Rules & Strategy
Rules
1. The Field: A rectangular shape with end zones at each end. A regulation field is 70 yards long by 40 yards wide, with end zones 20 yards deep.
2. Starting Play: Each point begins with both teams lining up on the front of opposite end zone lines. The defense throws ("pulls") the disc to the offense. A regulation game has seven players per team.
3. Scoring: Each time the offense catches a pass in the defense's end zone, the offense scores a point. The teams switch direction after every goal, and the next point begins with a new pull by the team that just scored.
4. Movement of the Disc: The disc may be advanced in any direction by completing a pass to a teammate. Players may not run with the disc. The person with the disc ("thrower") has ten seconds to throw the disc. The defender guarding the thrower ("marker") counts out the stall count.
5. Change of Possession: When a pass is not completed (e.g. out of bounds, drop, block, interception, stalled), the defense immediately takes possession of the disc and becomes the offense.
6. Substitutions: Players not in the game may replace players in the game after a score and during an injury timeout.
7. Non-contact: Players must attempt to avoid physical contact during play. Picks and screens are also prohibited.
8. Fouls: When a player initiates contact that affects the play, a foul occurs. When a foul causes a player to lose possession, the play resumes as if the possession was retained. If the player that the foul was called against disagrees with the foul call, the play is redone.
9. Self-Officiating: Players are responsible for their own foul and line calls. Players resolve their own disputes.
10. Spirit of the Game: The foundation of the rules in Ultimate is Spirit of the Game, which places the responsibility for fair play on the player. Competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of respect between players, adherence to the rules, and the basic joy of play.
Want to know more about Spirit of the Game? Click Here.
Other Important Rules
Games are played 7 vs. 7 to 13 or 15 points. Games also have a time limit - usually around 60-90 minutes. Substitution players are allowed after every point.
Call your own fouls (the criteria for a foul is similar to basketball).
Don't set screens/picks. This means that when you're on offense, don't move your body in a way that causes a defensive player to be blocked from the person that they're guarding.
Below is a basic diagram of an official 40 yd. by 70 yd. (37 m. by 100 m.) playing field
strategy
vertical (vert) Stack
Vert stack, along with horizontal stack, is one of the two most common plays used in Ultimate. In a seven-person line up, this strategy features two players, called handlers, who stay upfield, while the rest of the team is in a perpendicular line in relation to the end zone further downfield -- hence the name "vertical" stack.
The players 1-5 will run into the green and the orange zones, and have the disc thrown to them by one of the two handlers upfield (players * and 6).
For a more in-depth explanation of vert stack, check out this article.
Horizontal (ho) stack
Ho stack is the other play most commonly seen on an Ultimate field. In ho stack, the seven players on offense will split up into a group of three and a group of four, with the three players being handlers who stay upfield to pass the disc to the four players downfield, called the cutters. Both of these groups of players are lined up parallel to the end zone line, hence the name "horizontal" stack.
For a more in-depth explanation of ho stack, check out this video from ultimatefrisbeehq.com.
