Being a traditional pub game without any national governing body, variations of equipment and rules abound. Where there is doubt, locally played rules should always apply.Note: 1 inch = 2.54cm. 1 foot = 12 inches.
Toad in the Hole
Equipment
The table for Toad in the Hole is about 15 inches across and 24 inches long. The playing surface slopes towards the players who stand behind a line 8 feet from the front of the board. In the centre of the table is a hole of about 2 inches in diameter through which the toads can fall. Each of the four toads is about one & a quarter inch in diameter and is traditionally made from brass although other materials such as hardwood or rubber can be used. It is thought that the disks were originally King George III cartwheel pennies.Scoring can be recorded in any fashion. Often a chalkboard is used for scoring and some Toad tables have such a scoring board as part of their backdrop. Otherwise the use of a cribbage board is recommended since cribbage boards are both traditional and practical.
The Play
A coin is tossed to decide who throws first. The first player throws two toads, the second three toads and thereafter, four toads are thrown each turn.1 point is scored for each toad lying completely flat on the surface of the table and 2 points for each toad in the hole.Any toad which hits the back board or falls to the floor does not score. However, such a dead toad can influence the score of another toad – e.g. by knocking it into the hole to increase its score or by knocking it into the back or off the table to so that it doesn't score.A good strategy is to land the toad flat just in front of the hole so that it slides in rather than aiming directly for the target. Really good players can land it just behind the hole so that it digs into the lead and falls back into the hole.The winner is the first player to score exactly 31 points. If a player scores more than 31, they are bust and there is no score for that turn.Once the score required to win is three or less, a player may only play as many toads, in his turn, as points required. So if 2 points are required to win at the start of the turn, only 2 toads should be thrown for that turn.
Pitch Penny
Description
More than most pub games, variations on Pitch Penny abound. Also known as the Penny Game, Penny Seat, Penny Slot, Tossing the Penny or Penny in the Hole, Pitch Penny is normally played with old 18th century George II pennies which, these days, are a rare commodity. However, substitute coins or disks can be used instead if desired. The target area is usually a hole with a diameter of around 2 inches although semicircles of diameter 4 inches are also played. The hole is normally sunk into the top of an old seat, bench, table, chest, settle, stool or whatever surface suits the pub and would lie 2 or 3 inches in front of the back of the said furniture allowing a shot to rebound in from the back. Because repeated penny landings chip away at wood gradually rendering it unfit for the game let alone it's original purpose, sometimes leather or hardwood is laid around the hole. The throwing pitch is likewise also chosen to match the size and layout of the available space - perhaps the throwing line will be a doorway or maybe one foot must remain within the fireplace hearth while throwing. A typical throwing distance is around 7 feet..
The Play - Version 1
Between 6 and 13 pennies are used, depending upon the pub. In the simpler game, usually played in pubs that throw 10 pennies or less, it's simply a question of a player throwing all the coins one after the other and then scoring the number that finish in the hole. A typical match played by these rules would feature 2 teams of players playing the best of 5 legs. Each player in the team throws all the coins and the team who's combined scores are the greatest wins the leg. In the event of a tie, the most common method to decide the game is for the last member of each team to throw 3 pennies more apiece.The Play - Version 2
In this version, a player begins by throwing all the pennies. The number of pennies which did not finish in the hole are counted and then the player throws that number of coins next go, continuing until one of the players wins by throwing all the pennies for that turn into the hole. This game can be more fun because as the pennies, get less, the turns get shorter and the game thus tends to finish with in a climactic rush. If Pitch Penny is played in a pub, the local rules always should apply but if the game is played privately, Masters Games recommends playing Pitch Penny version 2 with 12 pennies.
These rules are provided by Masters Traditional Games, an Internet shop selling quality traditional games, pub games and unusual games. For general information or for copying and copyright, see our Rules Information page.
Our rules are comprehensive instructions for friendly play. If in doubt, always abide by locally-played or house rules.
Copyright James Masters, 2024. All rights reserved.
FAQs
The first player throws two toads, the second three toads and thereafter, four toads are thrown each turn. 1 point is scored for each toad lying completely flat on the surface of the table and 2 points for each toad in the hole. Any toad which hits the back board or falls to the floor does not score.
What is the distance for the toad game? ›
As a more refined version of the coin-throwing game Pitch Penny, it involves tossing four brass coins or 'toads' at a square lead-topped wooden table with a hole in the middle, from a distance of about 8 feet, often from the oche used in darts.
What is the lead in the toad in the hole? ›
Lead is a soft metal and as with all genuiine toad tables, the lead will gradually deform and be warped by the Toad coins over time (this is all part of the fun - every toad table ends up with its own character). It will be necessary eventually to reform the lead either with a hammer or by hand.
What is the toad in the hole pub game? ›
For the uninitiated, Toad is a pub game native to Sussex that basically involves lobbing a brass token (the Toad) into a hole from a set distance on a lead topped table. Played individually or in teams, it's a test of skill and accuracy both of which are obviously improved by a few beers.
How to play pitching pennies? ›
Pitching pennies is a game played with coins. Players take turns to throw a coin at a wall, from some distance away, and the coin which lands closest to the wall is the winner. In Britain the game is also known as pap or penny up, and it is referred to as pitch-and-toss in Rudyard Kipling's poem If—.
Why does toad in the hole not rise? ›
Getting your Yorkshires to rise:
Toad in the Hole needs a hot dish with plenty of oil. Using a metal baking tin and adding the batter quickly is recommended. Also, the dish needs to be large enough so that the batter can creep around the edges (at least 30cm x 25cm ideally).
How to throw a toad in the hole? ›
The game itself involves throwing four brass coins or "toads" from the same distance as a dart board, to a square toad table, made of wooden legs and with a lead surface. If a toad goes down the hole it scores two points, or if it lands on the top it scores one point.
Can you play Captain Toad alone? ›
Captain Toad and Toadette must obtain the shiny crown in each course, all of which can be played alone or with a second player!
Where did the game toad in the hole come from? ›
The pub game originated around East Sussex, where the annual tournament is played in the Town Hall in Lewes. How do you play Toad in the Hole? The objective is to land your toads (or brass coins) flat on the surface of a 'toads table' or in the hole of the table to earn points.
What is a fun fact about toad in the hole? ›
Toad in the hole was originally created as a way to stretch out meat in poor households. Chefs therefore suggested using the cheapest meats in this dish. In 1747, for example, Hannah Glasse's The Art of Cookery listed a recipe for "pigeon in a hole", calling for pigeon rather than sausages.
The most commonly accepted explanation for its name is that the sausages resemble toads peeking from a crevice made of crisp batter.
What do Americans call toad in the hole? ›
Egg in a Basket features an egg fried in the hole of a buttery slice of bread. The dish goes by several other names as well; Americans sometimes call it Toad in the Hole, but that title more properly refers to the traditional English dish of Yorkshire pudding with sausage and onion gravy.
What do you drink with toad in the hole? ›
Sweet, ripe cabernet and cab-shiraz blends would be ideal, as would quaffable Chilean merlot or carmenère, for example.
What is the pub game with pennies? ›
Penny in the hole (also called penny seat, penny slot, tossing the penny, and pitch penny) is a pub game. It involves throwing coins across the room and into a hole carved in the seat of a wooden bench.
What is the Aunt Sally game? ›
Aunt Sally is a traditional English game usually played in pub gardens and fairgrounds, in which players throw sticks or battens at a ball, known as a 'dolly', balanced on top of a stick; traditionally, a model of an old woman's head was sometimes used.
Why is toad in the hole called what it is? ›
Despite popular belief, there is no record of the dish ever being made with toad. The origin of the name is unclear, but it may refer to the way toads wait for their prey in their burrows, with their heads poking out, just as sausages peep through the batter.
What are the rules for the Ringo board game? ›
The playing field consists of eight rings: four red and four blue. On a turn, the active player places a disc of their color in any ring, then moves the ring to a position adjacent to another ring. Whoever first creates a row of four discs or four rings in their color wins!
What starter goes with toad in the hole? ›
The best side dishes to serve with toad in the hole are onion gravy, mozzarella sticks, mashed potatoes, blooming onion, buttered peas, roasted root vegetables, steamed broccoli, cauliflower cheese, creamed corn, colcannon, horseradish sauce, and braised red cabbage.
