Introduction:
Kanche/ Marbles is one of the most popular Indian games played all over the country in India mostly by boys. It appeals to people of all ages. It is known as Kanchey in the North and Golli Gundu in the South. There are various different games played all around the country with marbles.
How to Play:
There are various games played using marbles. In one of the popular games with marbles, a circle measuring approximately 2-3 feet in diameter is drawn in the ground using a stick or a stone. Each player contributes 2 marbles each to begin the game. All the marbles are collected at the centre of the circle. To decide the turns for the players, a line is drawn approximately three feet away from the hole. The players stand at the second line and try to throw their marbles into the hole. The person whose marble is closest to the hole gets to play first followed by the second closest and so on.
To play the game, the players take turns shooting the marbles. The player shoots by holding the marble tautly in the forefinger of the left hand, then stretching the finger back like a bow-string by the pressure of the forefinger of the right hand and finally by releasing the finger such that the marble flies forward. At all times, the left thumb should firmly touch the ground. The players take turns to knocking marbles out of the circle. They get to keep the marbles that were knocked out of the circle. The game ends when there are no marbles left in the circle. The player with the highest number of marbles wins the game.
Variation:
In a variation of the above game, once the marbles are collected in the centre of the circle, the other players select the marble to be hit. If the player manages to hit the desired marble, he wins all the remaining marbles in the circle. The game continues in a similar manner with the other players.
Conclusion:
The game of marbles helps players to develop mathematical skills and motor skills while improving concentration, hand eye coordination and aiming/targeting skills. It also provides an opportunity to socialize and have fun and nurtures healthy competition.
