Sa Morra, memory, concentration and ability with numbers

The “morra” is a popular game, well-known in the past to Romans, Egyptians and Greeks. Sardinia is not the unique region of Italy in which the morra is played, but is certainly the area in which this custom is very deep-seated. This game, which is also proposed as regular championship and tournament, is based on the match between two players, each one shows the opponent the fist, one or more fingers, declaring contemporaneously a number not superior to 10 (which is called “morra”). Who has declared the number corresponding to the sum of the stretched out fingers of both players, gains a point.

The hands must be visible both to the players and to the arbitrator, and it is not possible to change the score after that the hand has been stretched out. Wins the match, the first one who reaches the number of points established before starting the competition (usually 16 or 21 points). The challenge includes one match, the revenge and a possible “bella” (the decider in case of tie): to win the challenge it is necessary to gain two matches out of three.

Matches can be played between two contenders or between two teams, each one formed by two players: the first two start the match, the one who gains the point challenges the second contender until when he can keep the turn. Experience and concentration are needed to play the morra, moreover if the ambition is taking part to one of the most important tourney: in fact it is not easy to anticipate which score will be given by the sum of the two hands. There aren't particular age limits, in fact in the last years vied with honour children and adults, without any sex distinction.

The towns of Sardinia in which official competition are disputed are Bortigali, Gavoi, Lula, Ollollai, Oniferi, Seneghe and Urzulei. In almost every village of the inner areas, people play this game since their childhood as part of the Sardinian culture.

(look at www.samurra.it)