Deadbox is a game of ritual, cunning and betrayal. I learned it at age seven and I have played it on and off for the rest of my life.
Deadbox is a street game which requires two or more players, some chalk and a few bottle caps. The materials are simple and readily available. The variations are part of the magic of the game.
The Court
The very first rule of Deadbox is that if a court doesn’t exist, one must be made. The sides should be about three or four paces long. The boxes should be no bigger than a hand, with the exception of 13 and 14, which should be the width of a bottlecap and a little bit more. The ritual is very exact. The court must be just so. Uneven surfaces are acceptable and considered part of the game unless they are extreme.
The Bottle Caps
The player tokens are bottlecaps. Everyone I knew spent a lot of time perfecting their bottle cap. In the days when bottle caps still had cork, the variations ran from no cork (for speed and lightness) to triple or quadruple corks to give the cap as much mass as possible to pound the other players. In later days, melted crayon replaced the cork. People had their favorite colors and specific amounts of wax the player considered optimal. Players were always fiddling with the caps- trying out new ones. The more experienced players had a range of bottle caps whose use depended on the court and the mood of the player on that day.
Part One: The Race and The Risks
The first part of the game is a straightforward race to get into each consecutive square on the court. One could advance to the next square either by shooting to it (with a flicking motion by the middle finger off the thumb) or by successfully hitting another player’s bottle cap. The second option was preferable because in addition to advancing the player, it also removed the target from their preferred position to one less optimal. One of the favorite shots in the game is when a player’s shot inadvertantly takes their cap too close to another players. When the second player’s turn comes around, they not only have an easy shot, the get to blast their opponent as far off the court as possible. As long as the victim’s cap is not in the gutter or the grass, it is considered fair play.
Once in the box, the player is free to move their bottle cap anywhere inside that box for their next shot.
When the first player successfully lands in each box sequentially ( no liners!!) through box fourteen, that player then shoots into the Deadbox in the center of the boad to become “poison.”
The Dead Box
If a player who is not “poison” lands in the Dead Box, they must take their botte cap and start the game again at square one. Rather than blasting people out of the court, if a player can shoot his opponent into Dead Box, it provides a great tactical advantage. When one shoots another player into Dead Box, only the targer is penalized. If the shooter lands in Dead Box it does not count, because they have already advanced to the next numerical box.
Part Two: The Hunt
Once a player becomes “poison”, they try to tap other player’s bottle caps three times. Three hits and the target player is eliminated from the game. Any of the other players can still become “poison” if they complete the box sequence. Games with mutliple hunters are common and complex. Eluding one hunter often puts the player in range of another.
Hunters get an extra turn if they land inside a numerical box. They also have the advantage of moving anywhere within the current square for their next shot. This can lead to some pretty remarkable “kills” as the hunter moves successfully from one box to the other.
Hunters can be killed the same way as other players; three hits from another player who is “poison.”
Game Play
While the rules are simple, the game is not.Players need to advance to their next targets but not so closely to other players that they are knocked out of the way or shot into Dead Box. Others colluding to shoot the leading player into Dead Box is not an uncommon strategy. Alliances are formed and betrayed throughout the game.
The skill of the individual player in landing where they wish takes considerable practice. Again, the devotion to developing a repertoire of good shots is essential to serious players.
The game usually last anywhere from half an hour to several hours, depending on the number of players who have to start over. Games where all players become “poison” are rare but very challenging.
While this game is usually played by kids, I’ve played with adults several times with great satisfaction.