The Rules of Basque Pelota (Mano, Paleta & Chistera) - EXPLAINED!

Ninh explains - The Rules of Basque Pelota. One of the oldest sports in the world, it’s contested in many different variations, but the format of the rules is generally the same. Most of the time, it’s played similarly to Gaelic Handball, American Handball and Jai Alai (Cesta Punta) and is played professionally in the Basque region of France and Spain.
Specific to International Basque Pelota Rules - watch this short beginner’s tutorial video guide on how Basque Pelota is played, Basque Pelota rules and guidelines, and how to play pilota.
Learn about court sizes, trinquet, mur a gauche, jai alai, cesta punta, mano, paleta, pala larga, pala corta, palan ancha, paleton, pala goma, xare, frontenis (frontennis), chistera, pasaka, laxoa, joko garbi, remonte and more!
COMMENT, LIKE, RATE & SUBSCRIBE!!!
Also discuss on Reddit!
Video: FIPV (I do not own any footage and claim fair use!)
Images: Google (Various)
Music: ‘Spanish Fire’ by AudioJungle
Narrated, Directed and Produced by Ninh Ly
Ninh Ly Website - www.ninh.co.uk
Find me on Facebook - / ninh.ly.31
Follow me on Twitter - / ninhlyuk
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LinkedIn - / ninh-ly-0623218b
#jaialai #basquepelota #pelota #mano #chistera #paleta #sports #ninhlyuk #sport #basque

[@NinhLyUK]

FOOTNOTES: - I'd appreciate if someone here could share this video on Reddit (probably on The Ocho page). I think I've been shadowbanned?! - The game itself is easy to understand (like my Jai Alai video). There are some cool variations of this game, but what makes it difficult is the sheer amount of variations. - I think the FIPV might want to standardise some of these games, but having said that - these are some of the oldest sports currently still being played. So who am I to say?! - For any whiny bitches that will no doubt try and 'correct me', I'm fully aware that the 'Basque Country' is not an actual country - but an autonomous region of Spain and part of France. When talking about 'Spain' and 'France', I'm referring to the areas that aren't covered by the 'Basque Country'.

[@SpitefulAZ]

LOL I considered posting "Basque country" is not a country but that would be stupid because it is often referred to as Basque Country by many people, including Spaniards, despite everyone knowing it is not it's own country.

[@jsp2508]

@@SpitefulAZ basque country (País Vasco in spanish) is the official name

[@SpitefulAZ]

@@jsp2508 técnicamente, el nombre oficial debe ser en idioma Vasco, ¿no?

[@urbadkid2606]

Your next video should be motocross/supercross please

[@alexandervilchezalburquequ4009]

you forgot the peruvian sport "Paleta Fronton" since 1945.

[@franzmovi]

Keep the great job! As a Mexican who grew up in the Mexico City metropolitan area, I can tell you handball is also very big in the country (It was my grandpa's favourite game and he played until his early 70's). Of course, the Art Deco Frontón México is one of the finest jai alai arenas in the world.

[@NinhLyUK]

Thanks Francisco! And yes, I'd love to come to Mexico and catch some games. The Fronton in Mexico is world famous!

[@ANDX259]

Me: normal browsing NINH: Uploads video on weird unheard of sport. Me: (icarly interesting meme.) Thanks ninh.

[@NinhLyUK]

Miranda Cosgrove ... interesting?! Thanks!

[@michaelperry6376]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pn6yl5mDgbWbZsk

[@efilwv1635]

This genre of sport is amongst the most underrated in the world. As an American, watching these games are pretty damn entertaining.

[@diegouskibarrio9061]

Hello, im basque and i have to say that this video is soo good! I discovered new thing and i learned more. A rong thing that i have to say is that the music yo put isn't basque, is sevillana. For example bertzolaritza is a basque music. The basque lenguage is the euskara and pelota vasca or Basque pelota is "eskupilota" that means hand and ball.

[@sukoietsaibat3132]

i´m basque and i was waiting for this video. i was sure soon or later our most popular sport would be here.. thanks you

[@NinhLyUK]

Glad you liked it!

[@SpitefulAZ]

I think my dad played the bare hand version when he was growing up in Mexico in the 1960s and 1970s. great video! I can't wait to show my dad.

[@NinhLyUK]

Sounds about right?

[@michaelperry6376]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2jPYXuPfZdlnMk

[@DanTheCaptain]

A very good video! This clears up much of the confusion from scrolling aimlessly through countless Wikipedia articles, wondering about what the difference is between one form of Pelota to another!

[@NinhLyUK]

Yes, the various forms of Basque Pelota can be confusing to understand. Hopefully this video makes it a lot more simple!

[@michaelperry6376]

Thank you for doing this. You're on to something explaining the odd sports out there that the general public is not familiar with, and you do a great job at explaining it. Keep up the great work my friend.

[@gmbirb5319]

These Videos are the only reason I am mentally sane during these sports off-seasons A Great Idea for a video would be rules of Turkish Oil Wrestling and American Football in other countries :).

[@NinhLyUK]

Thanks. And yes, I'll consider it.

[@tfn212]

Welcome back! Thanks to uploaded video about sport again! And this sports is seems a bit confusing, because there are many different variations with different gameplay and arena that still remained intact. But thanks to try to explain this one as simple as you can, so I can imagine Basque Pelota is basically a mixture between squash, handball, and even hurling, with more variants in same basic game than other games

[@NinhLyUK]

I think it's the other way around, most sports originate from this. Basque Pelota has been played for several hundred years now ..!

[@bigtone4813]

Very interesting video to see various versions of this sport. One of these days, you might want to do one about comparing various martial arts like karate, taekwondo, Kung fu, muay Thai, Brazillian jujitsu, and so on.

[@NinhLyUK]

Will consider it!

[@anndizzle13]

Great Video as always, Ninh.

[@NinhLyUK]

Thanks Andy!

[@dejanlukic7764]

Thanks, Ninh. This video was really needed. So many things to explain. You had materials there for at least five videos. I will have to re-watch it several time. Also, good work on the graphics: I like how you simplified the court representation.

[@NinhLyUK]

Thanks. I'm not sure I could have stretched it to five videos, given that they're all played the same way.

[@michaelperry6376]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2jPYXuPfZdlnMk

[@captainoates7236]

About twenty years ago I watched an evening of pelota when my family and I stayed in Bidart in the French Basque region. I think it was the Gran Cistera version with curved baskets and a very long court. It was extremely entertaining and it turned out the guy who served us at the local resterant was an international player.

[@joebloggs9719]

These videos are brilliant

[@NinhLyUK]

Thanks Joe!

[@va960]

In my country in the past, basque pelota (the Jai Alai variety) dwindled in popularity and was once shut down due to match fixing allegations related to gambling.

[@cleofaspingarron]

4:56 "Frontenis, most popular in Mexico" yes I knew that when I saw the dude with the Chivas jersey hahahaha

[@michaelperry6376]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/pn6yl5mDgbWbZsk

[@alexfrommwa]

Now this looks painful! How do they do this professionally!

[@NinhLyUK]

It IS painful! Apparently, players end up with swollen hands for life - you can tell who they are!

[@user-ww5mr5fw1x]

It is even more painfull than it looks. Pilotas are as hard as rocks

[@ofs82]

@@NinhLyUK Especially if you're somebody like Titin III, who played pelota mano professionally for nearly 30 years. live.staticflickr.com/3546/3409354912_85c588d3a6_b.jpg Genuinely a great fun game to see, they used to have it available to watch every Friday and Sunday evening free to air internationally on ETB. Usually mano, but sometimes xistera or jaialai. Very popular as a gambling sport and every town has a frontón, though sizes dictate which varieties can be played there. Some real beautiful courts. Crowd size can vary as the major events are often only confirmed a couple of weeks ahead of time, and the two major empresas (essentially management teams) battle against each other for supremacy. I've seen stars in everything from major state of the art venues to small town gym type buildings.

[@ignacioarellano6516]

In Mexico we call the sport "Rebote" (rebound) to the bare hand variation. And it's pretty cool to play. I use to casual practice this in Secondary school.

[@NinhLyUK]

Yes, that's right. Boy it's a hard game to play well! Thanks bro.

[@ignacioarellano6516]

Actually we play with a tennis like ball, so we don't end up with broken hands for life XD

[@NinhLyUK]

@@ignacioarellano6516 Yeah, that's probably a good idea!

[@lewis8726]

Wow your knowledge of these unknown sports are incredible

[@NinhLyUK]

Glad you think so!

[@jaialai6629]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5-rdnqlmbaYhbc

[@Qwufi]

Bud Spencer introduced me this sport. I waited 30 years to actually discover what is this. Looks great btw.

[@kelianbierlaagh134]

i am doing a presentation about this subject and it is very helpful thanks (:

[@NinhLyUK]

Anytime!

[@Alareiks1177]

At school in Germany we played a simillar game with a football and called it USA. You put all the players that participate in order and then the first guy has to hit a specific wall with the ball in one touch and then next guy after gets a single touch to hit the wall(no time limit), if you didn't hit the wall after one touch or touched the ball twice you add one letter from the word USA to your "score" if you reach the full word USA you're out, last one standing wins. Really fun because you can try to hit the wall and another guy to have him add a letter or strike the ball really hard at the wall so the ball goes miles away and the guy after you has to run like hell if he stood to close to the wall. Also because you csn play it at any wall in the world there's always diffrent obstacles to hinder you from hitting the wall

[@mlovecraftr]

Hey, you should cover Paleta Frontón, a hybrid between Paleta and American Handball, played mostly in South America.

[@mattludick8204]

Lovr your vids

[@NinhLyUK]

Thanks man!

[@foxthiele5871]

Looks a bit Like Jai Alai, so super fun!

[@NinhLyUK]

Technically the same game!

[@imo6927]

I've seen many of these courts in other parts of Spain. This is probably because it only requires a couple walls, and in some cases can double as an indoor sports facility.

[@NinhLyUK]

Exactly.

[@opsimathics]

honestly the bare hand variation looks interesting

[@NinhLyUK]

Yes, it's also very painful apparently.

[@demontorch]

You should do a vid on the evolution of American football. I mean how the game changes throughout the decades and stuff

[@NinhLyUK]

Cool, will consider it.

[@GZQ9]

Ninh Ly If you do, you should start it along time ago, because there was a time when even the forward pass had not been implemented

[@benyates8066]

It seems like basque pelota is more of a category of sports (similar to how water sports are usually thought of as separate from most popular western sports, they are their own category) and sports such as jai ali fall under that basque pelota category. Great video!

[@NinhLyUK]

Thanks. And I think the sport itself is played the same, no matter what equipment you used.

[@jeffreytejones3160]

Did you know Ninh, that Jai alai was played in Manila at the Manila Jai Alai Building, one of the most significant Art Deco buildings in Asia, which was torn down in 2000 by the Manila city government. In 1986, jai alai was banned in the Philippines because of problems with game fixing.

[@NinhLyUK]

Yes, I knew that.

[@miguelangelmoraleshernande8988]

Frontenis Is really HUGE in Mexico (at least central parts), a lot of people play it and there are courts everywhere, I'm surprised that is not played at a professional level and broadcast.

[@NinhLyUK]

Yes, most of the best Frontenis players are from Mexico and I found out that it's most popular there.

[@michaelperry6376]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2jPYXuPfZdlnMk

[@francislancedavid629]

5:52 I think you forgot the Philippines, Jai Alai is still quite popular in the country, just not a popular as b4.

[@NinhLyUK]

Yes.

[@sandrobertte]

Tomei conhecimento deste esporte...na abertura do seriado: Miami - Vice. Obrigado por postar.

[@jaialai6629]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5-rdnqlmbaYhbc

[@rufaroduri3310]

Thank you bruv

[@NinhLyUK]

Thanks man.

[@Ronakvevo]

Now I know about a sport I will maybe see on my hotel TV if I visit Spain. Can you do a video on timbersport

[@NinhLyUK]

Thanks. You mean this one? kzbin.info/www/bejne/iofYe3l5drhoe9E

[@tomeknguyen9840]

It'd be fun if there was a multi-sport event with all of these variations.

[@arimermelstein9167]

They play some of these in the world games

[@NinhLyUK]

I think they contest this in various events, especially in the Basque Country and Mexico.

[@Kazar2020]

use to play a deviation of the bare hand version with a tennis ball at school. We called it the "paume" (The palm)... 50 years ago..

[@brunodaniel346]

Love your vids! Btw I've heard of a sport called padel tennis? Just an idea for a vid if you need one Haha

[@NinhLyUK]

I'll consider it! Thanks.

[@itsnathan9131]

Ive heard this was an demonstration sport in the Barcelona 1992 olympics! they used the one with the glove baskets i believe

[@MR-er5wo]

It looks very similar to Gaelic Handball and Racketball, Paddleball and the others you mentioned

[@matthewdooley9046]

Great video! Just discovered a new sport! Although, what is with that watermark in the top right?

[@NinhLyUK]

Thanks. I put that there because it's easy to spot if someone has stolen my video.

[@mirzaahmed6589]

New group of sports.

[@ZahoorAliMehdi]

Nice Sir ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨

[@NinhLyUK]

Thanks Zahoor

[@DavidsSkillsandStuff]

You should explain water sports, like rowing, canoeing, and kayaking. They play them in the Olympics and I've never seen you or anyone do a video on them.

[@NinhLyUK]

I'll consider it.

[@rileykazama3145]

Wow this is interesting

[@NinhLyUK]

Totally!

[@rileykazama3145]

@@NinhLyUK let's just hope no one names their team the Nads OR deportivo wanker I had to say it because those two names were funny

[@David-cm4ok]

What a carry on.

[@LuckyBird551]

Are you sure Xare is popular mostly in Uruguay and Chile? In France and Spain the Xare racket is usually called an "Argentine Racket" so I was under the impression it must be because it was mostly used in Argentina.

[@matthewlo7868]

Wait.. wasn’t this covered already via your video on Jai Alai?? Just wondering.

[@NinhLyUK]

Keep watching

[@braydenbrown379]

How bizarre I didn’t know there were variations of basque pelota with wooden raquets and jai alai baskets, especially with barehand which I did not know Or a format like tennis or one wall Gaelic handball And playing barehanded wouldn’t that hurt your hands maybe it’ll just give you a callous (if that’s how you spell it) And the right way is made of glass, how does it not shatter, it must be bullet proof glass... 5:38 that looks like that’ll hurt, I would recommend wearing gloves I really enjoyed that video, I knew very little about that sport and i learned a lot, thanks ninh

[@NinhLyUK]

Anytime man!

[@thurber0664]

Cool

[@NinhLyUK]

Thanks bro.

[@brnsonic]

In Argentina the game played with 'paletón' is called ' frontón', which uses a hard rubber ball

[@NinhLyUK]

Yes, you're correct.

[@jaialai6629]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5-rdnqlmbaYhbc

[@GamePro0012]

Wow...there are almost as many variations of Basque pelota as there are of football (including soccer, gridiron football, rugby union/league/sevens, calcio storico, etc.) Like you said in "What is Football", this is a case of one word, many games, all Basque pelota.

[@NinhLyUK]

Yes, that's right!

[@GamePro0012]

@@NinhLyUK Except I just realized that "Basque pelota" is actually _two_ words, but the idea is the important thing. 😂

[@pavlelazarevic5042]

Ninh, consider doing video about laamb wrestling from Senegal

[@NinhLyUK]

I'll look into it.

[@klader12]

You should do a video on Frisian "keatsen" or "kaatsen" in Dutch!

[@NinhLyUK]

I'll consider it.

[@agentorange5167]

I have never been this early

[@NinhLyUK]

Welcome!

[@nj40100]

One of the courts T looks a bit like a 'real' tennis court without the net the one with the roofed side veiwing are some of these sports in the origins of tennis?

[@NinhLyUK]

Yes - Basque Pelota is the predecessor of them all.

[@jayant9578]

I can feel pain in my hands after watching this video.

[@NinhLyUK]

Hurts like hell apparently, until you become numb to it.

[@ancientphoenixians]

Doesn't having left wall only give advantage to righties (or maybe lefties?!)

[@NinhLyUK]

The advantage is with right handed players. I forgot to mention that it's illegal to use your left hand in most of these contests, especially Jai Alai!

[@rocketradish3249]

What are the differences between jai alai and basque pelota

[@danmorrison8194]

It’s interesting that there are so many different options in surface area, court shape, and striking/propelling method in pelota but it’s all still considered the same sport . At what point is it a different sport all together?

[@danmorrison8194]

Rugby, football/soccer, and American football all have the word football but you wouldn’t consider them the same sport.

[@NinhLyUK]

I wouldn't consider any of these 'different sports' - just variations of the same sport.

[@MrVradley]

Prison handball next please. There are some really important unwritten rules like make sure to loses or win when the baddest bad wants you too.

[@NinhLyUK]

I'm not sure there are 'rules'? For that.

[@FirstLast-zv5od]

Is racketball kind of the same thing?

[@NinhLyUK]

I think Racketball is based upon Basque Pelota. This sport has been played for several hundred years now ..!

[@sukoietsaibat3132]

One interesting thing is that the ball is extremely hard and it sound like a stone when it hits with the walls

[@NinhLyUK]

Oh yeah, it's like a rock. Those guys have severe pain tolerance!

[@lottery248]

i think you could also do an explanation on Mahjong lol.

[@NinhLyUK]

I actually know how to play. It's really not the easiest game in the world, particularly when it comes to counting the points, but it's doable.

[@highhopes1913]

Why it deleted from Olympics game!?

[@stantonyaworski4927]

I can’t help but notice how identical this sport is to jai alai

[@NinhLyUK]

Jai alai is just one of the many sports contested under the Basque Pelota umbrella of games (as mentioned in the video).

[@ElianSoler]

I Like The Game

[@joshuafetter3831]

So this is just a formalized wall ball. Nice!

[@NinhLyUK]

Arguably, Basque Pelota was invented way before Wall Ball was even a thing.

[@MarcyTrinidad]

We call this JAI-ALAI in the Philippines 🇵🇭 😊

[@ander1052]

Nice video. But why did you put Andalusian music? Lol. We are in the other side of the peninsula with a completely different culture.

[@yama123numbercauseytdemand4]

Out of interest: How does one such video come together? Espacially on the points: How do you decide which sport to explain? And what kind of research goes into the video?

[@NinhLyUK]

I tend to do a sport that no-one has generally explained well and I put it in a logical order so that it's easy to understand.

[@yama123numbercauseytdemand4]

@@NinhLyUK May I ask the following then: Have you ever heard of Jugger?

[@pveraeternvs3777]

Cesta Punta maybe used for hunting as well

[@armalvior]

Sadly Jai-Alai is no longer played in the Philippines due to illegal gambling... though it has been reopened but few participates.

[@KKST.]

I feel like Wallball could be classified as a basque pelota type game, as you hit a ball on a wall a bunch

[@brownsupahero]

Great vid. Now tell me how to bet on these games, cause I don’t understand that.

[@NinhLyUK]

Sometimes you can bet on single points, but most of the time, you can bet on outcome (i.e. who wins). As for things like dividend etc. Google a video on how to bet on the horses, and it's virtually the same.

[@Griff10poldi]

How about Paralympic sport Boccia for the next video?

[@NinhLyUK]

I'll consider it.

[@ilocosmetro]

Didn't you already cover this, Nihn?

[@NinhLyUK]

Keep watching

[@breakeroutlaw9959]

It may sounds painful but I would use a racket, paddle, and the giant basque to hit the ball I don't want my hand getting hurt.

[@NinhLyUK]

I think most people would too.

[@XTreme-ko9dw]

800th like

[@NinhLyUK]

Thanks!

[@dylanfaraci8071]

Have you watched the newer Netflix series Home Game

[@NinhLyUK]

Not yet. Looks cool though.

[@ElianSoler]

I Like Pelota Yes

[@RyanDonziger]

You’ve done hi liegh but this is interesting

[@NinhLyUK]

Thanks.

[@egpx]

Bloody hell. On the seventh viewing of this video I gave up trying to understand. Nice try Ninh but this one beat me!

[@NinhLyUK]

The concept of the sport is the same as Jai Alai, Squash, Racquetball etc. But the sheer amount of games is probably the most confusing part.

[@egpx]

Ninh Ly exactly. Understanding Rugby Union and Rugby League must be complicated enough to the uninitiated but this is another level of crazy!

[@parthmehta2609]

Sir it is a request please make a video on rules of MotoGP😊

[@NinhLyUK]

I'll consider it.

[@parthmehta2609]

Ninh Ly 😊

[@user-pk2fs2ln7w]

Tarea 13 completada

[@olliecole7163]

So it's squash but with your hands?

[@NinhLyUK]

Kind of.

[@padraigoshea4634]

30th like, 22nd comment and 251 view

[@NinhLyUK]

Very specific! Thanks.

[@padraigoshea4634]

@@NinhLyUK no bother 😉

[@seamusmckeon9109]

Is this like hai ialai

[@NinhLyUK]

You really needed to watch the full video.

[@mykelengieza7057]

my family is good friends with a gentleman and his family, who is in the jai lai hall of fame, Urchiaga.

[@anurajsports3389]

Hi, lam from India from the state of Kerala.I Know that a federation is already formed in India for the promotion of Basque Pelota.But no more activities are found to be done.Can't find out even presence in social media.

[@NinhLyUK]

Shame, but I think it's a cool game and more people should play it.

[@stevenloeffler1266]

Well this is an interesting sport, it's just a variant of wall ball but its cooler

[@NinhLyUK]

Yes.

[@samuelmengesha6691]

I even have no idia that this game exist 😮😊

[@pyroVoid]

Pretty sure the game i played as a kid called Sting is the same thing

[@tomwhite4]

There a sport which is played in either Italy or Spain where it’s like the opposite of no taoshi where instead of take down the tower fastest instead it’s build the tower the fastest (human tower of course) I tried 2 look it up on google and found nothing either it’s another thing I made up in a dream or it’s a real sport anyway of it is a real sport I think it would make a pretty good video

[@NinhLyUK]

I would do if I knew what it was?

[@parthmehta2609]

Sir so it is basically like squash but more complicated 😊

[@NinhLyUK]

Yes, but I'd argue that this sport came first.

[@parthmehta2609]

Ninh Ly in that case sir Squash is like Basque Pelota but simpler 😊

[@sukoietsaibat3132]

The most played version, at least in Basque country, is the esku pilota or hand ball. With 2 players or two team with 2 players each, two walls and a ball. The rules are very simple and the place where is played is called frontón. Each Village in Basque country and near regions hace at least one fronton. Usually one of the walls was the church’s wall. Actually frontons are places aconditionated to the sport and to the viewers.

[@sukoietsaibat3132]

You can search in KZbin esku pilota finala and you’ll see how popular and simple this sport is

[@parthmehta2609]

sukoi etsai bat thank you sir 😊

[@urbadkid2606]

Your next video should be motocross/supercross please

[@NinhLyUK]

I'll consider it.

[@tximeleta35]

That músic is from south Spain and the sport is from North Spain.

[@nabhannbn]

Their arms are really tough

[@NinhLyUK]

Their hands are tougher.

[@philipbradford6506]

93rd

[@NinhLyUK]

Thanks.

[@philipbradford6506]

Nice videos by the way