How to Play Mumbly Peg

Mumbly Peg is an old game of skill almost all boys once played in the school yard or anywhere there was a patch of soft turf. Traditionally, they used a jack knife, but since just carrying a knife can get you in trouble these days, much less throwing it at each other's feet, here's a simple variation using a sharpened pencil you can use to have some safe fun.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A six inch long wooden peg
• A sharpened pencil

1. Understand the object of the game. Each player tries to get the opponent's legs stretched far enough apart to eventually lose balance and fall, ending the game. If either player allows any other part of his body to touch the ground, the other player wins.

2. Practice sticking the pencil point into the ground before you begin the game by holding it by the eraser end and flipping it toward the ground. Start by sticking it close to you and then try to stick it further and further away. The further away you can consistently make it stick, the more likely you are to win the game.

3. Push a six inch wooden peg into the ground so only the last two inches are showing. This peg becomes important at the end of the game.

4. Begin by deciding which player will go first. To do this, the players face each other with feet about shoulder width apart, standing about two feet apart. Each player gets one throw to stick the pencil as close to one of the opponent's feet as possible. The one who sticks it closest to the other's foot goes first. Neither player is allowed to move his feet.

5. Begin the game by taking the same position facing each other as in step four. The first player throws the pencil out to either side of his opponent, as far away from the opponent's foot as possible. If the pencil sticks, the opponent moves a foot out next to the pencil, keeping the other foot planted, and pulls the pencil out of the ground for his turn. If it doesn't stick, the opponent takes his turn without moving his foot.

6. Continue alternating turns and trying to stick the pencil further away. The first player to stick the pencil far enough away to force his opponent to lose his balance and fall or put a hand down for balance, wins the game. You also win if you can stick the pencil far enough away that your opponent can't reach it without moving the planted foot.

7. Enjoy your victory (assuming you're the winner) as the loser kneels down and pulls the peg out of the ground with his teeth, usually with a lot of mumbling and grumbling. Hence, the name of the game, "Mumbly Peg."

Tips & Warnings

• There are many variations to Mumbly Peg, including competing by making elaborate and tricky flips with a jack knife that your opponent must duplicate. See the resource section for more information.

Resources

• Mumbly Peg tricks with a jack knife