No.197
Marbles: Out of the Circle
Japanese name: ビー玉の円出し
Materials
- About ten target marbles and one shooter marble per person
- A circular boundary about 30 cm across
How to play
- Put 5–10 target marbles inside the circle and choose a shooting position outside it. Count all marbles together before play.
- Take turns flicking or gently rolling your shooter from outside the circle. Do not toss it into the air or shoot toward people.
- Score one point for each target knocked outside the circle and set those targets aside. Your shooter never counts as a target or point.
- Change turns even after a successful shot. Retrieve the shooter every turn; leave remaining targets where they stopped for the next player.
- When no targets remain, total the scores. Return every marble to its owner and check for any left around feet or under tables.
Ways to adapt
Preschool children: no glass marbles; use large cloth balls. Primary school children: begin by rolling.
Similar games around the world
Kazakhstan's Asik Atu is also a game where you use a throwing tool to hit a target outside the circle. A special tool derived from the talus of a sheep is used. Let's compare the marbles, equipment, distance, and continuous throwing conditions.