Dutch Sjoelbak

Q: How do I play it?
A: There are 4 slots, valued 1, 2, 3 & 4, for a total of 10 points. However, if you get an equal number of discs in each slot, the score doubles to 20. So the optimal score is achieved by distributing the discs equally.

Each player gets 3 tries per round to place the discs. The first time, you may place 5 of the 30 discs. You then gather the ones that didn't make it, and try again. And once more. (This should go rather quickly, no more then a few minutes per round). You mark your score, and the next player plays one round. Depending on how many players are in the game, one game could be 5 or 10 rounds.

Some games are played in teams and scores are combined; boys vs girls, or McKenzies vs the Johnsons, or the old folks vs the iPod generation. Winners could be required to buy the next round of beer, or sing a song or something. Super high scores can be noted on the back of the board, so the next generation remembers who was the real boss. Sjoelbak in Europe is know over a 300 years.

Q: Why do the discs slide?
A: The board itself is a high-grade, double sided, Birch plywood, sanded several times, the last time with really fine sandpaper, and then lightly oiled. The board is dried, and before shipping, lightly waxed with Pledge which you should do also before any game. This keeps the wood fresh and lively.

The discs are fashioned slightly concave and travel on their rim riding on a small air pocket. The longer you play, the faster the pucks will go, when the wood, the pucks and the air all warm up.

Q: How do I store it?
A: The game is nearly 6 foot long and best stored vertically, by, for example, hanging it behind a door. It can be stored horizontally, but make sure the location is perfectly flat. Like all wood products, Sjoelbak is happiest in a certain temperature and humidity range. Please dust off once a year with a nice, soft cloth.