Shut the Box Game History

History

• Very little is known about the history of the game Shut The Box. There are stories of ancient sailors, possibly from the Channel Islands, who would play the game at night, by the light of the moon, to help pass the time during the long voyages. The sailors would make wagers as to who would attain the lowest score and win the game. It was, at that time, considered to be a gambling game.

Time Frame

• It is speculated, that the game originated in France, and could date back to the 12th century. This information cannot be verified, so it is possible that the game could have come from an earlier time period. It also is possible that the game had been modified by the French, or modified before it got to France.

Theories

• A game that is very similar to Shut The Box, is played in China. The Chinese version is called Boc-Tin. Although they are similar in play, and both are considered gambling games, there are differences. There is no history available for the Boc-Tin game. It is possible that Boc-Tin was first, and Shut The Box was the modified version.

  Due to the lack of information on both games, it is impossible to accurately report their histories, or to compare information on determining the correct origin of the games to compare time frames and events to prove which game came first.

Speculation

• Because most games are referenced in literature in some form, and as of this date, no such reference to the game Shut the Box has been mentioned, there is no documented proof of the game's origin or history. The only facts are that it is a well-known game, and is played in pubs and taverns, as well as homes. Timothy Finn, who published "Pub Games of England" believes that the game was brought to the Southern parts of England in 1958. Although this information is true, the origin is still unknown.

Identification

• What is confirmable however, concerning Shut The Box game history, is that an application was filed with the patent office as an improvement on the game, with the title "Two Level Shut the Box Game". The application number of 20090072482 along with the inventor's name, Thierry Denoual, accompanied by the agent, Stainbrook and Stainbrook, LLP appears on freshpatents.com. There is no date included in this information, and upon checking the U.S. Patent office, no information of a filed patent or copyright could be found.

Significance

• Shut the Box is a very popular dice and board game, and is enjoyed by both children and adults.