the NCLA blog

OK! I’ve been asked, “what’s that game we played at Focus?” I mean, really, how could you forget? FARKEL!

I’ve been playing this game for over 10 years. It’s so simple, its almost stupid; except, it brings out so much laughter and hilarity, you have to have it.

If you perform an internet search with the keyword farkel, you will certainly get several versions of the game. The game Farkel was derived from the Farkleberry tree, a small tree native to Texas. When the early settlers came to Texas, they discovered the Farkleberry would harden as they dried. The settlers carved these berries into the shape of dice so that they might play games. Thus, the game Farkel got its name. Some have even called the game Farkleberry, though I doubt that the name ever caught on. While there seems to be several stories about the origin of the game and as many rules, the game is fun and easy to play. Incidentally, there is no such thing as “official rules” for the Farkel game, since it was handed down from one generation to another over the years. Our family, as well as our extended family and many friends, have enjoyed this game for many years. The big winner usually is dubbed the “Farkel King/Queen.” But there is one version, the version we’ve played, that seems to be the “marketed” version. They call it “The Original Pocket Farkel” a game of guts and luck.

I’m proud to announce that “Farkel” has been named the official game for FOCUS. That being the case, I want to encourage you to practice and get your game on before you arrive at FOCUS in April. And in the mean time, you can use this game at your next children’s team outing or other fellowship function. If you can get people to try it, it will be a hit.

For more information about The Original Pocket Farkel click here.