penalties
Penalties are punishments and handicaps inflicted on a team for rule infringements. When playing a friendly game, penalties are optional and agreed upon by both coaches at the start of the game. However, all or some penalties may apply in competitive and tournament games. So It’s best to get used to them.
Note: the ball cannot be moved into the end zone by any penalty.
ILLEGAL SET
If a player card is caught in the wrong slot, a coach can call an illegal set on his/her opponent. If this penalty is called against the offense, the penalized coach must discard the missed placed player card and the ball is moved back three zones against them. Play cards are returned to their playbooks and this down is then repeated, skipping the draw phase.
If this penalty is called against the defense, the penalized coach must discard the missed placed player card. The offense now has the option to continue the play or move the ball for an automatic first down. If the first down option is chose, play cards are returned to their playbooks and a new draw phase begins.
HOLDING
If a coach is caught holding more than five cards in his or her hand at any given time, the opposing coach can call a holding penalty. The penalized coach must now discard enough cards to make five in hand. The ball is then moved two zones against them. Play cards are returned to their playbooks and this down is then repeated, skipping the draw phase.
FALSE START
If the offense is caught setting a card on the game board out of turn, the coach on defense can call false start on his/her opponent. The penalized coach must now return the missed placed card back to his/her hand or playbook and the ball is moved one zone against them. This down is then repeated, skipping the draw phase.
OFFSIDES
If the defense is caught setting a card on the game board out of turn, the coach on offense can call off sides on his/her opponent. The penalized coach must now return the missed placed card back to his/her hand or playbook and the ball is moved one zone against them. This down is then repeated, skipping the draw phase.