International Rules of Tiddlywinks • around 1967–1968

Original Content, Unamended

THE INTERNATIONAL RULES OF TIDDLYWINKS

International Federation of Tiddlywinks Association
Secretary-General : Nigel Shepherd, 18 Meadow Bank, Timperley, Altrincham, Cheshire, England

ENGLISH TIDDLYWINKS ASSOCIATION
Secretary:  Patrick F. Bonham
98 Dale View Crescent, Chingford, London, E.4.

SCOTTISH TIDDLYWINKS ASSOCIATION
Secretary: Martin J. O’Shea
Students’ Union, Broad Street, Aberdeen

WELSH TIDDLYWINKS ASSOCIATION
Secretary: Allen R. Astles
Neuadd Ceredigion, University College of Wales, Aberystwyth

▦

THE OFFICIAL WINKS, POTS AND MATS FOR I.F.Tw.A. TIDDLYWINKS ARE SUPPLIED BY MARCHANT GAMES LTD., LOUGHTON, ESSEX, ENGLAND

THE RULES OF TIDDLYWINKS

1. TIDDLYWINKS is a game for 4 players, those who play opposite each other being partners. The aim of the game is to flick the winks into the pot.
2. THE MAT should have a surface of a felt-like, non-pile structure, e.g. blanket, carpet, or rug, large enough to permit the winks to be placed 3 feet from the pot. Where possible, matches should be played on felt mats measuring 2 yards by 1 yard. Authorised felt mats are available from the official manufacturers. The surface on which the mat is placed should be hard, smooth and horizontal. Visiting captains are entitled to refuse to play on tables only if the table surface measures less than 2 yards by 1 yard. The base lines, to be marked at each corner of the mat, are straight lines crossing the mat’s diagonals at right angles 3 feet from their mid-point.
3. THE POT should be 1½ in. high, with a top diameter of 1⅞ in. It is placed at the centre of the mat. Nothing may be allowed inside the pot other than potted winks, and potted winks may not be removed from the pot.
4. THE WINKS. Each player plays with 6 counters, called winks:
   2 large ones, thickness ³⁄₃₂ in., diameter ⅞ in.
   4 small ones, thickness ¹⁄₁₆ in., diameter ⅝ in.
   A circular plastic counter, between 1 and 2 inches in diameter, should be used to flick the winks, and is called a “squidger”.
5. THE SCORE.
   The first player to pot all his winks scores 4 points.
   The second player to pot all his winks scores 2 points.
   The third player to pot all his winks scores 1 point.
   The fourth player does not score.
   Partners add their scores together. If the game has been won by “potting out” (see para. 10) one point is transferred from the losing pair to the winning pair.
6. SQUIDGE-OFF. Initially, each player puts the 6 winks of one colour behind his base line, and squidges one of them towards the pot. These winks are replaced behind the base lines, and the player whose wink was nearest the pot has first squidge into play. Should there be a tie those concerned have a re-squidge.
7. PLAY proceeds in a clockwise direction. Each player may play only his winks and has one shot per turn, with an extra shot for for each of his own winks that he pots in that turn. A wink is deemed to be potted only when it has come to rest in the pot, or balanced on the rim. Potted winks are replaced if knocked out by another wink. If a wink comes to rest leaning against the pot it is moved down to lie flat, just touching the pot, even if this results in it squopping another wink.
8. BOUNDARIES. The base lines and the edges of the mat are the mat’s boundaries. If at any time a player squidges one or more winks over or onto a boundary (or so near the edge as to be unplayable) they are immediately replaced into play a large wink’s width in from the boundary, near the point of departure. If one or more of these are the player’s own winks, he misses his next turn. No winks crossing a boundary in the same shot may be replaced nearer than 4 inches apart.
9. SQUOPPING. (a) Any wink or winks covered, however slightly, by another wink may not be played. The act of covering another wink is called “squopping.”

   (b) In a pile of two or more winks, the squidger must first touch only the player’s uncovered wink, and a short continuous stroke must be made. During the stroke the squidger may also touch only those winks vertically below the wink first played. When this shot frees some or all of the squopped winks it is known as “desquopping”.
   
   (c) When all the remaining winks of one pair are squopped, the opposing pair counts its free winks (neither squopping nor squopped) in play, and has the same number of free turns. If one member has no playable winks the free turns are all taken by the other member, otherwise they are shared between the two players in normal rotation. The next shot must free one of the opponent’s winks. If it does not, the squopping wink must be moved aside to allow the opponent to play. If in freeing the opponent’s wink the player pots it, he must move another wink aside, if necessary one of his partner’s. If a squopped opponent is freed during the free turns, they cease at once. A squopped opponent whose wink has been freed during or after the free turns must be allowed at least one turn before being squopped again.

10. POTTING OUT. The first player to pot all his winks is said to have “potted out”. When this occurs, squopping ceases to have any effect, and all squopped winks are immediately uncovered, as are any which may subsequently become squopped. This uncovering is done by moving aside the squopping wink, always at the same distance from the pot, until it no longer squops any wink. On potting out, all further restrictions on the duration of the game (see below) cease.
11. THE TIME LIMIT. It is suggested that a Time Limit of about 20 minutes per game be imposed. If and when this expires, play continues until the player who won the squidge-off has had his turn. Five complete rounds of turns are then played. If after these rounds the game is still undecided, it is adjudicated as follows:
    Each player receives 3 time-limit-points for each of his winks in the pot, and 1 for each wink in play not squopped. Players total these points individually. The player with the highest total then receives 4 points, the next 2, the third 1, and the lowest none, and partners add their scores together, as in paragraph 5. In the event of a tie, each player receives the appropriate average score.
12. DISTURBANCE OF WINKS. Any winks disturbed accidentally, e.g. by the follow-through of a shot or by bodily contact, should be replaced in their former positions. If a wink in motion is accidentally obstructed, it is replaced in a mutually agreed position and the next player continues with his turn. If a foul shot is committed, the opponents of the player have the option of making the player play again, or leaving the winks as they stand. A wink may be turned over unless it is squoppingorsquopped but otherwise if a player deliberately interferes with any wink in play, or impedes his opponent, the game ceases and the opponents receive all 7 points.
13. MATCH PROCEDURE. A Tiddlywinks team normally consists of 4 pairs of players. Each pair plays one game against each pair of the opposing team, making 16 games in all. The winning team is the one which scores most points (not necessarily the one which wins most games).

E.Tw.A. RECORDS

1. ACCURACY RECORD. Twelve small winks are placed 3 feet from the pot, and the number of shots is counted which the player takes to pot all 12 winks. The winks may be played in any order. (23 shots).
2. SPEED RECORD. Twenty-four small winks are placed 1 foot 6 inches from the pot and must be potted in the shortest possible time. (26.5 seconds).
3. FOUR POT RELAY. Four pots are placed on the mat at one foot intervals. There is one player for each pot, and each player may only aim into his own pot. Twelve small winks are placed 1 foot 3 inches away from the first pot, and when the signal is given to start, the first player begins to pot his winks as quickly as possible. As soon as a wink is in the first pot, the second player takes it, places, it 1 foot from the second pot and plays in his turn. So on all down the line, right to the last pot, the aim being to get as many winks as possible into the last pot within a time limit of 3 minutes. As soon as the last wink is in the fourth pot, the first player starts again with another 12 winks. (24 winks).
   

(Full details of any claims to the equalling or breaking of any of the above records should be sent to the Secretary of E.Tw.A. as soon as possible. Claims can be considered from bona fide club members, performed with official equipment throughout, and witnessed by at least 4 people of whom at least one must be an officer of the club(s) in question.)

The Amendment Stapled Inside the Front Cover

Amendments to I.F.Tw.A. Rule Booklet

Front inside cover:

Alter Secretary of E.Tw.A. to:

M. A. C. Relle,
2 Denmark Road, Cottenham, Cambridge

Alter Secretary of S.Tw.A. to:

Lee Cousins (address unchanged)

Alter Secretary of W.Tw.A. to:

A. R. Astles, c/o 152 Moss Lane, Timperley, Altrincham, Ches.

Add: North American Tw.A.

Secretary: Michael Gottesman 16 Mellen Street, Cambridge, Mass. 02138. U.S.A.

Add: Irish Tw.A.

Secretary: Michael Baker 7 Carnvue Avenue, Carnmoney, Newtownabbey, N.l.

Add: under Marchant Games Ltd.

Set of Pot, Squidgers, Winks and Rules 5/6d post free.
Playing Surface. 30/- each post free.

Rule 8

Read ‘Shot’ for ‘Turn’ and add at the end ‘and no Wink may be replaced on top of another wink’.

Rule 9 (c)

From line 10 read as follows:

… if necessary one of his partner’s. A squopped pair whose Wink or Winks have thus been freed, must be allowed at least one shot taken by the opponent next in turn before being squopped again. If a squopped opponent is freed during the free turns, they cease at once.

Back inside cover.

For E.Tw.A. at heading and at Rule 3 read: I.F.Tiddlywinks.A. 

The Rules with Changes Per the Amendment

THE INTERNATIONAL RULES OF TIDDLYWINKS

International Federation of Tiddlywinks Association
Secretary-General : Nigel Shepherd, 18 Meadow Bank, Timperley, Altrincham, Cheshire, England

ENGLISH TIDDLYWINKS ASSOCIATION
Secretary:  Patrick F. Bonham
98 Dale View Crescent, Chingford, London, E.4.
M. A. C. Relle,
2 Denmark Road, Cottenham, Cambridge

SCOTTISH TIDDLYWINKS ASSOCIATION
Secretary: Martin J. O’Shea
Students’ Union, Broad Street, Aberdeen
Lee Cousins
(address unchanged)

WELSH TIDDLYWINKS ASSOCIATION
Secretary: AllenA. R. Astles
Neuadd Ceredigion, University College of Wales, Aberystwyth
c/o 152 Moss Lane, Timperley, Altrincham, Ches.

North American Tw.A.
Secretary: Michael Gottesman 16 Mellen Street, Cambridge, Mass. 02138. U.S.A.

Irish Tw.A.
Secretary: Michael Baker 7 Carnvue Avenue, Carnmoney, Newtownabbey, N.I.

▦

THE OFFICIAL WINKS, POTS AND MATS FOR I.F.Tw.A. TIDDLYWINKS ARE SUPPLIED BY MARCHANT GAMES LTD., LOUGHTON, ESSEX, ENGLAND
Set of Pot, Squidgers, Winks and Rules 5/6d post free.
Playing Surface. 30/- each post free.

THE RULES OF TIDDLYWINKS

1. TIDDLYWINKS is a game for 4 players, those who play opposite each other being partners. The aim of the game is to flick the winks into the pot.
2. THE MAT should have a surface of a felt-like, non-pile structure, e.g. blanket, carpet, or rug, large enough to permit the winks to be placed 3 feet from the pot. Where possible, matches should be played on felt mats measuring 2 yards by 1 yard. Authorised felt mats are available from the official manufacturers. The surface on which the mat is placed should be hard, smooth and horizontal. Visiting captains are entitled to refuse to play on tables only if the table surface measures less than 2 yards by 1 yard. The base lines, to be marked at each corner of the mat, are straight lines crossing the mat’s diagonals at right angles 3 feet from their mid-point.
3. THE POT should be 1½ in. high, with a top diameter of 1⅞ in. It is placed at the centre of the mat. Nothing may be allowed inside the pot other than potted winks, and potted winks may not be removed from the pot.
4. THE WINKS. Each player plays with 6 counters, called winks:
   2 large ones, thickness ³⁄₃₂ in., diameter ⅞ in.
   4 small ones, thickness ¹⁄₁₆ in., diameter ⅝ in.
   A circular plastic counter, between 1 and 2 inches in diameter, should be used to flick the winks, and is called a “squidger”.
5. THE SCORE.
   The first player to pot all his winks scores 4 points.
   The second player to pot all his winks scores 2 points.
   The third player to pot all his winks scores 1 point.
   The fourth player does not score.
   Partners add their scores together. If the game has been won by “potting out” (see para. 10) one point is transferred from the losing pair to the winning pair.
6. SQUIDGE-OFF. Initially, each player puts the 6 winks of one colour behind his base line, and squidges one of them towards the pot. These winks are replaced behind the base lines, and the player whose wink was nearest the pot has first squidge into play. Should there be a tie those concerned have a re-squidge.
7. PLAY proceeds in a clockwise direction. Each player may play only his winks and has one shot per turn, with an extra shot for for each of his own winks that he pots in that turn. A wink is deemed to be potted only when it has come to rest in the pot, or balanced on the rim. Potted winks are replaced if knocked out by another wink. If a wink comes to rest leaning against the pot it is moved down to lie flat, just touching the pot, even if this results in it squopping another wink.
8. BOUNDARIES. The base lines and the edges of the mat are the mat’s boundaries. If at any time a player squidges one or more winks over or onto a boundary (or so near the edge as to be unplayable) they are immediately replaced into play a large wink’s width in from the boundary, near the point of departure. If one or more of these are the player’s own winks, he misses his next turnshot. No winks crossing a boundary in the same shot may be replaced nearer than 4 inches apart and no wink may be replaced on top of another wink.
9. SQUOPPING. (a) Any wink or winks covered, however slightly, by another wink may not be played. The act of covering another wink is called “squopping.”

   (b) In a pile of two or more winks, the squidger must first touch only the player’s uncovered wink, and a short continuous stroke must be made. During the stroke the squidger may also touch only those winks vertically below the wink first played. When this shot frees some or all of the squopped winks it is known as “desquopping”.
   
   (c) When all the remaining winks of one pair are squopped, the opposing pair counts its free winks (neither squopping nor squopped) in play, and has the same number of free turns. If one member has no playable winks the free turns are all taken by the other member, otherwise they are shared between the two players in normal rotation. The next shot must free one of the opponent’s winks. If it does not, the squopping wink must be moved aside to allow the opponent to play. If in freeing the opponent’s wink the player pots it, he must move another wink aside, if necessary one of his partner’s. If a squopped opponent is freed during the free turns, they cease at once. A squopped opponent whose wink has been freed during or after the free turns must be allowed at least one turn before being squopped again. A squopped pair whose wink or winks have thus been freed, must be allowed at least one shot taken by the opponent next in turn before being squopped again. If a squopped opponent is freed during the free turns, they cease at once.
   

10. POTTING OUT. The first player to pot all his winks is said to have “potted out”. When this occurs, squopping ceases to have any effect, and all squopped winks are immediately uncovered, as are any which may subsequently become squopped. This uncovering is done by moving aside the squopping wink, always at the same distance from the pot, until it no longer squops any wink. On potting out, all further restrictions on the duration of the game (see below) cease.

E.Tw.A.I.F.Tw.A. RECORDS

1. ACCURACY RECORD. Twelve small winks are placed 3 feet from the pot, and the number of shots is counted which the player takes to pot all 12 winks. The winks may be played in any order. (23 shots).
2. SPEED RECORD. Twenty-four small winks are placed 1 foot 6 inches from the pot and must be potted in the shortest possible time. (26.5 seconds).
3. FOUR POT RELAY. Four pots are placed on the mat at one foot intervals. There is one player for each pot, and each player may only aim into his own pot. Twelve small winks are placed 1 foot 3 inches away from the first pot, and when the signal is given to start, the first player begins to pot his winks as quickly as possible. As soon as a wink is in the first pot, the second player takes it, places, it 1 foot from the second pot and plays in his turn. So on all down the line, right to the last pot, the aim being to get as many winks as possible into the last pot within a time limit of 3 minutes. As soon as the last wink is in the fourth pot, the first player starts again with another 12 winks. (24 winks).
   

(Full details of any claims to the equalling or breaking of any of the above records should be sent to the Secretary of E.Tw.A.I.F.Tw.A. as soon as possible. Claims can be considered from bona fide club members, performed with official equipment throughout, and witnessed by at least 4 people of whom at least one must be an officer of the club(s) in question.)