French games.
Maya
Another popular game is a dice game called Maya. It is played with two dice, and a cup. Play rotates around a table with each player rolling the dice with the cup. The dice are not shown to the other players.
When rolled, the player with the die peeks at them and calls out the value. Values start at 3,1 and continues as such: 3,2 4,1 4,2 4,3 5,1 5,2 5,3 5,4 6,1 6,2 6,3 6,4 6,5; followed by the pairs: 1,1 2,2 3,3 4,4 5,5 6,6; and then the highest value called Maya; 1,2.
The object is to roll a higher value than the preceding player. But when you call out your value you have the option of telling the truth or of lying. For example, if the first player tolled a 4,3 and called it telling the truth, the second player would then either challange the first or roll the die trying to roll a higher value. Assume the second player rolls instead of challanging. The player rolls a 6,5 and tells the truth (although he could lie). The next player has the following options:
Don’t challange, roll and try to beat or tie the 6,5.
Challange, in which case if the player was telling the truth the challanger has to put a counter into the pot.
If the player was lying, then having been caught at a lie, the player would have to put a counter into the pot.
If a player calls Maya, then the same rules apply, except that the loser has to put two counters into the pot.
All players begin with the same number of counters and drop out of the game when they have lost all counters. The last player left wins. If played for money, the last player gets the pot.
Jouer a la Petanque
This is a lawn bowling game. It is played with a small wooden ball, approximately one inch in diameter. This ball is called “le petit.” It is thrown out in front of the players to act as a target. Each player has either two or three large (appx. four inches in diameter) metal balls. These are tossed with the object of getting as close to le petit as possible. Whoever is farthest from le petit throws first and continues to throw until they are either out of balls or closer to le petit.
After each round, the team whose balls are closer to le petit get one point for each ball that is closer. Any balls father away than an opponents ball are not scored. The winner of the round tosses le petit and throws first to begin the next round. Play continues until one team has scored 15. Match is two out of three games.
Balls are usually thrown with an underarm swing, with the palm of the hand down. This gives some backspin to the ball. Strategy includes knocking opponents balls away, and even trying to knock le petit farther away.