El Sapo Game

Discover Argentina
Jul 24, 2017 · 3 min read

Bar games are extremely popular all over the world and in Argentina it is no different. There are all the usual favourites to be found such as pool, table football and ping pong, but there is another more peculiar game native to South America called “El Sapo”, where, behind its unassuming facade, there is a tale of legend and a golden frog with magical powers to make your wishes come true.

El Sapo

El Sapo is Spanish for ‘the frog’, and the game takes its name from the little amphibian who sits on top of the game board and waits patiently for a golden coin to land in its mouth. Traditionally from Peru, El Sapo has been played in South America for hundreds of years and while still a popular game in the countryside, the game has also found its place in modern society as a trendy drinking game.

So how do you play El Sapo?

What you will need are ten golden coins to throw and at least one friend to play with. Next, decide what will be the winning score or how many rounds you will play. Official rules state that ladies will need to stand 15 feet away from el sapo while throwing, and guys 21 feet away. Although, in a social environment, people stand much closer, as hitting the target from so far away is way harder than it looks.

Then, each player takes turns to throw all ten coins and the points are counted as you go. You should be aiming for the sapo’s mouth for maximum points, but hope that the coin falls into the surrounding holes for consolation points if you miss. Continue playing until the winning score is reached. If a coin does enter the sapo’s mouth, you get the highest score and must shout SAPO!

The legend of the sapo

It is said that in the sacred lake of the Incas, Lake Titicaca, there were sapos with great magical powers, and the royal Inca King would try to catch their attention by throwing gold pieces into the waters. The ancient legend said that if a sapo caught one of these golden pieces in its mouth, then it would immediately turn into gold and grant the wish of the person who threw it.

To honour all of the wishes the sapo had granted, the Inca King ordered that a golden statue of the sapo should be built in his palace gardens in Cusco. There, members of his royal court invented the game and along with festivals of music and dance, they would shout “Puklay Sapo!” (Quechua for ‘’Let’s play sapo!’’).

Later during the years of the Spanish Empire, the idea of throwing coins to sapos in lakes evolved into the board game that we know today. As the empire expanded into Rio de la Plata, descendants of the Spanish ruling class from Peru took the sapo box with them. The Argentinians eventually added a big, shiny, brass sun on the back wall of the sapo box and this became the symbol of the new independence movement that started in Argentina.

Learn Spanish in Argentina and if you visit a bar in Buenos Aires, keep your eyes open for el sapo and give it a go yourself! I know about el Sapo because they have one in the Spanish School Vamos Spanish Academy. It’s incredibly easy to learn but unmistakingly hard to master. If you are skillful enough (or lucky enough, let’s be honest) to score a sapo, no doubt everyone will cheer in amazement. But, try to listen closely, as it is said, that a gulping sound can be heard when the frog swallows the treasured golden coin!

Don’t forget to make a wish! Discover More About Argentina https://www.facebook.com/vamospanish

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