Gonggi (공기)
Gonggi (공기)
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The history of gonggi is unknown. However, this game has been around for a long time. This same game is played in many other countries, but goes by a different name. In Nepal, this game is known as “gatti” while in South India, it is known as “kallu”, which means stones. Ancient Greece and Rome also have records of this game being played, but used knucklebones of sheep instead of the five small pebbles (shown on the right). 공기 (Gonggi) is a fun game that can be played almost anywhere as long as you have five pebbles and a flat surface to play on. It can be played either alone or with a group. Today, children play with these plastic stones instead of pebbles. These stones are known as 공깃돌 (Gonggitdol).
How To Play:
To start, each player must toss the pebbles or stones from the palm of one’s hand into the air and then catch the stones or pebbles with the back of one’s hand. One must then catch all the stones or pebbles with your palm facing the playing surface. After everyone has a turn, the player with the most stones caught goes first.
Level 1: Throw all the stones on the playing surface. Pick up one of the stones and throw it in the air. Player picks up another stone from the playing surface and catches the stone that is in the air. Repeat this for all stones.
Level 2-3: Repeat the steps from Level 1 but pick up two stones for the playing surface this time. For level 3, repeat but pick up three stones from the playing surface.
Level 4: Throw up one of the 5 stones in your hand and put the other 4 stones on the playing surface. Throw the stone that’s in your hand in the hair and catch all the 4 stones on the playing surface.
Level 5: This is the level where you score points. Toss all the stones in the air and while the stones are airborne, flip your hand so your palm is facing the playing surface and catch as many stones as you can. Then, throw the stones on the back of your hand in the air and catch them. The number of stones you caught is the number of points you have.
VIDEO:
Penalty (Lose a Turn):
“Double touch”: a player touches a pebble or stone more than once.
“Overhead”: when the 공기(gonggi) stone is thrown over one’s head
“Mushroom”: when the gonggi stone is in a diagonal position
“Drop”: when the player finishes one of the levels by catching all the 5 stones but drops one of the stones on the playing surface
“Interception”: one of the players distracts the current player playing
“Kong”: a player fails to catch a stone more than once, so it gets thrown up more than once in the air
“Movement”: moving one’s position during the game
“Tree frog”: catching the stones in reverse order (for level 3: player must catch the 3 stones first, then the remaining 1 stone; can’t be the other way around)
“Fixation”: when a player purposely adjusts the stones for level 5 to make it easier to catch
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