Playing period is a division of time in a

sport Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, ...

s or games, in which

play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * P ...

occurs. Many games are divided into a fixed number of periods, which may be named for the number of divisions. Other games use terminology independent of the total number of divisions. A playing period may have a fixed length of game time or be bound by other rules of the game.

Description

The playing period is a division of time in a

s or games, in which

occurs. Many games are divided into a fixed number of periods, which may be named for the number of divisions (e.g., a half or a quarter). Other games use terminology independent of the total number of divisions (e.g., sets or innings). A playing period may have a fixed length of game time or be bound by other rules (e.g., three outs in baseball or a sudden-death goal in overtime).

Common periods

Halves and quarters

Basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

and gridiron football are among the sports that are divided into two ''halves'', which may be subdivided into two ''quarters''. A fifth

overtime Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways: *by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society) ...

"quarter" may be played in the event of a tie at the end of the fourth quarter.

Periods

Floorball and

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice h ...

games are typically divided into three ''periods''. A fourth period of

may be played in the event of a tie at the end of the third period.

Innings

Cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by str ...

and

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...

games are divided into '' innings''; within each of the innings, there are further subdivisions of play known as deliveries or pitches. In limited overs cricket, each of the innings lasts until either all but one of the players on the batting team are out, or a certain number of legal deliveries have occurred. Additional short innings, which are also limited in the number of legal deliveries, are played if necessary to break ties. In baseball, each inning consists of each team batting until three players on the team are out. Additional innings may be played if the game is tied after the ninth or subsequent innings.

Ends

Curling Curling is a sport in which players slide stones on a sheet of ice toward a target area which is segmented into four concentric circles. It is related to bowls, boules, and shuffleboard. Two teams, each with four players, take turns slidi ...

contests consist of a number of ''ends'', where each player on each team throws all of their stones.

Sets

Some sports, like

volleyball Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules. It has been a part of the official program of the Sum ...

tennis Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent ( singles) or between two teams of two players each ( doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball ...

are divided into a predetermined number of "sets", and the match ends when a team or individual wins the required number of sets (e.g. winning 3 sets in a best of 5). A set is usually won when a number of points is achieved by one of the competitors (25 points in volleyball or 6 games in tennis, for example), though further rules, like having a 2 points advantage, might be imposed.

References

{{reflist Sports terminology Units of time