"Firing" a marble meant that a player had to flick their marble from a stationary position of their hand. No part of the hand firing the marble was permitted to be in front of the position where the marble had been resting on the ground. Using that hand, the player would flick or fire the marble from their hand, usually with the knuckle on the back of the hand resting on the ground, and usually using the thumb of that hand to do so. All shots of the game were conducted in this manner throughout except the very initial pitch towards the bunny hole that started the game.