How to Play

Fork Quarters is a gentle person’s game. It is played with readily available materials. The required materials are:

Four forks
A round table
Four glasses
Four beverages
Two quarters

Overview

The game is played with two quarters, four people, four forks, and passion. The goal of the game is to roll quarters into your partner’s fork tines.

Game Setup

The four players sit on the four sides of a round table. Four pint glasses are situated in a square in the middle of the table, a fork’s length apart. Each player holds one fork upside down.

Each player may select the fork they want. If there is a conflict during fork selection the two players that want the same fork must mirror each other.

Twist Off

To decide which team rolls first, one player from each time spins a quarter on the call of ‘fly’ on the countdown ‘three, two, one, fly’! Grand Buckingham pioneered tone cadence and energy in which this count down. The team whose quarter remains spinning the longest will begin play at the beginning of the game and at all stoppages of play and will therefore be referred to as Team 1. Any item can be lifted from the table, except the Pillars, as long as they are not moved in an effort to interfere with the other teams’ spinning quarter.

Gameplay

At the beginning of the game or after any stoppage, the Team 1 rolls first. The other team (Team 2) may roll as soon as Team 1’s quarter rolls through the thrower’s Pillars. Each team continues to roll quarters and try to catch them in fork tines until a stoppage of play or the game ends.

If a quarter rolls off the table at any point, a stoppage occurs (it’s a gentle person’s game!). This is typically recognized by any and/or all player slamming their hand into the middle of the pillars. Once the quarter is found and each team’s thrower is ready, play continues with Team 1 rolling first. There is no hard and fast rule about which teammate starts game play.

Drinking rules

A player drinks anytime his or her rolled quarter comes to a stop in the middle of the four Pillars (Area 1). The drinking player continues to drink until their team grabs the fallen quarter and rolls it back at the drinking team member. The drinking play can stop drinking once the quarter passes through the pillars closest the them. If the drinking player is still drinking and catches that rolling quarter that is referred to as a “wet catch”.

If rolling quarters make contact at any point, a “social” occurs. Everyone stops play touches drinks in the middle and takes a drink. This is a stoppage of play therefore Team 1 restarts play.

Scoring

1 point is awarded to a team if on partner catches a rolled quarter from his or her partner.
If an opposing team’s rolling quarters exits the middle through a receiver’s Pillars, that receiver is entitled to catch the rolling quarter. If they succeed (a “hanger-90”) the receiver’s team gains 2 points. The team who rolled this hanger-90 must let the team attempt to catch the quarter before retrieving their quarter. There is no penalty but they have violated the etiquette of the game and should feel shame.

A receiver may attempt to catch a quarter without moving their fork. The fork must be set in position before the thrower’s quarter crosses the thrower’s Pillars. If the receiver catches a quarter in this way from their partner (a “No Hander Lander”) his or her team is awarded 3 points. If a quarter is caught like this from the opposing team (“Free-90”), the receiver’s team gets 4 points. A Free-90 also begets a rare opportunity — the game stops and the receiver of the Free-90 is granted one chance at an “No Hander Lander.” If completed successfully, that team immediately wins the game and their next game.

End of the Game

The game ends as soon as one team reaches 13 points unless the game becomes tied at 12 points. In the case of a 12-12 tie, the game goes “whole hog” - it is played to 21 straight. First team to reach 21 wins there is not a win by 2 rule.

Etiquette

If any ambiguities in the rules are encountered, the outcome should be decided collectively, complying to the ethos of “this is a gentle person’s game”.

Preventing the opposing team from a scoring opportunity is in violation of the etiquette and usually results in shame. Loud good natured heckles and yelling are encouraged. Taunting or harassing which are harmful and unpleasant have no place at the fork quarter table. Players and spectators are expected to stand up to unspirited hurtful speech.

This is a fast moving game with many intricacies. Leeway should be given to new players while they are learning the game. The game should encompass an inclusive lively spirit.

History of the Game:

Fork Quarters was developed in 2013? By Grant Buckingham, Killian Burns, Little Alex, and Jordan “Jo’j” Mirocha . Killian was showing everyone a mini game Get Forked which was on the “Minute to win it” TV game show. Grant though that was STUPID and boring to watch. Then one person started moving the fork to try and catch the rolling quarter. The other two people started doing the same thing on the same table in a cross fire action. This was fun but it needed more structure. There were four pint glasses on the table so we used them as markers, pillars as they are now known, in the center of the table. We created a square and started using this square to develop rules. We played for hours that first night, it was something special.

Glossary of Terms

Dead zone

The region for catching quarters that falls in between two adjacent players, classically a difficult place to complete catches.

Pillars

The four pint glasses that can not be moved with one exception. The pillars may be moved to realign them.

No-hander lander

When the receiving player is not touching the fork and the quarter gets caught in the tines. The fork must be set in position before the thrower’s quarter crosses the thrower’s Pillars.

Hanger-90

If an opposing team’s rolling quarters exits the middle through a receiver’s Pillars, that receiver is entitled to catch the rolling quarter. If they succeed ( “hanger-90”) the receiver’s team gains 2 points. The team who rolled this hanger-90 must let the team attempt to catch the quarter before retrieving their quarter. There is no penalty but they have violated the etiquette of the game and should feel shame.

Free-90

This is the combination of a hanger-90 and no-hander lander. A Free-90 also begets a rare opportunity — the game stops and the receiver of the Free-90 is granted one chance to catch a “No Hander Lander” thrown by their partners. If they compete successfully, that team immediately wins the game and their next game.

Whole hog

The score reaches 12-12 therefore the game must be played to 21.

“Shame”

When a player breaks ethics or etiquette of the game. Examples of this include grabbing a hanger-90 while the opposing team still has a play on the quarter. Moving one of the Pillars and not putting it back.

Wet catch

A quarter caught while drinking.

Mis-Flyer

During the initial twist off one of the quarters goes awry. This could include hitting a glass or flying off the table.

Maximum Mis Flyer or Ghost Fly

This is when attempting a twist off and the quarter doesn’t touch the table at all. Noob.

Forker

Players of the game Fork Quarters.