In the traditional marble games described, a marble actually being used by a player is often called a TAW or SHOOTER. Marble games are generally played with cheaper glass marbles, but where expensive marbles are used in games in which fines are imposed, or where marbles are lost and won, it should be agreed in advance that fines or losses should be paid in cheap marbles.

1. Archboard Or Bridgeboard
2. Boules
3. Bounce Eye
4. Conqueror
5. Croquet
6. Die Shot
7. Dobblers
8. Eggs In The Bush
9. Handers Or Tip-Shears
10. Hundreds
11. Increase Pound
12. Lag Out
13. Long Taw
14. Odds Or Evens
15. One Step
16. Picking Plums
17. Pyramid
18. Skittles

The most common method of shooting a marble along the ground is known as 'FULKING'. The knuckle of the forefinger is put on the ground and the marble balanced in the bent forefinger. The thumb is put behind the forefinger and then released with whatever force is required.

This method, however, is less accurate than 'KNUCKLING DOWN' which is the method used by experts. The marble is held above the first joins of the thumb by the rip of the forefinger. The top of the thumb is held by the middle finger. The hand is kept quite still with the knuckle on the ground. The thumb is released with the required force. With practice, great accuracy may soon be obtained with this method.

When aiming, it should be remembered that the target should be readily looked at, its exact position being thoroughly taken in by the eye while the marble is held in the hand. The eye directs the brain which automatically directs the hand.

CROQUET

• A game for 2 or 4 players on their own or as two teams
• Set up hoops on a 20 inch (50cm) x 50 inch (75cm) approx. court. If two people are playing, they use two marbles each. Otherwise players have one each. Turns of play are alternate. Each player rakes a turn at hitting a marble with a mallet through the hoops (as shown).
• If a marble passes through a hoop he then has another shot.
• If the striker's marble hits another marble the striker moves his marble beside the struck marble and hits again, moving both marbles. This is known as "the Croquet shot". After a croquet a player may have another shot.
• Each marble may be croqueted once only in each turn unless the striker's ball passes through the hoop.
• The first to get 2 marbles around the course to the finishing marker is the winner.

BOULES

• A game for 2 players or 2 pairs.
• Each player has two large marbles the same colour.
• Start with a footline at one end of the pitch.
• A target jack (white) is thrown a distance of 1.5-3m (5-10 foot) from the footline.
• The boules are thrown in turn, towards the jack. When all the boules are thrown - the closest to the jack scores 4 points, the second scores 3, the third scores 2 and the fourth nearest scores 1.
• The jack is then rethrown by the ream that won the round.
• The first team to reach 100 points is the winner. RING TAW
• This is one of the best known and most popular of all marble games for a group of players. As with Increase Pound, two circles are draw on the ground. The inner circle should be about 30cm (1 foot) in diameter, the outer should be about 2m (7foot) diameter. Each player puts an agreed number of marbles into the inner ring. The order of play is decided and the player take turns to shoot their Taws, from any point on the outer ring, at the marbles in the centre.
• Any marbles knocked out of the centre ring are pocketed by the shooter and he is entitled to shoot again from the spot- where his Taw lies. When a shot is unsuccessful play passes to the next player who may then shoot at the marbles in the centre or at any of the Taws. If he strikes a Taw, its owner pays him one marble and he takes another shot. He may nor strike the same opponent's Taw twice in succession. The game continues until the ring is cleared.

SKITTLES

• A game for 2 players or 2 teams.
• Place the glass marker 1 foot (1.5m) from the skittles, which should be in a 'V' formation pointing to the marker with /2 (38mm) between each.
• From the marker each player shoots 3 marbles at the skittle. The head skittle = 5 points, the 2 behind 3 points and the next 2. The player scores the value of the skittles knocked down.
• If all 5 are down before 3 shots are taken they are erected again and the shots completed.
• The game continues until each player has 10 turns.

ARCHBOARD OR BRIDGEBOARD

• For this game a piece of board is required with seven or nine arches cut in it. The central arch is numbered '0', the arches on either side of the centre are valued 1 foot. The values increase the further the arch is from the centre, i.e. 3 2 1 O 1 2 3.
• One player is made bridgekeeper, the others shoot marbles at the arches from a distance of 1.5m (4 to 5foot). Those marbles that fail to pass through an arch are taken by the bridgekeeper. For every successful shot that goes through an arch, the bridgekeeper may pay the shooter the corresponding number of marbles to the number shown above the arch and those marbles should be the same size as the marble shot through the arch. A marble passing through the centre arch marked O is returned to the shooter with no reward. Every player should rake his turn at keeping the bridge.

DOBBLERS

• A game for any small number of players. Each player contributes one or more marbles to a straight line of marbles spaced so that there is room for two marbles to pass through the gaps. Each player then shoots in turn and may keep any marbles he hits. The play's Taw remains where it lies at the end of his turn and subsequent turns are played from where the Taw lies. A player whose Taw is hit by another Taw must add one marble to the line.

DIE SHOT

• A die is balanced on a marble which has been ground down slightly for stability. As in Archboard, players take it in turns to be the keeper of the die. Any player wishing to have a shot pays the keeper one marble. He then shoots at the target from a predetermined distance. He must pay one marble for each shot he makes. If a player knocks the die off the marble with his shot, he receives from the keeper the number of marbles corresponding to the number shown uppermost on the die.

CONQUEROR

• This game is similar to Bounce About but the marbles are shot and any size of marbles may be used by any number of players. An order of play is decided. The first player throws forward a marble to whatever distance he chooses. He will generally choose the distance at which he personally shoots with the greatest accuracy.
• The next player then shoots at this marble. If he hits it he captures it and it becomes his property. He then throws our a new marble to restart the game. If he misses it however, this marble remains in the field. The third player then shoots at either marble, capturing whatever he hits, bur leaving his marble in the field if he misses. If a marble is shot with force and bounces off several marbles in the field, then all those hit are captured.
• In this game there are no niceties. If a player shoots with a rare and expensive Taw he may have the advantage of accuracy over the other players, but stands to lose his Taw to another player should he ever miss. BOUNCE ABOUT
• This game, for two to four players, is played by throwing marbles and not shooting them. Medium-sized marbles are best suited for the game and are called 'Bouncers'.
• The first player throws his Bouncer forward 1.5m (5h). The second player throws his to try and hit it. The third player throws to cry to hit either one on the ground and so on. If a Bouncer is hit the owner must pay the successful thrower one marble. Bouncers are generally not forfeited.

BOUNCE EYE

• A circle 30cm(1 foot) in diameter is marked on the ground. Each player puts one marble in a pool in the centre of the circle. The players take it in turns to stand over the circle and drop a marble from eye level into the pool of marbles. Any marbles knocked our of the ring become the property of the player. If a player fails to capture any marbles with a drop, the marble he has dropped remains in the pool. The game continues until the pool is dry.

EGGS IN THE BUSH

• This is a guessing game which requires no skill but is nevertheless entertaining. A player picks up a number of marbles with one hand and asks the other players to guess a number. Those guessing correctly are paid that number of marbles by the questioner. Those guessing incorrectly must pay the questioner the difference between the number guessed and the number actually held. Players take turns to be the questioner.

HUNDREDS

• A game for two players. A small circle drawn or a small hole made at a suitable distance from the shooting spot. Both players shoot a marble towards the circle. If both or neither marble stops within the circle both players shoot again. If, however, only one player's marble stops within the circle, that player scores 20 points each time his marble stops in the circle on subsequent throws. This continues until he has scored 100 or until he misses. The first player to reach 100 points is the winner and the loser hands over a predetermined number of marbles.

PYRAMID

• As in Archboard and Die Shot, someone has to be the keeper of the pyramid. This person draws a circle approximately 30cms (1 foot) in diameter and places one marble on top of three to form a pyramid in the centre of the ring. The keeper then charges the players a marble for each shot at the pyramid. Any marbles knocked out of the ring become the property of the shooter and the pyramid has to be rebuilt by the keeper using his own marbles.

LONG TAW

• For two players. Each player contributes a marble and these are placed approximately 2m (6 foot) apart. The players withdraw a further 2m (6foot) and the first player shoots his Taw at the first marble. If he hits it he pockets it and shoots at the second marble. If he hits that, he wins the round and the game starts again. If he fails to win the round outright the opponent shoots at the marbles and at the Taw. If the marbles are hit the result is as described for the first player. If he hits the Taw he captures whatever is on the ground.

ODDS OR EVENS

• A guessing game similar to Eggs in the Bush except that one has to guess whether it is an odd or even number of marbles in the hand of the questioner. Those who guess correctly receive a marble; those who are incorrect give one to the questioner. Each player takes it in turn to ask the question.

HANDERS OR TIP-SHEARS

• A game of chance for several players which requires little skill. A hole 8cm (3in) wide is made about 30cm (1 foot) from a wall. Each player throws a marble at the hole, from a predetermined spot, to decide the order of play. The person whose marble is closest to the hole starts, the second closest goes second, etc. Each player then contributes two marbles to the first player who throws them all at the hole. Any marbles that go in the hole are pocketed by the thrower. This does not apply to chose that have rebounded off the wall, which remain in play. These remaining are handed to the second player who makes his throw, and so play continues. When the marbles are exhausted a new contribution is made by all and the second player in the first round starts the second round.

LAG OUT

• An order of play is decided by any number of players. Each player in turn throws a marble at a wall so as to make it rebound. The marbles are left where they fall until one player's marble rebounds and lands on another. That player then claims all the marbles on the floor and play is restarted.

INCREASE POUND

• A game for several players. Two circles are drawn; one circle 20cm (8in) in diameter known as the pound and around is another of 3.5m (11 foot) diameter called the 'bar'. Each player puts one or more marbles into the pound. The first player shoots a Taw from any point of the bar, at the marbles in the pound. Any marbles he knocks out of the pound become his property. If he fails to capture even one marble his Taw remains where it stops, if that is within the bar and outside the pound. If it stops within the pound it must be lifted and a marble paid to the pound.
• Subsequent players may shoot at the pound or at an opponent's Taw. If a Taw is struck by another Taw, the owner of the struck Taw must give any marbles he has captured so far in the game to the owner of the Taw that struck his Taw.

ONE STEP

• This game is played like Dobblers except that a player takes one step and throws his Taw from a standing position when making his first shot. Subsequent throws are also made from the standing position bur without making a step. A successful throw entitles the player to another throw from the spot where the Taw lies.

PICKING PLUMS

• For a small number of players. A straight line is drawn on the ground and each player contributes one or more marbles, which are placed in a row on the line about 2 marbles' width apart. A parallel line is then drawn about 2m (6 foot) away. Players stand behind this second line and take it in turns to shoot at the line of marbles (these marbles are the 'plums' of the game's title). A shot which knocks a plum out of the line entitles the player to the plum, but not to a second shot. Play continues until all plums are picked.

Courtesy of "The House OF Marbles" that provide all the marbles and accessories for these games in this collection.