Shove Ha' Penny
Multicultural Games

State the name of your game and why you chose it.

The game we researched was Shove Ha’ Penny. We chose the game because it sounded like an interesting game and we wanted to know more about it. It is a game that is fun, easy to learn, and an be played with a group of people.

List the countries where it is played and its origin.

The game was from England, popular in taverns during Tudor times. It was played on narrow tables as long as 30 feet. Today many people in England and British Columbia still play Shove Ha’ Penny. Shove Ha’ Penny was originally played on flat surfaces with inscribed lines but the official board these days is made of slate or hardwood with indented lines.

Describe how your game is played. State the object of the game. Clearly describe the rules.

• In this game the players slide coins along a board into marked off sections. They keep their score with chalk at the edges of the board. The object of the game is to score the highest.
• The rules are simple. The player has 5 chances to score during their turn. To start the game, a player slides a coin down the game board with the heel of their hand attempting to get the coins as near to the other end of the game board without the coins falling off. Players try to get the coins in the spaces and not on the lines. If one player does go out and does not score during their 5 chances, then it is the nest player’s turn. If a player’s coin land in a marked off section, then they score 1 point.

List the equipment needed.

• 5 coins
• a game board split into 9 sections by 10 lines
• an attached scoreboard running down both sides
• chalk to keep score

Make recommendations for what type of athlete would enjoy playing this game. What skills does it demand?

• Brynne:  I think anyone would like to play this game because it’s a fun game of chance and skill. It is exciting to see if you can get the penny in between the lines. You can play this game on almost any flat surface. It can be played outside or inside. All you need is a game board, a pencil or piece of chalk to keep score, and pennies. I thought the game was quick, fun and entertaining. I could have played for hours nonstop. Each time we played, we became better, It was also very easy to learn the rules. Shove Ha’ Penny is similar to Shovel Board. All ages can play.
• Ashley:   I think anyone could play this game because it doesn’t require athletic skill. If you are with a group of people and you have nothing to do then you can play this game because it is an easy game to learn and is fun.

 

Multicultural Games Unit   | Games Index |  Middle School  |  GAnet

Germantown Academy
P.O. Box 278
Ft. Washington, PA 19034
nsmith@ga.k12.pa.us  |  aowens@ga.k12.pa.us