KanJam

Do You Know Your KanJam Rules: Win by 2?

The Question: When playing KanJam, do you need to win by 2?

The answer: This was asked on Facebook earlier this week, so we figured this would make for a great Friday blog post. A lot of house games have added "win by 2" rules, but the official KanJam rules have always said you can win by 1.

The win by 1 and the Instant Win Slot are part of what make KanJam so exciting, because at any time you or your opponent can win the game. You can be down 20-15, but if you have a perfect round with two threes you can win the game 21-20. You can also be down 20-4, hit an instant win, and the game is over just like that.

So, to summarize, whether your up 1, 11, or 19 if you have 21 and your opponents do not (after the teams final throws (or "The Hammer") then the game is over and you move on to a re-match.

If you have a KanJam rules question that you'd like answered, please email alex@kanjam.com or reply in the comments of this blog or Facebook.

5 Tips to Playing in the KanJam World Championship

You've played KanJam on the beach, you've played KanJam in the backyard, you've probably played KanJam in the street, at a tailgate party, maybe even in your dorm hallway or high school gym class; but only a select few have played in the KanJam World Championship.

The World Championship has been played since the 1990's, and started as a couple of guys of in North Tonawanda. Over the years it's grown to over 100 teams, 200 people, all playing KanJam in North Tonawanda, the birthplace of KanJam.

This years tournament will take place on Saturday, August 10, at Gratwick Hose Picnic Grounds. Registration for the tournament will begin soon, but we thought we'd wet everyone's appetites by asking some World Championship veterans on Facebook how to prepapre for what can be a grueling 10 hour day in the sun and possibly wind.

Here five tips to playing in the KanJam World Championship:

1. Joshua G: Number one tip I have is to be prepared for the heat. Most people think it's like a normal day in the back yard. It's a long day, often times in the heat without much shade offered on the courts. Stay hydrated!

2. Eric K.: Practice in windy conditions: you never know what type of weather you will get, so be prepapred for anything. Playing at 8 at night with no wind, or indoors, generally won't be realistic practice

3. Andrew E: If you are a team serious of winning, 1. play with two hands and 2. know the proper rules regarding carries (* Editors note: Before the tournament KanJam judges will show everyone what will and won't considred a carry at the tournament. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions about legal deflections.)

4. Eric K: Make sure you are practicing from 50 feet

5. KanJam: Make sure you're having fun! The KanJam World Championship gets very competitive and brings out some of the best KanJam players in the world, but at the end of the day, we're all there to have fun and celebrate KanJam, so make sure while you're practicing and while you're competing at the tournament that you take the time to just have some fun playing KanJam.

Stay tuned for more information on registering for the KanJam World Championshiips. We hope to see everyone there, Saturday August 10 at Gratwick Hose Picnic Grounds!

 

 

Do You Know Your KanJam Rules: One or Two Hands

The Question: When playing KanJam, can the deflector use both hands or only one?

The answer: There is a common misconception in the KanJam world that players can only use one hand. This started because KanJam is such a great beach game and backyard game, and in those settings, players often have drinks in their hands. However, the official KanJam rules allow for the deflector to use both hands while playing.

In fact, the rules go a step further and say that a player can use any part of his body, including their foot, leg, elbow, etc. to deflect the disc, as long as there are no double taps. This aspect of the rule may need a longer explanation, so we'll give it its own blog post at a later date.

The official ruling: The KanJam rule book states that: "Deflections can be made using one or both hands. Deflections off of other body parts (such as foot, stomach, etc.) are valid, as long as there are no double-hits."

So next time you're playing KanJam at the beach or in the backyard, remember, you can put down your drink and deflect with both hands.

If you ever have any rules-related KanJam questions, there are several ways to get your answer.

You can:

- download our KanJam Rules PDF

- download the KanJam app for your IPhone or droid

- email contact@kanjam.com for any rule question that is not covered in either of these two places.

We Are Entering the Twittersphere

For the last year or so, there has been a Twitter account "@TheKanJam" that has been silent. We've accumulated a smattering of followers during this time, but the tweets have been sparse.

Well all of that is about to change!

This blog post is to declare that @TheKanJam is alive and well, and we will be active on Twitter for the first time. We know we're a tad bit late to the party, but better late then never.

 What can you expect from @TheKanJam? We'll post about upcoming KanJam events, the world of sports and pop culture, and of course anything and everything about the game we all love; KanJam. We'll also sprinkle in some quotes and RT's along the way.

So if you have a Twitter account, and we know you do, hop on over there and follow @TheKanJam...you'll be glad you did.

When an Instant Win IS NOT an Instant Win

A few days ago on Facebook, we were asked a great question that takes more space to fully explain, so this is a perfect time for another round of: Do You Know Your KanJam Rules?

The Question: How many points is it worth when a disc goes through the slot and comes out the top?

The Myth: We have seen many people count this as an instant win, a one pointer, a deuce, a three pointer, even a five pointer.

The Answer: When the KanJam disc goes through the Instant Win slot, hits the back of the goal, and comes out the top, this is a TWO POINTER (a deuce.) The only time an Instant Win is awarded is when the disc stays inside the goal.

This brings up another question that is asked all the time, what if the disc goes into the slot and knocks the goal over? There are several different scenarios here, but it all depends on how the disc comes out of the goal.

Instant win if:

-          The disc comes out the bottom of the goal

-          The disc remains in the goal after it falls over

-          At least half of the disc remains in the goal after it falls over

Other than those three situations above, an Instant Win shot that knocks the goal over would only be scored as a Deuce (two pointer.)

For more KanJam rules, please view and print-out our rules PDF.

 

Game On!: A Great Weekend of KanJam

Like Wayne’s World once said… “Game on!” This past Sunday, many members from KanJam HQ made the trek out to Syracuse for a family Barbecue where we brought out the greatest backyard game there is…KanJam. The weather was beautiful, the grill was firing; it was the perfect day.

We played a competitive series that finished with a tight final game that went into double overtime. While the first game was a friendly competition with lots of laughter and conversations, by the time we got to the third and final game, everyone had their game-faces on.

This was the ultimate spring/summer day for everyone involved, even if the rain dampened the playing field by the end of the day. And this is why barbecue games such as KanJam are great. You go out for an hour, have some fun and play hard. But at the end of the day, is anyone going to really remember who won the series? Probably not, so just in case they don't remember: Smith Boys it was a good try, but you didn’t take home the title:)

The KanJam Mobile App Has Been Updated

The KanJam Mobile App has been around for over one year, and we recently updated the Android App to fix any bugs that may have been occurring,

The KanJam Mobile App allows users to:

-          Keep track of the score with an easy to update scoreboard

-          Settle any rule arguments with a complete KanJam rule book

-          Watch the “How To Play” video to easily teach any KanJam rookies.

The KanJam Mobile App is perfect for keeping score when playing at the Beach, in the backyard, at a tailgate party or anywhere else where KanJam is played.

You can download the KanJam Mobile App at the IPhone or Android App store. For more information on the App, you can email contact@kanjam.com.

What Makes KanJam a GREAT Backyard Game?

There are many factors that make something a great backyard game. Is it portable? Is it easy to set up? Does it take up a lot of space? Can it be played by people of all ages? These are just some of the questions people ask themselves before purchasing a game to play in the backyard with their friends and family members. These factors are also the reason that KanJam has become such a popular backyard game around the world.

KanJam’s two light weight plastic goals are very portable, and set-up should take mere minutes, making it the perfect game to bring for a family reunion, picnic or barbecue. Another reason KanJam is the perfect backyard game is that it can be enjoyed by people of all ages, and is specifically made for adults and children 12-and-up. If a younger friend or family member wants to give KanJam a try, the rules can be adjusted so the player is throwing the disc from less than 50-feet-away.

The one Backyard game factor that we have not spoken about yet is, of course; is the game fun? Frisbee games have long been a staple of backyard picnics and barbecues, so adding a scoring system was the logical next step. KanJam has been played in backyards since the early 1990’s, providing fun and excitement for families and friends alike.

So what makes KanJam the perfect backyard game? It’s lightweight, portable, easy to set-up and can be played by anyone ages 12-and-up. If you’re looking for the perfect backyard game, look no further than KanJam.

 

 

Do You Know Your Kan Jam Rules?...

KanJam has been played for many years, and as it grows across the world from its home in North Tonawanda, we are always emailed with questions regarding specific rules of the game. We'll occasionally use this blog as a format to answer these questions, and today's rule is one we recently spoke about on Facebook.

A few weeks ago, we asked our Facebook followers what the correct ruling was when a team member deflected the disc into the goal and it bounced out the top without touching the goal. We received many answers, but 0 and 3 seemed to be the most popular.

The correct answer in this rare situation is one point. We'll let former Kan Jam World Champion, Eric Klavoon, explain the reasoning for this rule.

"There have been too many instances where people were unsure as to if the disc touched the goal on the way out," Eric wrote on Facebook. "In many cases, the deflector is the only one that would know this for sure. So to be consistent, it will count as 1 point regardless if if the disc touches the goal or not."

As Eric wrote, this is a very difficult rule to judge since in many situations it would be one teams word against the other. To avoid these situations, the rule has always been if a Kan Jam disc is deflected into the goal and pops out without touching the goal, it is treated as a one-point score.

Should you have any other rule questions, you can click here. If you'd like to have your Kan Jam rule question answered in a future blog post, please email alex@kanjam.com

Adam Scott nails the "Instant Win" at the Masters

At KanJam HQ, we were all riveted by the Masters on Sunday, especially when Adam Scott nailed the “Instant Winner” on the second playoff hole. The emotion he shared after making his birdie putts on the 72^nd and 74^th holes, are the reason we play and watch sports and it was a great moment for everyone involved.

Something else that caught our interest, especially on the two playoff holes, was the camaraderie between Angel Cabrera and Adam Scott. Even while competing in a sudden death playoff for golf’s biggest championship, they both were supportive of one another and you could tell Cabrera was genuinely happy for Scott at the end. We all love to see great athletes compete against each other, but there needs to be a respect for the fellow competitor and too often that sportsmanship is forgotten at the professional level.

At the Annual KanJam World Championships we promote both sportsmanship and competitiveness, and it was great to see that same respect from Scott and Cabrera. This year’s World Championship will take place Saturday, August 10^th in North Tonawanda, NY.  It is a great opportunity to play against the best KanJam competition around.  Stay tuned for more information on registration, but in the meantime, you can find out more about this great event by clicking here. 

Congratulations again to Adam Scott, and we’re looking forward to seeing everyone at this year’s KanJam World Championship!