Embedded Funmaker Chris Saeger writes:

"Over the weekend we had a picnic for the ISPI Potomac Chapter. They wanted some kind of game to play so Becky and I thought we would try a version of giant pick-up sticks.

"We used twenty 1 inch x 10 ft. pvc pipe and colored tape on the ends. A little bendy but very light weight and they could fit in the car :-)

"We played teams, but we couldn't remember the rules about scoring so just had each one worth the same points. You only got to get one stick at a time. (this we called European union rules) Then a twelve year old who was playing, suggested that if you picked up a yellow stick you got to go for one more on that turn. (this was dubbed French rules) We played French rules. He also informed me that these were by no means the biggest pick up sticks. He had read about much bigger ones in the Guinness book of records. (he was right)"

You can read about the "gianter" game of Pick-Up Sticks, Guinness-Record-Making here. Ask me, those sticks, PVC or not, look dangerous!

Chris and Becky, by the way, are both colleagues from the much-revered NASAGA (North American Simulation and Gaming Association), who'll be having their deeply playworthy conference this year in October, in New Hampshire (should be beautiful there and then).

For even more Giant Pick-Up Sticks Stories, see this.