La Pirinola – A Game of Chance – How It Is Played?

Rosario Contreras Vicente from Mexico

La Pirinola has been a very popular game in Mexico for a long time. I play it every year with my family after the Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead festival.

Number of players

Two or more players are needed to play this game. They should be five years old or older.

What you need:

pirinola

You need a pirinola. 

It is like a small top with six sides. There is a direction on each side. Traditional pirinolas were made of wood, but today they are usually made of plastic. You also need some nuts or coins.

How the game is played

All the players put a nut or a coin in the middle. Then the players take turns. They hold the top of the pirinola with their fingers and spin it.

Then they has to take or put down the number of nuts or coins indicated on the pirinola: Pon 1 (place 1), Pon 2 (place 2), Toma 1 (take 1), Toma 2 (take 2), Toma todo (take everything)At the end of the game, the player who has the most nuts or coins wins.