Mak kep

Makgeb is the Thai traditional game which is well known to most Thais. The English version of the game named by Thai Royal Institute Dictionary is ‘Thai Pebbles tossing and picking’. There is no accurate period of invention but it is believed to have been played since the Ayutthaya period. The place of origin is unclear. Some research sources claimed that the game was created in the central of Thailand, but some said that Makgeb is the local game for children in Ranong Province, Southern Thailand. Makgeb is used to play with the five round stone pieces in thumb size a thrown up by the order of the game’s rule. The game is suitable for a group of 3-5 people per game.

History

Makgeb is similar to the worldwide game called Knucklebones , Fivestones, or Jacks . The name of this game is based on the location of the game invented. The rule and how to play the game is similar to Makgeb but the material of the game player is differrent. Thai traditional Makgeb’s main material are stones but others are different. Jacks is the game of ancient origin, usually played with the five small objects, or ten in the case of jacks. Originally the “Knucklebones” were those of the sheep, which were thrown up and caught in various manners. Modern knucklebones consist of six points, or knobs, proceeding from a common base, and are usually made on metal or plastic. The winner is the first player who successfully complete a prescribed series of throws, which though similar, differ widely in detail

Material

The material used in the game are few thumb size chuck of stones.

Rule

1. The players are not allowed to touch the other piece at all during the thrown up steps. 2. The players mustn’t miss catching the leader at any steps. 3. The player must pick up correct number of stone in each step.

How to play

At the beginning of the game, all of the players need to start by throwing all five stones individually upward and catching them with the hand backwards. The person who catches the most stone , which called Mak in the game, is the first to start the game.

1. The first player throws all of Mak(stones) on the floor. Pick the one up ( This Mak is called the leader) on the floor. Toss the leader Mak up during the throwing player need to pick up one piece on the floor before catching the leader mid-air. Then repeat for all of the Mak pieces on the floor one by one on steps. 2. Repeat the previous step but pick up two pieces at a time. 3. Repeat the first step again but pick three pieces first and pick the left one later. 4. For the last step, the player needs to pick four pieces at one time.

The winner of the game is the player who can pick all of steps in one time. If the players fail before finishing all the steps, they must allow the next person to play.

The advantages

1. Help the children to concentrate. 2. Learn about problem solving. 3. Practice good sportsmanship for children. 4. Preserve the Thai tradition and culture.