1.Open the package with the THREE PLASTIC SQUARE STANDS. Take the SMALL PRINTED CARD SHEET with the three base runners and carefully separate the three parts along the perforated lines. Fold each of the three separate pieces in the middle, along the line, and carefully insert the bottom of each folded piece into the slot on the top of each PLASTIC STAND. Place the markers on the game board, near HOME PLATE.

2. Shuffle the OFFENSE/DEFENSE card decks and place them, facedown, on the spots shown on the XTRA INNINGS game board. Take the three "OUT" cards and place them, facedown on the board between players.

3. Each player cuts ONE card from the HITTING/OFFENSE card deck. The player with the higher card becomes the HOME TEAM and begins the game PITCHING. The opponent becomes the VISITING TEAM and begins the game HITTING. Refer to SECTION C. (The Batting Order), of the GENERAL RULES BOOKLET to see which HITTING/OFFENSE card is higher. OFFENSE cards are listed there in their order of importance. The XTRA INNINGS GAME BOARD is then placed with HOME PLATE closest to the HOME TEAM for the rest of the game.

4. The HOME TEAM takes the five "PITCH CARDS"  marked HOME TEAM, puts them facedown to one side, and will begin the game PITCHING. The VISITING TEAM takes their five "PITCH CARDS", puts them facedown to one side and will start the game HITTING.

5. The HOME TEAM takes HITTING/OFFENSE deck, shuffles the cards, and deals SEVEN OFFENSE cards to the VISITING TEAM.  The VISITING TEAM takes the PITCHING/DEFENSE deck and deals SEVEN DEFENSE cards to the HOME TEAM.

6. Players pick up their OFFENSE/DEFENSE cards, holding them in "poker" fashion. They plan their strategy, then put the cards facedown, to one side on the board. Both players pick up their "PITCH CARDS" and begin the PITCHING SEQUENCE. See the "PITCH CARD". reference booklet for information on how it works.

7. OFFENSE/DEFENSE cards are played between pitches in "ACTION CARD SERIES". Cards are played faceup on the board and placed on the indicated discard spaces on the board.  After the game's first pitch, ALL OFFENSE AND DEFENSE CARDS ARE IN PLAY. The "Hit by Pitch" card can be played after the first BALL call. HITTING/OFFENSE then places a BASE-RUNNER MARKER on 1st base. With a runner on base, the "Stolen Base", "Wild Pitch" or "Sac Bunt" can be played. OFFENSE plays cards  after pitches and DEFENSE counters, or vice versa.

"HIT CARDS" MUST BE PLAYED AFTER "HITS" DURING THE "PITCHING SEQUENCE"!If you get a "HIT" and do NOT have a "HIT CARD", refer to SECTION E, numbers 3 and 4 in the GENERAL RULES .

PLAYERS MUST ALWAYS WAIT A MINIMIM OF ONE PITCH BETWEEN COMPLETED "ACTION CARD SERIES" BEFORE PLAYING ANOTHER OFFENSE/DEFENSE CARD. For example, after OFFENSE plays a "Double", if the DEFENSE cannot overrule with a "Long Fly Out", they CANNOT play a "Pick=Off at 2nd", nor can OFFENSE immediately follow the "Double" with a "Stolen Base", BOTH PLAYERS MUST WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE NEXT PITCH!

Players must also wait a minimim of ONE PITCH after playing a "HIT CARD", except in certain situation. ON OFFENSE, the "Stretch" card can be played immediately following a "HIT" BUT ONLY IF DEFENSE CANNOT MAKE AN OUT ON THE PLAY. 

On DEFENSE,  the "Ground OUt at 1st", "Fielder"s Choice", "Double Play", "Caught Stealing", "Great Throw", "Super Catch", "Long Fly Out", and "Out at Home" are played to immediately overrule the preceding OFFENSE  play, and all these cards can be immedialely overruled by the OFFENSE with the "Error" card. The "Error" card, if played in always the LAST CARD played in any "ACTION CARD SERIES".

PLAYERS MUST ALWAYS HAVE A MINIMIM OF FOUR OFFENSE OR DEFENSE CARDS IN THEIR HAND. FOR ALL INFORMATION ON OFFENSE AND DEFENSE CARDS AND THE DISCARDING AND DRAWING OF NEW CARDS, REFER TO SECTION E., NUMBERS 3, 4, AND 5, IN THE GENERAL RULES.

8. The PITCHING SEQUENCE continues. OFFENSE  tries to get HITS and score RUNS. DEFENSE tries to record THREE STRIKE-OUTS or BASE-RUNNING OUTS to end the half-inning.

9. After THREE OUTS, the HOME TEAM puts their unplayed PITCHING/DEFENSE cards facedown to one side. The VISITING TEAM puts their unplayed HITTING/OFFENSE cards facedown to one side. The HOME TEAM gathers up ALL remaining DEFENSE cards, shuffles them, and deals SEVEN DEFENSE cards to the VISITING TEAM. The VISITING TEAM gathers up ALL remaining HITTING/OFFENSE cards, shuffles them, and deals SEVEN OFFENSE cards to the HOME TEAM.

10. The PITCHING SEQUENCE begins again with the HOME TEAM now HITTING and trying to score runs. The VISITING TEAM is now PITCHING and trying to get THREE OUTS to end the 1st INNING.

Players put their remaining unplayed HITTING/OFFENSE and PITCHING/DEFENSE cards facedown, to one side. ALL other OFFENSE and DEFENSE cards are gathered up, shuffled, and placed, facedown, on the marked places on the board. OFFENSE always shuffles DEFENSE cards and vice versa. The team on HITTING/OFFENSE may now discard and draw up to FIVE new OFFENSE cards from the top of the OFFENSE deck. The team now on DEFENSE may now draw up to FIVE new cards from the top of the DEFENSE deck. PLAYERS MUST ALWAYS KEEP A MINIMUM OF TWO CARDS IN THEIR HANDS AND MAY DRAW UP TO FIVE NEW CARDS. At the beginning of each half-inning, players must have SEVEN OFFENSE or DEFENSE cards. This discarding procedure continues at the end of each half-inning until the end of the 5th INNING. After drawing new cards the PITCHING SEQUENCE begins again.

At the end of the 5yh INNING, players must throw in ALL their OFFENSE and DEFENSE cards. Both decks are shuffled and the VISITING TEAM deal SEVEN DEFENSE cards to the HOME TEAM which begins the inning PITCHING. The HOME TEAM then deals SEVEN OFFENSE cards to the VISITING TEAM, which begins the innings HITTING. All together now...take me out to the ballgame, take me out with the crowd...

If the HOME TEAM is leading by THREE runs or more at the beginning of the 9th INNING, they must select ONE "PITCH CARD" and, not telling the opponent what it is, put it facedown to one side, before beginning the PITCHING SEQUENCE. The HOME TEAM must try to get THREE OUTS using only FOUR "PITCH CARDS".  If the VISITING TEAM takes the lead by THREE runs, they must put aside ONE "PITCH CARD", giving the HOME TEAM a chance to win the game, or tie it up and go into XTRA INNINGS. If the game is tied after nine innings, players begin the 10th and all other innings using all five "PITCH CARDS" until an eventual winner is decided and another great game of XTRA INNINGS comes to an end.

DEFENSE in a jam? Need help?  Well, maybe it is time to go to the BULLPEN and bring in a RELIEF PITCHER. XTRA INNINGS lets you do this by using the "Pitching Change" card in the PITCHING/DEFENSE deck. If you have the card in your hand, just say, "TIME OUT! I WANT TO MAKE A PITCHING CHANGE!" and throw the card down on the board. This can be done at any point during the PITCH COUNT, before or  during any at-bat, BUT ONLY ONCE BY EACH TEAM DURING THE FIRST FIVE INNINGS OF THE GAME. Playing this card allows you to keep a minimum of TWO cards in your hand and draw up to FIVE new cards from the top of the PITCHING/DEFENSE deck. After the 5th INNING, players may change their pitchers as often as they like, as long as they have the "Pitching Change" card in their DEFENSE hand.

For younger players and those less familiar with advance play situations in baseball, we suggest you begin by playing the XTRA INNINGS "LITTLE LEAGUE EDITION". It follows the basic rules of the real game, but involves fewer OFFENSE and DEFENSE cards. In this way, you can learn the PITCHING SEQUENDE and all the basic plays before moving up to the "Big Leagues". Players still use FIVE "PITCH CARDS" and the PITCHING SEQUENCE remains the same. However, the OFFENSE and DEFENSE card decks are limited to TWENTY cards each, which are listed below.

The rules for playing these cards and starting the game using the QUICK START GUIDE are basically the same except for the following:

1. A complete game lasts only FIVE INNINGS.

2. Players have FIVE OFFENSE or DEFENSE CARDS, not SEVEN, at the beginning of each half-inning.

3. Players must keep a minimum of TWO OFFENSE or DEFENSE cards when they discard and draw at the beginning of each half-inning.

4. If a player's  OFFENSE or DEFENSE card total falls to ONE card during play, he must draw ONE card from the OFFENSE or DEFENSE deck, to always remain with a minimum of TWO cards.

All other rules concerning the play of "HIT CARDS", discarding and drawing when a player does not have a "HIT CARD" and all base-running situations remain the same. Once you have played a few games on the junior Circuit, yoou should be ready to move up to "THE SHOW".