is reached between the captains of both teams. Some games can go on for many days if the Snitch is not caught (the record, according to Quidditch Through the Ages, is three months).
| Rules |
1. Players must not stray over the boundary lines of the pitch, although they may fly as high as desired. The Quaffle must be surrendered to the opposition if any player leaves the boundary (it is unknown what the penalty is if a player on defence leaves the pitch).
2. "Time out" may be called at any time by the Captain of a team. Time out may be extended to two hours if a game has already lasted for more than twelve hours. Failure to return to the pitch after this time will lead to the team being disqualified.
3. Penalties can be awarded to teams by the referee. A single Chaser may take the penalty by flying from the central circle towards the scoring area. The opposing team's Keeper may attempt to stop the shot being scored, but all other players must not interfere (it is unknown if the Seeker may still attempt to catch the Snitch while a penalty is being attempted).
4.Contact is allowed, but a player may not seize hold of another player's broomstick or any part of their anatomy.
5. No substitution of players is allowed throughout the game, even if a player is too injured or tired to continue to play. (Note: According to Goblet of Fire, during the Quidditch World Cup, at some point it lasted for days, and the players had to be switched out so that they could get some sleep).
6. Players may take their wands onto the pitch, but they must not be used on or against any players, any players' broomsticks, the referee, any of the four balls, or the spectators.
7. A game of Quidditch will only end once the Golden Snitch has been caught, or at the mutual consent of both team Captains.
8. Only the Keeper can block quaffle shots thrown by the opposing team.
9. An amendment to the rules of Quidditch in 1849 determined that if a member of the crowd casts any spell on a player, their team would automatically forfeit the match, whether or not the team ordered or approved of the magic performed. (It is not clear how this is enforced, though, as taken literally, this rule would make it even easier to sabotage an opposing team with a false-flag attack).
| Fouls |
There are seven hundred Quidditch fouls listed in the Department of Magical Games and Sports records, though the entire list has never been made public (it was the department's view that some wizards and witches "might get ideas"). 90% of these are banned anyway, by the rule concerning wand use against the opposing team (or rather, lack thereof) and the remaining 10% would not occur even to the dirtiest player. There are, however, 11 common fouls, named below (names of those to whom the fouls apply in brackets):
Blagging: Seizing the opponent's broom tail to slow or hinder. (All players)
Blatching: Flying with the intent to collide. (All players)
Blocking: Deliberately putting oneself in the way of the opposing team's Seeker, with the intention of obstructing their way towards the Snitch
Blurting: Locking broom handles with the intent to steer an opponent off course. (All players)
Bumphing: Hitting Bludgers towards spectators. (Beaters only)
Cobbing: Excessive use of elbows towards opponents. (All players)
Flacking: Pushing any portion of anatomy through the goal hoop in an attempt to push the Quaffle out – the Keeper should defend from the front, not the rear. (Keepers only)
Haversacking: Hand still on the Quaffle as it goes through the goal hoop – the Quaffle must be thrown through the goal. (Chasers only)
Quaffle-pocking: Tampering with the Quaffle – e.g. puncturing it so that it falls more quickly or zig-zags. (Chasers only)
Snitchnip: Any player other than Seeker touching or catching the Golden Snitch. (All players but Seeker)
Stooging: More than one Chaser entering the scoring area. (Chasers only)