Trompo

The "Trompo" (as it is called in some areas of South America) describes the toy which is employed to play the game.

A Trompo can be most closely described as a "Spin-top" in American culture although traditionally these are not the same. It is generally shaped like an upside-down pear and through wrapping a cord around it and performing a violent throw one can get it to spin as the Trompo hits the ground. Generally it takes a lot of skill before one can throw a Trompo and the true game, like marbles, focuses almost entirely on a players skill with the device/toy. The game of "Trompo" has actually had many forms and names throughout ancient history and has been part of Asian, South American, European and Middle Eastern cultures alike. Surprisingly, despite its popularity and even contemporary presence in Latin American culture, modern games using Trompo are vaguely played outside the South American context.

Rules

Learning to throw a Trompo in order to get it to spin properly is the sole basic skill employed to play various games (games which are widely different depending on the Geographic Region where its played)

All games of Trompo can fall on either of two categories:

Collective:

Playing Trompo most generally refers to the collective game in which 2 or more players engage in a competition either for money or for keepsakes of the other player(s) spintop(s), different rulesets or game "modes" are employed.

-Displacement of objects: a circular ring is drawn in which players place their "bet", usually money or their Trompos (without spinning them); by the throw of their Trompo, players must "knock" out other' player's item out of the ring, and thus gain possession of the item.

-Displacement of Trompo: a circular ring is drawn in which players spin their Trompos all at the same time. The Trompos to get "knocked out" of the ring lose. It can be played in such a way that only the last Trompo remaining within the ring is the sole winner of the match.

-Breaking Trompo/ "Trompo in the Middle": a circular ring is drawn and one player must place his/her Trompo in the middle of it (not spinning ). All other players throw and attempt to hit, and ultimately break, the Trompo in the middle. If any player misses and does not hit the Trompo in the Middle, their's instead must be in the middle and be everyone's target.

-Breaking Trompo Competitively: a circular ring is drawn and at first only one player spins his Trompo. Like Trompo in the Middle, all players attempt to hit and break the one in the middle, however in this version, any Trompos remaining inside the ring by the time they stop spinning become "Victims" and remain unspun at the ring for the next round. A player may only pick his Trompo up and spin it by being knocked out of the ring or by spinning out of the ring by the end of the match.

The use of tricks like the ones described in Individual Play are not uncommon and generally make for the most intense and exciting matches to both play and watch.

Individual:

Individual games of Trompo are only for flaunting of skill and much like Yo-Yo or Diabolo they consist of merely performing tricks either in standalone or sequence. Judged games may be played for competition to measure skill and quality of performance.

The most popular tricks include:

-"Teleferico" (Cable Car): The Trompo is spun on the ground and then the cord is used to create a "causeway" by folding it in half to elevate the Trompo off the ground and make it sway side by side as if it were on a rail.

-Throw in Hand: The Trompo is spun in the air in such a way that the player has enough time to make it land and spin on the palm of his hand

-Hand Pickup: A player can spin a Trompo on the ground and then nudge it onto his palm by a slight touch of a finger tip

-Jump: A player can spin a Trompo on the ground and then use his cord while the Trompo spins to make it "jump" in the air.

History

The history of games involving a type of "spin-top" is vast and evidence of their existence dates back to 4000 BCE. Spin-tops made out of clay have been found at edges of the Eufrates. Evidence of their existence can be found in ancient references like in Egyptian wall paintings and writing, most notably in Virgil's Aeneid (Greek). Further historical appearances and mentions also were made by Plato who was fascinated by the physics of a spinning top, and the Roman Poet Ovidius, who admitted to being more enthuse about the spin-top than education in his youth.

In China and Japan as well as in various regions of the Oriental world , the ludic act of playing spin-tops is perfected into an art where complex performances were made to be entertaining and flashy, much like in the playing of "Diabolo" (also known as the Chinese Yo-Yo).

Spin-tops existed all throughout North and South America even prior to Colonization. It is known that the Hopi Indians would play with Spin-tops in such a masterful way that they could actually keep their spin-top in motion by lashing them with a whip.

The shapes and designs of "Trompos" have varied widely. Some were crafted out of hard woods, some were made with clay, and modernly they can be fabricated from dense plastics. Some have tips made of metal, to suit for more aggressive play, while others have been created with rounder tips throughout history to serve merely as children's entertainment

It is of certain importance to note modern variations that take roots in the traditional Spin-top that have become popular and mass produced as toys for children in recent history. Of course, most relevantly is the "Beyblade" a form of "futuristic" spin-top that became popular after an Anime and Manga series that features adolescents that use these for "duels"

Game Design Elements

Because the premise for playing Trompo is simple and does not really utilize anything beyond the Spin-top itself and a circle on the ground , the "design" of the game really exists in the various ways that spin-tops are made and have been made throughout history.

It is probable that since the first spin-tops were made of clay they were probably for mere amusement.

More interesting spin-tops are those designed for particular purposes. They can be crafted to be narrow and tall for improved stability, wider for more strength, or can have aggressive shapes and metal tips for specific functions within specific gameplay (Such as breaking enemy Trompos)

Similarly the Spin-Tops can be crafted to match different age groups, some can be designed with long shafts on top so that a child can play merely by spinning it with his fingers, without knowing how to throw it. (The Dreidel is a good example)

Art

There is no question whatsoever, that Spin-tops are an Artisanal craft. All throughout the various areas of the world the creation of these toy's has been traditionally one born out of folklore. Because of this, they often carry bright colors, basic symbols, patterns, and all kinds of imagery to enhance their looks, and in some cases value. It can be said in fact, that Trompos, Spin-tops, Dreidels, Kreisels, or whatever else they may be called, are a small works of art themselves.

References

Turina, Karen. "Trompo." Origen y Folclor de los Juegos en Chile. Web. 1 Feb. 2010. <http://www.oresteplath.cl/antologia/origyfolc24.htm>.

"El Trompo." Wise Up Kids. Web. 1 Feb. 2010. <http://www.wiseupkids.com/informacion/juegos/trompo.pdf>.

Burgos, Antonio. "El Trompo Antequerano." Antonio Burgos . El Recuadro, Web. 1 Feb. 2010. <http://www.antonioburgos.com/mundo/2003/12/re120903.html>.

Trompo

Rules

Game Design Elements

Art

References

Links