Unusual Sports - Ro Sham Bo, AKA Roshambo, AKA Swift Kick to the Nuts, AKA Ouch!

Few Have the Balls to Play This Game. Even Fewer Have the Balls to Play Again.

Men, have you ever taken a kick or punch to your groin area? More specifically, have you ever been punched or kicked in the testicles? Most people would answer yes, but how many of you would say that you enjoyed the experience so much that you would make a sport of it?

Anyone?

Anyone?

Bueller?

Enter Roshambo (aka Ro Sham Bo), a game in which competitors take turns receiving kicks (some rules allow for punches) to the groin. Sounds fun, right? Here are some basic rules of play.

1. There must be at least two (2) competitors. If you wish to punch or kick yourself in the balls, there are probably websites devoted to that sort of thing, but it's not roshambo.

2. When there are more than two competitors, it becomes a team competition. Efforts are made to ensure quasi-equal pairing of kickers/kickees. In other words, you would not want to match up a guy who stands 6' 4" and weighs 250lb with a guy 5' 8" and 125lb. To be fair, guys are typically paired with guys of similar build.

3. Girls don't play Roshambo. You figure it out.

4. Once pairings are made, paper/rock/scissors determines who kicks first.

5. The kickee stands with feet at least shoulder width apart to receive the kick attempt.

6. The kicker approaches the kickee and attempts to kick him in the balls. Some previously agreed upon options determine how he kicks. Examples include:

- Shoes / No Shoes
- Running Kicks Allowed / Not allowed
- Drop Kicks Allowed / Not allowed

7. Upon receiving the kick attempt, the kickee must remain standing in order to remain in the game. A predetermined time limit determines whether he passes or fails the round. If he falls to the ground or cannot remain standing on his own power, he is out, the round ends, and the kicker is the winner of the round.

8. If the kickee survives the round, after a predetermined time period he will become the kicker and the previous kicker becomes the kickee. Play resumes as in steps 5 through 7.

9. In team play, the end of the first round signals the beginning of the next round with the next pair of competitors. In singles competition, a period of rest for both players occurs before resuming the next round.

10. Play continues until only one team remains standing. Some variations to scoring/winning include:

- One on One competition: multiple rounds scored -or- game ends when the kickee goes down.
- Team competition: multiple rounds scored -or- game ends after all matches have occurred once, team with fewer losses wins the match -or- matches continue via elimination until only one player is left standing (tournament mode).

Roshambo is normally played for something at stake, whether it is money, drinks, a prize, etc. Few will play "just for fun". Alcohol is often involved in roshambo, either as a prelude to competition, or as a way to dillute the pains of competition.

To this writer's knowledge, there is no professional organization which sanctions roshambo.