Kasti: Traditional Filipino Game Rules and History

Kasti: A Traditional Filipino Game

History

• Originated in the Philippines, with roots dating back to the Spanish colonial era
• Also known as "palo sebo" or "katchi"
• Popular in rural areas, particularly in the Visayas region

Scoring

• Points are scored when a player successfully lands a throw on the opponent's kasti stone
• A player earns 1 point for each stone they knock out
• The game continues until all stones are knocked out or a designated time limit is reached
• The player or team with the most points wins

Equipment

• Kasti stones: small, usually made of clay or stone, with a flat surface
• Playing area: a rectangular court, typically 10-15 meters long and 5-7 meters wide
• Players use their hands or a throwing instrument (e.g., a piece of bamboo) to throw the stones

Tactics

• Players can use different throwing techniques, such as underhand or overhand throws
• Defensive strategies include blocking opponents' throws or distracting them during their turn
• Teams can employ tactics like "screening" to block opponents' views or "fake throws" to deceive opponents

Rules

• The game starts with a coin toss to determine which team goes first
• Players take turns throwing the kasti stone, with each player getting three chances to knock out an opponent's stone
• If a player fails to knock out an opponent's stone, their turn ends and the next player goes
• A player can only hold one stone at a time; if they catch an opponent's stone, they earn a bonus throw