Marble_Go_Team

Okay I now see that detail in your rules (Sec IV, p.3) that I haven't found before about that laying in a hole. Not only can a player click on the marble, they can span in [leaning against it] with their extra shot. I didn't realize multiple players can technically be "in" a hole at the same time (the one laying in, and the one spanning in). Thanks!! How deep are the holes at Standing Stone?

Clarifying questions on rules I can't seem to uncover in clarity anywhere: If a player has made a hole, can they strategically stay in that hole for several turns and defer their turns/shots to their partner, effectively "protecting" that hole from opponents for a period of time whilst their partner plays for other holes? If yes, can an opponent hit that marble in the hole (glancing it so-to-speak, but likely to stay in the hole) and ride that to get another shot towards the hole they're for? I know that would be rare, but I've come up with a few scenarios where I wondered. If you span, do you have to shoot? Or can you span and then defer the turn over to your partner? I'm fairly certain you have to shoot if you take a span, but I do want clarification. BTW, @RolleyHoleMan you said you taught with quarters indoors. We reduced our scoreline loops to 2" or so that that's been better than the 4", but then we've been experimenting (with success) using split rings (key ring things).

Really great. A meaningful channel name close to my heart coming from the start of the CT down here in Chattanooga and a lifelong backpacker.

Fantastic, detailed response! Thanks! I get the best aim without a major pull right or left from 3/4" with medium/large hands, but have zero experience with flint marbles and wouldn't know if a .78 - .8 would be better since all glass marbles are standardized (for the most part). Hoping I can pick some up for myself and my kids in September. I guess they're relatively non-existent outside the Clay County pocket, because I can't find them anywhere.

Question. What is the typical size for the flint marbles used traditionally in Rolley Hole?

I think I remember a more modern version of this from the 90s. Love the call to action to send 25c and self addressed envelope for the solution. Guess that was the only way in ‘75.

Yeah, great point. I'm trying to find a balance with the loop size. I want to keep the spirit of the holes as a target; that's why I didn't use knots where a player just spans in to a knot on the scoreline. But at the same time, a 10' scoreline in the kit brings the game from a 30' length between top and bottom hole to around 8'. An added dynamic is that marble has to have enough momentum to roll over the cord and stop, but not too far and overshoot. Since it's a compact adaptation at 8', I augmented some rules as a compromise such as disallowing 'spanning in' – a player can span close, but has to make the shot in. Another modification is disallowing spanning toward the next hole a player is for – instead span perpendicular or away from the next hole. Players on the compact course also won't have a huge yard (think a carpeted room for example), so I'm hoping common etiquette will come in to the mix (like over-blasting an opponent and risking breaking their marbles)...Marble Go kits advise using glass marbles because they're ubiquitous. Not sure that flint is all that accessible. Anyhow, perhaps a suggested 2"-4" loop would suffice and allow house rules to prevail. I might make it up to the 42nd tourney in September if I can get a camping spot; might be sold out by now. It's only a couple hours away.

NMT just finished it's 102nd a few weeks ago. 102!!!!!!...that's wild (in Wildwood, lol).

These look great!

Okay... I've adapted Rolley Hole for a Marble Go kit. Found good success and interest amongst my testers. Hoping that folks who don't have access to a Marble Yard for traditional Rolley Hole can still discover the game and give it a go in their own space. Let's keep the tradition and marble playing alive! I don't want to link offsite so as to respect Marble Connection and the community here. So, anyone interested can find it on our blog.

100%, that's really cool to see. Hope the song can be digitized.

Tons of research resulted in distilling it wayyyyyy down so that a person's interest didn't capsize by a wave of rules. Though, I do appreciate the broad idea of archives and governing lists of exhaustive rules (of course, varying from community to community). The sentiment of historic preservation is important. I've considered carving out an area in Marble Go to act as an archive or library for these so they're not solely scattered in a multitude of internet corners that are difficult to find. But that project would require time and proper bibliography so as to not claim 'authority' on the rules, but rather act as a resource. E.g. publish multiple gameplay rulesets under the same name of a game – choose your own adventure style.

Thinking about that table a bit more, I suppose a person would have to "span" a hand if they were too close to that padded perimeter, lest they be unable to knuckle down. Does spanning exist in other marble games outside Rolley Hole? Does it go by a different term? I see Golden Cross being played on this; but it doesn't look like a 6' diameter. Anyone have ideas on other games it would have been used for? Felt top? And that boundary cavity! Brilliant. I see that drawer. Just like a paid billiard table sending the cue ball down a slot to collect.

It would be great having a marble table! Put it alongside the ping pong table and pool table.

Been having a lot of fun with the a new variation of Knock Out, cousin to Ringer.