The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-04-11
HAB-ENI-Ii AN.
Game Played by Egyptians I'm Joseph's
Time Adapted to Modern Ideas.

Boston Globe.
Among the paintings on one of the Egyp-
tian tombs is "A repres CREATION of the hab-
eni-han, game of the vase. However it
was originally played, for all that is known
of il is the picture and its name, ii can be
played in way to delight nineteenth CEN
fury children fully as much as il ever could
have done the ancient egyptians.
To play the game ii. is necessary, first,
to make the target. To do this take a
less; wrapping paper will do very well, or
even an old newspaper, and draw upon II
with common writing ink twelve concentric
circles at equal distances apart This can
be done by driving IA tack or large pin in
the center of the paper, tying a string to
the tack and soft lead pencil to the other
end OF the string.
When you have thus drawn the twelve
circles. you can go over the pencil lines
with ink and number the spaces between
the lines; tack your paper to a drawing
board, bread board or any fiat wooden sur
face. and your target is complete.
Let each player furnish himself with a
dozen pins thrust through bits of card
board or paper, upon each of which is writ
ten a number or initial different from those
of the other players, and also with cata-
puIt blow gun small bow and arrow a
dart Standing off at whatever distance
is agreed on from the target. each player
in turn discharges whatever missile Is used
in the game at the target, and he sets one
of his pins in the circle he strikes. If he
hits one of the black lines he loses his turn;
but if he does not strike the target at all
he is out of the game.
After the first shot a player can either
remove a pin already placed into the cir
Gle he has last struck. or set another OF his
pins in il, or counting from where any one
of his pins are stuck, can move that pin as
many circles toward the center as is indi-
Gated by the number of the circle he has a
center but leaves something over, he can
use the remainder to place new pin or
carry another forward.
If, while one player has one pin in a
circle, another player can place two pins
in the same circle. the latter captures the
pin already there and removes it. If, how
ever a player strikes q circle already occu-
pied by two pins ne does not lose his, I'M
less third pin other than his own can be
stuck in the same circle.
side to the center. The game consists in
a specified number of points, generally from
% to 50. if two are playing. or more; accord
gagged in the game. When one of the play
ers has no more pins on the target the
Each PLAYER counts the number of his
pins which have reached the center and
the number of pins he mas captured, and
he who has most adds TO MS the number
of pins left in the target
1t is quite an exciting little game when
two players have each n pin in the same
ring and each pin is getting nearer the
center. The apprehension and interest in
creases with the danger that. having so
many pins behind, one or the other pins
may by lucky shot capture his.
The aim of the player is three-fold; to
protect his pins by getting more than one
in the same circle, 10 gradually win his
way toward the center and to be constantly
on the alert to take his opponents pins.
As the taking of one OF the pins counts
for as much as getting one of his own
home. it is advisable to use every endeavor
to capture the enemy'S pieces. and this Is
done by keeping his pins behind them, SO
as to be able to take any advantage that
may offer.
The game can be played on table by
using dice or teetotum instead of arrows.
darts or anything of the sort, but played
i'm this way the element of chance takes
the place largely of that of skill and makes
it less interesting-at least to young folks.
IT is possible, however, that this was the
manner in which the game was originally
played thousands of years ago. when Jo-
seph was prime minister in the land Of
Egypt.