Great British pub games

Aunt Sally

No, it's not the character from the TV series Worzel Gummidge. Aunt Sally is a traditional British game played in pubs and fairgrounds, involving throwing sticks at a target until it falls over. It was originally played with the figurine head of an old woman called Aunt Sally.

Connect-4

This game is really a more complex version of noughts and crosses. Players compete to be the first to create a line of coloured counters. Connect-4 is now available in giant sizes to enjoy in pub gardens.

Darts

This popular pub game is now a major professional sport and there's no better place to practise than in your local. Rather than the demands of 501 or even 301, amateur dartists have a range of easier challenges to play such as Round the clock. Basically, you have to land anywhere on each of the numbers in turn, from one to 20, finishing on a bullseye or 25.

"I Never..."

An amusing drinking game that encourages secrets to be spilt. Take it in turns to say "I never..." followed by a statement about something you have never done. If anybody has actually done what you describe, they must put money in the centre, buy a drink, take a sip, do a forfeit... the scoring's up to you.

Jenga

The popular wooden stacking—or rather unstacking—game is perfect for the pub. We particularly like the giant-size version. "Giant disco jenga" is a suitably raucous alternative entertainment for pubs and bars.

Marbles

This ancient game has been played in pubs for centuries. Indeed the home of the World Marble Championships is a pub in Tinsley Green, Crawley, West Sussex called The Greyhound.

Pool

The pub classic offers lots of variants which allow more people to play at once. In Killer, for instance, players take it in turns to pot a ball. Each player has three lives; each missed pot costs a life. The winner is the last player left in.

Quoits

This ancient pub game becomes progressively more difficult the more alcohol you consume. It involves tossing a metal or rubber ring over a pin (or hob), with players testing their skills of distance judgement and eye-hand coordination.

Spoof

Each player conceals between zero and three coins in their fist. Each player has to guess the total number of coins held. If anybody has guessed correctly, they drop out and the play continues until only the unlucky loser is left.

Who am I?

Each person is given the name of a famous person on a piece of paper stuck to their forehead or back. They must then ask their friends yes/no questions to figure out who they are.