Hul Gul - An Old Dutch Button Game

A guessing, counting, indoor game that is fun to play and easy to learn.

Jul 26, 2006

Need a simple game for those hot afternoons trapped inside? Hul Gul is an old Dutch game that children played with buttons. No special board or game pieces are needed.

Hul Gul is a simple game and requires no board or special cards or game pieces--just hands and buttons.

When Dutch children played Hul Gul they used buttons because they were available. Now before you go cutting mom's coat buttons off to play this game,let me tell you that it can be played with buttons, coins, pebbles, dry beans, plastic disks or just about any items small enough to hold in one hand.

So to start round up ten small things for each player. You won't need a board, dice, cards or anything else.

The first player puts part of the ten buttonss in one closed hand, then he holds out his closed fist toward the other player who says "Hul Gul."

The first player answers "Hands full" The second player must attempt to guess how many of the ten buttons the first is holding in his closed hand.

Butif he guesses too many, he must give the first player enough of his own buttons to equal his guess. For example if he guesses ten and there were only six, he would give the first player four of his own buttons.

If his guess is too low he must give half of his own buttons to the first player.

Keep playing until one player runs out. Then the player with the most buttons wins.

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