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Knife game


The knife game, pinfinger, nerve, bishop, stabscotch, five finger fillet (FFF), or"stab between the fingers game", is a game wherein, placing the palm of one's hand down on a table with fingers apart, using a knife (such as a pocket or pen knife), or other sharp object, one attempts to stab back and forth between one's fingers, moving the object back and forth, trying to not hit one's fingers. The order in which the spaces between the fingers are stabbed varies. In the following examples, the spaces are numbered 1 (behind the thumb) through 6 (after the little finger). The game is intentionally dangerous, exposing players to the risk of injury and scarring, and, before antibiotics, an incision or penetration risked sepsis and death. A foldable blade carries the additional danger that, "as the faster you go, the more likely the blade will fold back in on itself trapping the finger of your stabbing hand." It may be played much more safely by using another object, such as the eraser side of a pencil. In European culture it is traditionally considered a boys' game. However, its focus on motor coordination and dexterity is comparable to girls' clapping games.

Among our rowdy amusements [exiled in Siberia] was a popular knife game. You place the palm of your hand flat on a table with fingers apart. Then you stab back and forth between the fingers, trying not to hit them. The faster you stab, the better, and the fastest one wins. I still have a visible scar...as a reminder of this game. I don't know why we did such a dumb thing, but it seemed like the manly thing to do at the time.

The most popular version is to simply stab all the spaces in order, starting from behind the thumb to after the little finger, and back again ("In it's simplest form, one would simply move as fast as one dared backwards and forwards."):


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