TallynightWhat each throw scores
One partner throws from behind their own kan, and the other, standing by the far kan, can tip the disc on its way. These are the names and points on kanjam.com. Older rules call the 3-pointer a Bucket.
- Dinger: your partner deflects the disc and it hits the kan
- 1
- Deuce: the throw hits the kan with no help from your partner
- 2
- Dunk (Bucket): your partner deflects the disc and it lands inside the kan
- 3
- Instant win (Done Deal): the throw goes straight into the kan with no help
- You win the game
- The disc hits the ground before the kan
- 0
- Your partner catches, carries or double-hits the disc
- 0
- The thrower isn't behind the front of their own kan
- 0
A disc that goes in the slot and bounces back out is a Deuce, 2. A Dunk usually drops in through the top, but a deflection into the slot counts 3 too.
Exactly 21, and going over
You need exactly 21 to win, and a throw that would take you past it costs you. How much depends on whose rules you play, and the current rules on kanjam.com only say that you need exactly 21. Agree on it before the first throw.
- Take it off
- The rule in Kan Jam's earlier rules, and in most league rules. The throw's points come off your score instead: on 20, a Dunk takes you to 17, not 23.
- Back to 15
- Some backyard games send a team that goes over back to 15.
- No score
- Some tables don't count the throw at all, and you stay where you were.
So near the end, you aim for exactly what you need. On 19, a Deuce wins, a Dinger leaves you on 20, and a Dunk takes you back to 16 under Kan Jam's rule.
Equal turns, the hammer and overtime
Teams take turns, and in each turn both partners throw once, swapping between throwing and deflecting. Both teams always get the same number of turns, so if the team that threw first reaches 21, the other team still takes its turn. That last chance is often called redemption, and it's why throwing last, called having the hammer, is an advantage.
If both teams finish the round on 21, play an overtime round: each team takes one turn, and the team that scores more wins. Level again, and you play another.
An instant win ends the game at once, and the other team gets no last turn.
Interference, and what changed in the rules
Kan Jam's current rules give the throwing team 3 points if an opponent interferes with play to defend the kan. On 19 or 20, interference wins them the game.
- The 3-pointer
- A Bucket in older rules, a Dunk now. It scores the same.
- The instant win
- Older rules count only a throw into the slot. The current rules, which call it a Done Deal, also count a throw that drops in through the top with no help.
- Going over 21
- The earlier rules took the throw's points off your score. The current ones don't say.
- Distance
- 50 feet (15.2 metres) between the kans, for casual and competitive play. Children and beginners can stand closer.
A scoring example
Team A throws first in each round, so Team B has the hammer. Each team's two throws are listed in order, playing Kan Jam's rule for going over 21.
| Round | Team A threw | Team B threw | Score, A to B |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deuce, miss: 2 | Dinger, Dunk: 4 | 2 to 4 |
| 2 | Dunk, Dunk: 6 | Deuce, Dinger: 3 | 8 to 7 |
| 3 | Deuce, Dunk: 5 | Dunk, Dunk: 6 | 13 to 13 |
| 4 | Dunk, Deuce: 5 | Dinger, Deuce: 3 | 18 to 16 |
| 5 | Dinger, Deuce: 3 | Dunk, then a Dunk over 21: 0 | 21 to 16 |
| Final | Team A wins | 21 to 16 |
In round 5, Team A reached exactly 21, but Team B still had its turn. On 16, it needed exactly 5. Its first Dunk took it to 19, and a Deuce would have tied the game at 21 and sent it to overtime. The second throw was a Dunk instead, which would have made 22, so the 3 came off and Team B finished on 16.
A throw straight into the slot at any point would have ended the game there, whatever the score.
Keep score for Kan Jam in Tallynight
Kan Jam isn't one of Tallynight's built-in games yet, but it takes a minute to set up. Choose Something else, then Running score, "Add points as they happen", with Highest winning, and pick 1 · 2 · 5 points per tap. Add each team as a player. Leave Play to a target off, because targets go up in tens and 21 can't be set, so the table watches for exactly 21.
Tap the star to add it to your favourites, then Start game. Add each throw as it lands: + with 1 or 2 per tap for a Dinger or a Deuce, or tap the team's total and type 3 for a Dunk. Tallynight doesn't take off a throw that goes over 21, so type it with the minus key: a Dunk on 20 is −3, to 17. For an instant win, tap the team's total and type what takes it to 21, then End game, so the right team is saved as the winner.
- A big tile for each team, easy to read from the other kan
- Points per tap of 1, 2 or 5
- A minus key for a throw that goes over 21
- Undo, and a scoring log to fix any throw
A Kan Jam score sheet to print
Playing on paper tonight? Print a free Kan Jam score sheet, or save it as a PDF.
Kan Jam score sheetQuestions
How does Kan Jam scoring work?
A Dinger, when your partner deflects the disc onto the kan, is 1. A Deuce, when the throw hits the kan with no help, is 2. A Dunk, deflected inside the kan, is 3. The first team to exactly 21 wins, and a throw straight into the slot is an instant win.
What happens if you go over 21 in Kan Jam?
Under Kan Jam's earlier rules and most league rules, the throw's points come off your score: on 20, a Dunk takes you to 17. Some backyard games send you back to 15 instead, and the current rules on kanjam.com only say you need exactly 21.
What is an instant win in Kan Jam?
A throw that goes straight into the kan with no help from your partner. Through the slot it always counts. The current rules, which call it a Done Deal, count a throw in through the top too. The game ends at once.
Does the other team get a last turn in Kan Jam?
Yes. Both teams always get the same number of turns, so if the first team reaches 21, the other team still throws. If it reaches 21 too, play an overtime round. An instant win is the exception: it ends the game straight away.
How far apart are the kans in Kan Jam?
50 feet (15.2 metres), for casual and competitive play. Throw from behind the front of your own kan. Children and beginners can stand closer.
What is a Bucket in Kan Jam?
The older name for the 3-pointer, now called a Dunk: your partner deflects the disc and it lands inside the kan.
