Dating back to the 12th Century and once called ‘Ring The Bull’, the addictive game of Wallhooky was reputedly popularised and renamed by one ‘Wally Wallhooky’ back in the days of Robin Hood & His Merry Men. In fact, there’s evidence of the game being played in Robin Hood’s local pub, The Trip To Jerusalem, which dates back to 1189.

You can read all about this infuriatingly tricky but popular bar game at the Wallhooky web site where you can also buy a ready-made version from enthusiast Bob Gilmore.

The Ionian Beach Hotel has recently installed a Wallhooky carner in the beach bar and it has already become a great hit with the staff. It has also elicited much interest from guests and locals, mostly coupled with unconcealed expressions of bemusement, who invariably regard it as an English eccentricity rather than the proper game of skill that it actually is.  So, here’s a simple explanation of the game:

The Game

Take a heavy curtain ring and hang it from the ceiling by a piece of string. It should be positioned in such a way that when swung the ring can reach just one of the nearby walls, preferably below head height and preferably with the string at an angle of 45 degrees from vertical at the point of impact.

Then place a hook on the wall exactly where the ring makes contact. Thereafter, all you need to do is spend hours and hours swinging the ring across the room to try to land it on the hook.

The Rules

Normally played by 1-6 players, rules can vary from place to place but the Wallhooky.com site recommends basic rules similar to the following:

Warming-Up

• Before starting your game, players should take a little time for practice.
• Draw names or numbers to decide the play order.

Beginning A Game

• Player 1 stands in front of the hook and shoots up to 5 shots.
• If he/she makes it in (say) 3 shots, then 3 shots is the target for other players to tie or beat.
• Player 2 shoots up to 3 times.
• If he/she makes it in 2, this is the new target to beat. If he/she fails to do it in 3 or less, he/she is eliminated.
• Each additional player tries to beat the previous player’s target to avoid being eliminated. 
• If any player rings it in 1 shot, the previous players with 2 points or more are all eliminated.
• The survivor scores a point for winning this round and the game goes to Round 2 with all players back in.

Keeping Score

• Play as long as you like or until you have a clear champion!

Safety

1. Remember to be careful when swinging the ring, particularly around children or animals.
2. Don’t leave the ring hanging loose.  Always return it to the hook after playing.
3. Be warned! Skill levels tend to deteriorate with alcohol consumption, whereas enjoyment tends to improve!