Thumb war facts for kids
A thumb war is a fun game played by two people. It's also called thumb wrestling. In this game, your thumbs pretend to be fighters! The main goal is to pin down your opponent's thumb. You usually count to three after you pin it. One newspaper called it "the miniature golf of martial sports," meaning it's a small, simple version of fighting games.
Contents
How to Play a Thumb War
To start, two players face each other. Each player holds out one hand, either their left or right, with their thumb pointing up, like a "thumbs up" sign. Then, they link hands by curling their fingers around each other's fingers. Only your thumbs can be used to try and pin down the other player's thumb. You cannot use any other fingers!
Thumb War Tactics
Players use different tricks during the game. Some might pretend to be tired or "play possum" to surprise their opponent. Others might aim for the knuckle of the thumb instead of the nail to get a better pin. Some players try to strike quickly, while others wait for their opponent to get tired.
Optional Rules
There are some fun extra rules you can add:
- Make your thumbs "bow" or "kiss" before the war begins.
- Play with both hands at the same time for a double thumb war!
- Try a "sneak attack" where you use your pointer finger to take over the opponent's thumb (but this is usually not allowed in official rules).
- Use the "Rabbit Hole" move: duck your thumb into your own palm to escape if you are about to lose. These extra rules are just for fun and don't have to be part of every game.
Starting the Game
The game usually starts with both players saying a rhyme together. They pass their thumbs over each other in time with the words. The most common rhyme is: "One, two, three, four, I declare a thumb war!"
Sometimes, players add more to the rhyme: "Five, six, seven, eight, try to keep your thumb straight." Or, "Five, six, seven, eight. This should be a piece of cake."
In some places, like Boston, they say: "Five, six, seven, eight, open up the battle gate." In other countries, they have their own starting songs. For example, in South America, they say "ésta es la pulseada china," which means "this is the Chinese arm wrestling."
Thumb War Competitions
Even though it's a simple game, people hold competitive thumb wrestling matches! There have been competitions in places like Long Island and Lowestoft. The 826 Valencia Foundation also hosts a yearly thumb-wrestling contest. A person named Oscar Villalon has won this competition three times! In these serious matches, players usually cannot lean or tilt their bodies while thumb wrestling.
See also
In Spanish: Gallitos para niños
