The game's length, number of participants of each team, and the number of goals, or line crossings, are previously accorded between the teams.
Most games are played up to four line crossings, or a kon or kuden.
To score, the pali must cross one of the narrower border lines of the paliwe. When the pali escapes the field, the game must recommence from the center of the field. When the game is played between two communities, the lonkos agree on the rules. The hosting community solemnly welcome their guests following the ancestral rules. They pray and dance around the rewe, or altar made up of canelo branches and white and black flags, being grateful for the celebration and pleading for the sake of the game. Once the palin is over, no mattering its result, the hosting community entertains its guests with food and drinks.