Daily Comics › Calvinball rules (such as they are)
🐯 Read today's Calvin and HobbesCalvinball is the game Calvin and Hobbes invent in Bill Watterson's strip after Calvin quits organized baseball. It first appeared in 1990 and became one of the strip's best-loved running gags.
The one permanent rule
In the strip's own words, the only permanent rule is that you can't play it the same way twice. Everything else, including the field, the scoring and the objective, is made up during play and can be changed at any moment.
Traditions from the strip
- Masks. Players wear a mask, and questioning the masks is not allowed.
- Songs and verses. Players often have to sing a silly song or recite a verse when a rule is triggered.
- Zones and flags. Wickets, flags and "zones" (like the opposite zone or the vortex spot) appear and disappear as rules change.
- Scoring. Scores are nonsense, like "oh to Q" or "twelve to oh".
How to play your own round
- Everyone grabs a mask and an object: a ball, a flag, a wicket.
- One player declares a rule. Anyone can add or reverse a rule if they can justify it with a new one.
- Keep it moving and keep it silly. Never repeat yesterday's game.
- The game ends when everyone is laughing too hard, or it's time for dinner.
FAQ
What is the only rule of Calvinball?
You can't play it the same way twice. Every other rule is made up as you go.
Why do Calvinball players wear masks?
It's a tradition in the strip, and you're not allowed to question the masks.
When did Calvinball first appear?
In 1990, after Calvin quits organized baseball.
How do you score in Calvinball?
However the players decide in the moment. Scores in the strip are nonsense, like oh to Q.
Fan guide. Calvin and Hobbes is © Bill Watterson, distributed by Andrews McMeel Syndication. No strip art is reproduced on this page. Last updated November 3, 2026.