Because this is the internet, and there are trolls everywhere you turn, I will not say that Stump is a "new" drinking game. I'm sure there is a segment of folks out there that will know all about this as they read it, or maybe they're rolling their eyes and lamenting to themselves how they've been playing this for years and how late to the party I am.

I mean, you are talking to the same guy who hadn't even heard of Cornhole til about ten years ago. Now you can't throw a bean filled sack anywhere in the United States without there being a ramped piece of plywood for it to land on. But I digress...

But Stump, or Hammerschlagen as it's sometimes called, really appeals to my sense of low-level dangerous activities. I don't really want to get hurt, but I like to think I might be at any second. However, this may not be a great work party game, lest OSHA show up and throw your business license in the toilet.

Now first and foremost, I'm not suggesting or condoning anyone should consume alcoholic beverages and play with semi-dangerous tools. but if that's something you do on your own, at home, of your own free will, then maybe this is a game you should try out.

It's pretty simple:

  1. Get a stump (duh), and place it comfortably about waist-high.
  2. Get some sturdy nails with a bit of length.
  3. Grab your trusty old hammer. Trusty, not rusty. You don't want the head to fly off.
  4. Everybody picks a nail, and taps it in til it's just sturdy.
  5. Then, flip the hammer, catch it, and immediately try to hit your nail without thinking or hesitation.

Now from this point, this is where house rules start to creep in. there are several different ways the game could go. Some say you hammer your own nail, some say you hammer the opponent's nail. Others say if you flip the hammer multiple times and catch it, you get a hit for every spin the hammer takes in the air.

Here's a couple different videos of how to play with slightly different rules:

Needless to say, at my house the Cornhole boards can stay put. Stump is going to be my ultimate summer party game this year. And like I said, it doesn't have to be a drinking game, because you know....sharp/heavy objects that could lead to serious physical, bodily harm. BUT...if danger is your middle name, Stump is where it's at.

 

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