User:DVQuebec/Draft:Pichenotte 002

December 28, 2008 Backup Copy of Pichenotte Page ..................

Pichenotte is a French noun translated into English as 'flick'. In French Canadian vernacular, the generic term pichenotte refers to several disk-flicking games. These games include, but not limited to carrom, crokinole  , knips brat (German flicking board) , pitchnut  , chapayev  , pichenotte hockey , and pichenotte football. Carrom Crokinole  and Novuss  are also cue sports. Pichenotte is a registered U.S. Trademark # 4953905. Pichenotte is not a patented game, therefore it does not refer to any one particular game.

There are many variants of the games which often include the addition of bumpers or wickets or similar obstacles on the board to make the game more challenging. For French Canadians, a pichenotte may also refer to a flick on the head or a flick on the nose, a nickname for pets, and a type of delicious nut candy.

The two most common disk-flicking games that are referred to as pichenotte, in the Quebec Museum of Civilization ( - ) ( - ) are the round and the square versions. These appeared in Canada around the mid 1800's.



The square boards pictured on this page are quite old, vintage games, and there are no known current manufacturers of square pichenotte boards.

There are manufacturers of round pichenotte boards aka 'crokinole.

Origins
While the specifics are uncertain, pichenotte may have originated from the Indian game carrom. In the mid-19th century, carrom was likely brought to Canada by Indian or British immigrants, or soldiers returning from India.

Equipment For Square Boards
The game is played on a board of lacquered plywood, normally 28 in square. The edges of the playing surface are bounded by raised wooden sides. The object of the game is to strike a wooden disc such that it contacts lighter discs and propels them into one of four corner pockets. These pockets are usually larger than those on Indian carrom boards. The playing pieces come in two colours denoting the two players (or teams, in doubles play). An additional piece is coloured red (or other unique colour) and called the "queen" or "king".

Rules for Square Boards
The aim of the game is to sink one's eleven pieces before the opponent sinks theirs. However before sinking one's final piece, the queen must be pocketed and "covered" by pocketing one of one's own pieces on the same or a subsequent shot. Fouls, such as crossing the diagonal lines on the board with any part of one's body, or (pocketing the striker or sending it off the board), lead to one of one's pieces being returned to the board.

Variations
Another variant of the game called pitchnut has four screws or pegs 4 inches (10 cm) from the centre of the board, and two screws or pegs in front of each pocket. It also has 2-inch (5-cm) recessed alleys along each side. See the article in Albuquerque Journal