Mikado (game)

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People playing Mikado

Mikado is a pick-up sticks game
originating in Europe, played with a set of
same-length sticks which can measure
between 17 centimetres (6.7 in) and 50
centimetres (20 in).

In 1936, it was brought from Hungary

(where it was called Marokko) to the
United States and named pick-up sticks.
This term is not very specific in respect to
existing stick game variations. The
"Mikado" name may have been avoided
because it was a brand name of a game
producer. The game is named for the
highest scoring (blue) stick "Mikado"
(Emperor of Japan).
Rules

Mikado sticks

Classic Mikado consists of 41 sticks. They

are coded with different values that have a
total of 170 points and are around 15 cm
long.
 Traditional Point Number of
Name Coding
wood type value sticks

Mikado walnut blue 20 pts 1

Mandarin cherry yellow/black, middle wide two narrow 10 pts 5

stripes on the ends

Bonzen (jp.
oak orange, five stripes 5 pts 5
bouzu)

Samurai beech green, three stripes 3 pts 15

Kuli (cn. guli) /

ash red, two stripes 2 pts 15
Worker

The sticks are bundled and taken in one

hand that touches the table or ground. The
release creates a circular jumble. Now the
players take turns, in which one stick after
another should be taken up without
moving or touching others. The take-away
could be by hand, possibly through
pressing on a stick's tip or if one has
already picked up a special stick
(Mikado/Mandarin), it could be used as a
helper, possibly to throw up another stick.

On a fault the turn ends (the last stick

taken is not counted). The next player
bundles and drops the sticks again. After
several rounds, normally five, the one with
the highest score – the total of the values
of the sticks picked up – is the winner.

A player is allowed to stand up on but not

to leave their own place. A bad throw
could be rerun and the rules should be
kept strict in respect to moving sticks to
enjoy the game.
Rule variations
On a player's turn:

the sticks are rebundled and dropped

again (traditional);
the stack is taken over as is from the
previous player (casual);
the person to the left of the player turn
rebundles and drops the sticks for the
player, thus eliminating the potential for
a doctored drop.

Sticks allowed as pick-up helpers:

Mikado (traditional);
 only the Mikado if the player has at least
one of all other sticks (Kuli, Samurai,
Bonzen, Mandarin);
Mikado / Mandarin (simplified);
Mikado / Mandarin / Bonzen (casual);
any stick already picked up (very
casual).

A stick taken when picking it up makes

another stick in the stack move:

is not added to the player's score and

dropped back (stack take-over variant);
is not added (traditional);
is added to the player's score.

Scoring:
 the exact sequence of Kuli, Samurai,
Bonzen and Mandarin may double the
points of a turn;
a player who does not use the correct
helper may lose all points of the current
turn.

Types
Classic Mikado

Classic Mikado is typically made from

beech wood.

Sizes:

standard: length 17 centimetres (6.7 in),

1 millimetre (0.039 in)thick
 large: length 28 centimetres (11 in), 1
millimetre (0.039 in)thick
super: length 50 centimetres (20 in), 8
millimetres (0.31 in) thick

The large and super variants may use the

26 sticks Giant Mikado variant.

Mini Mikado

Made of 31 toothpicks painted in the

middle. The game has a total of 145
points. name / coding / value / number of
the sticks:

Mikado, 1 blue stripe, 20 points, 1 stick

 Mandarin, 3 yellow stripes, 10 points, 5
sticks
Bonzen, 2 orange stripes, 5 points, 5
sticks
Samurai, 3 green stripes, 3 points, 10
sticks
Kuli, 2 red stripes, 2 points, 10 sticks

Rules and values are the same as with

normal Mikado sticks.

Giant Mikado

This type is usually used for outdoor use.

There are 26 sticks with a length of 93
centimetres (37 in) and 10 millimetres
(0.39 in) diameter. The game has a total of
200 points.

Name Value Number of the sticks

Mikado 50 points 1 stick

Mandarin 10 points 5 sticks

Samurai 5 points 10 sticks

Kuli 5 points 10 sticks

Rules and markings are the same as with

normal Mikado sticks.

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Last edited 4 months ago by Klbrain

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