As the Five-Finger Fillet of elementary school games, Pencil Fighting is perhaps one of the more, if not literally, destructive games found in classrooms and playgrounds everywhere.  Readily accessible mechanical pencils as well as school rules have caused the once-popular game of pencil fighting to dwindle away into the memories of those who were active participants in the fights.

The object of the game is to break your opponent’s pencil.  All one needs to play is a pencil of at least enough length to somewhat safely hold it.  One player holds the pencil horizontally, with a hand grasping it on each end, while the other player, the attacker, must swiftly swing his or her pencil down to try and break the other pencil, preferably in the center. 

There are, of course, other ways to go about it, dictated mostly through the rules.  Some variations of the game allow the attacker to come directly down on the pencil, making a perpendicular attack on it.  To defend against such a move, the opposing pencil must be strong enough to withstand the more direct force involved.  Because of the smaller area of attack, this move can often result in a miss.  In some games, a miss allows the opponent an extra turn, which diminishes the other player’s chance of survival.  That extra hit can be all it takes to break the pencil.  Some players also choose to play “dirty.”  A slight tilt upward on one end of the defending pencil often results in a misjudgment for the attacker, and is a poor surface for an attack.  Also in an act of frustration, some attackers have even been known to slip their hand down to break the pencil.

The inherent dangers of pencil fighting have caused many schools to ban the game.  Not to mention, it’s often a drain on school supplies provided by teachers and the school.  The relative obscurity of the game has caused some to seek pencil fights outside of school bounds.  Some areas of the U.S. have created pencil fighting championships, for fun and profit!  Pencil companies should take note – the newly-emerging craze amongst those with a fondness for breaking pencils could result in something entirely positive for their bottom-line.  Just as in pencil fights, the last pencil standing wins!