The World Conker Championships has a key motive that isn’t always widely known. The main aim of the event since it began has been to raise money for charities that support the visually impaired. So far since 1965 we have raised £420,000 for charity, further information on the origins of the event can be found in our history.
Begin by finding 2 conkers, preferably big, round, shiny ones. Once you have them you will need to bore a hole through the middle of them. Be very careful as you do this and if underage always seek help from an adult. Traditionally, people used a skewer but this method is a bit outdated. We recommend safe use of a hand drill.
Thread a piece of string through the hole and tie a knot at one end, so that it doesn’t pull through. The string should be long enough to wrap twice around your clenched hand and still have about 8 inches or 20 cm left.
Traditionally, a coin is tossed to decide who goes first. If you are the one whose conker is to be hit first, let it hang down from the string which is wrapped round your hand. You must hold it at the height your opponent chooses and keep it perfectly still. Your opponent, the striker, wraps their conker string round their hand just like yours. They then take the conker in the other hand and draw it back to strike.
The conker is swung down by the string in an attempt to hit the opponent’s conker. The striker is allowed 3 shots and then the players swap roles. If the strings tangle, the first player to call “snags” gets an extra shot. The game is won when one player destroys the other’s conker.
