Any number of players, aged 5 and up, played indoors and outdoors.

The game of 5 stones is believed to have originated in Ancient Asia. During the Siege of Troy in 1184 B.C., Greek soldiers played a game of dice using the knuckle bones from cloven-footed animals, like cattle and sheep. These knucklebones were also used by women and children to play knucklebones which is the same as 5 stones. The game of jacks which is popular today originated from this old game of knucklebones.

Each player should have 5 stones which should all fit easily in the palm of the hand. To start the game, players toss the stones up and try to catch as many as possible on the back of the hand. These stones are then tossed up again and caught in the palm of the hand. The players catching the most stones in both throws may start the game.

First the stones are tossed randomly on the ground. The player tosses up one stone, the jack, and picks up in the same manner. In the next round, the jack is tossed up, and pairs of stones are picked up. Then three and one stones, then all four are picked up.

If players complete this successfully with one hand they may start again with the other hand. Finally, completely successful players simply repeat the starting action, where stones are caught on the back of the hand and then in the palm. The players catching the most stones this way is the winner of that entire round.