Gonggi (, ) is a popular Korean children's game that is traditionally played using five or more small grape-sized pebbles. Nowadays, children buy colourful plastic stones instead of finding pebbles. It can be played alone or with friends. The stones are called gonggitdol (). Since only a few stones and a flat surface are needed for play, the game can be played by anyone almost anywhere. An equivalent game also exists in India known as 'gutte'. In Nepal, it is known as 'gatti'. This game is also played in South India especially in Tamilnadu and Kerala. It's called "kallu"(meaning stones). same rules apply only that they play using pebbles. Also known as “5 taş” in Turkey meaning 5 stones.
The game is also called Jjagebatgi in North Gyeongsang Province, Salgu in South Gyeongsang Province, and Datjjakgeoli in South Jeolla Province.
Gameplay
The game generally begins with each player tossing the stones from the palm of their hand into the air. While airborne, the player switches their hand backside up. The gonggi stones are then caught on the back of the hand. The person with the leading amount plays first.
Level 1: The stones are thrown on the playing surface and the player picks a stone to throw up in the air. While airborne, the player picks up one stone on the playing surface. Then, the player catches the stone. These steps are repeated until all the stones have been caught. Level 2: The stones are thrown on the playing surface again. However, at this level, the player picks up the stones two at a time. Level 3: The stones are thrown on the playing surface. The stones are picked up once in a cluster of three, and the other in the amount of one. Level 4: The player throws one stone in the air, places the others on the surface, and catches the airborne stone. Then the player tosses the same stone again, but this time, picks up the four clustered stones on the playing surface and catches the airborne stone. Level 5: The player tosses the stones from the palm of their hand into the air. While airborne, the player switches their hand backside up. The stones are then caught on the back of the hand. Then, the player throws the stones in the air and catches them. The number of stones caught amount to the score. There are various tricks in this phase. Some examples are "The Dragon" and "The Clap–Toss". However, such ostentations are not allowed in official game play.
Very hard various tricks in Level 5
Dragon(In korean,Arirang) While the stones are airborne, the player switches their hand backside up, catches several stones, switches their hand backside down, and catches the stones that are left over. Clap Toss While the stones are airborne, the player claps their hand before catching the stones.
Both “dragon” and “clap-toss” gives the player twice the score; twice the number of stones.
Crisis
The game is called crisis because when a player reaches a certain score, the player has to go through crisis. In Korea, the crisis scores are usually the multiples of 5(5, 10, 15, ... ) or numbers that include 3, 6, or 9(3, 6, 9, 13, 16, 19, 23, 26, 29, 30, ….). When a player reaches a crisis score, the rules become different:
Level 1: The stones are thrown on the playing surface by the player. However, unlike the original game, where the player can choose which stone to throw up first, in crisis, other players choose the first stone for the player. The steps that follow after are the same. While the first stone is airborne, the player picks up another stone on the playing surface. Then, the player catches the stone. These steps are repeated until all the stones get caught. Since other players don’t want the player to earn more points, they choose the stone that is the hardest for the player to carry on. For example, in the first level, if two stones touch each other, other players make sure not to choose either one of the two stones. As a result, the player has to go through a crisis of needing to grab each stone without touching the other stone.