How to Play the Game of Murder With Marbles

Murder rules do not allow players to use metal shooters, but any other material is acceptable.

"Murder" (or "Ringer") is one of the best-known marbles games. Players aim to knock them out of a circle set between two tangent lines using a "shooter" marble that is propelled along the floor. "Murder" winners customarily keep the marbles, which is the source of the phrase "losing one's marbles."

Things You'll Need

• 13 playing marbles
• 1 shooter per player

Instructions

1. Place the 13 marbles in a "+" formation in the center of ring 10-feet in diameter, with three marbles on each side and one in the center. There should be 3 inches between marbles.

2. Toss your shooter from one tangent line (the "Pitch" line) to the other along with any other players in the game. The thrower of the closest shooter to the other line (the "Lag" line) shoots first, the next-closest shoots next, and so on.

3. Place one knuckle of your shooting hand on the floor along the perimeter of the ring and toss or roll your shooter toward the marbles in the center. Continue shooting until you fail to knock any marbles out.

4. Aim for an opponent's shooter if one is inside the ring. Hitting another shooter allows you to pick up any marble in the ring and continue your turn. If you knock an opponent's shooter out, you get their marbles and eliminate that player.

5. Knock the most marbles out of the ring to win the game.

References

• Land of Marbles: Marble Tournament Rules