The Exciting World of Finger Jousting!

There is an underground group that you don't know about. They perfect their trade in back allies and in malls. These warriors show no mercy. They are the finger jousters.

Well, maybe they aren't so underground anymore. Finger jousting is on the up and up and it's time we all catch the finger fever. The game of finger jousting is pretty easy to understand. Basically, you have two gladiators who must poke each other.

Usually, the two warriors start off with a sign of respect like a bow or a handshake. Then, they lock their hands together and wait. The match does not begin until both index fingers are extended. Once the fingers are drawn out, it's on. The player must try and poke the other person in any place but the right arm. A prize is decided for the winner beforehand. This is usually something as simple as honor or as complex as a dinner for two at the Olive Garden.

The typical match lasts a few minutes but can go on for a few hours if the opponents are evenly matched. Each round lasts 1 minute with 30 second breaks in between. There are variations to this like Quick Play Rules and Point Play Rules. Quick Play Rules are playing your typical best out of 3 or 5 games. Point play Rules is similar to Quick Play except you get rewarded certain points for certain body parts. There are also a few no-nos in the sport of finger jousting. One of the cardinal sins is using your left arm or your legs in an offensive move. Letting go of your fellow gladiators hand is also a big one. Biting is frowned upon as well as delibrately aiming for the private parts of your opponent. This compromises the "integrity" of the sport and the gladiators. All of these no-nos are penalties and point deductions will occur if they happen.

The World Finger Jousting Federation is the governing body behind this great sport. They offer a pseudo history of the sport, official rankings, forums, a shop, and a sign up area. Only WFJF members can be a part of official WFJF events.

The sport is on the way up. One day we could see it on ESPN. I mean, they have spelling bees and bowling on there. Why not a little chess boxing and finger jousting. Make sure to check out the WFJF official website and the YouTube video. Be a part of the craze and sign on now. You could be the next finger jousting champion.