Beginner's Guide: How to play Quidditch

Quidditch is coming to Staffordshire Credit: PA

With the Quidditch Cup coming to Staffordshire in March, there's never been a better time to brush up on your Quidditch knowledge.

Here's your guide to the famous Hogwarts sport.

Number of Players

Quidditch features seven players per team on the field at any one time, each with a broom between their legs.

There is also a rule stipulating that at most four players on the pitch can be of the same gender, to encourage diversity.

How to play

Players score points by throwing a semi deflated volleyball, known as a 'Quaffle', through hoops.At the same time, players are avoiding dodgeballs, known as'Bludgers'. These are being thrown at them by the other team in an attempt to knock them out and make them return to the hoops.There is also a tag attached to a snitch runners known as a 'Snitch'. If the seeker from either time catches this, they are awarded thirty points and the game ends.

Quidditch players Credit: PA

Quidditch positions

There are four different positions, each with a different role within the team.

  • Keepers - Guard the hoops from opposing chasers and become a 4th chaser on offense.

  • Chasers - Throw the quaffle through the opposite team’s hoops to score goals worth 10 points.

  • Beaters -Throw bludgers at the opposing team to ‘knock them out’ and make them return to hoops. You might have seen the Weasley twins in this position.

  • Seekers - Catch the snitch (worth 30 points) to end the game. This was the position Harry Potter used to play.