Game rules : Frog game

The essential rules of each game, available offline.

The barrel game where you aim for the frog mouth to land the big score.

Overview

The frog game, also called the barrel game or jeu du tonneau, is played with a wooden cabinet fitted with targets: a frog with an open mouth in the centre, numbered holes and ramps. You throw cast-iron pucks at these targets to score points.

It is a traditional pub game, sociable and family-friendly, where skill is everything. The frog mouth scores big, which tempts you into trying the perfect shot. You play solo or in teams, adding up points to a target score.

Origin and history

The frog game, also called the barrel game (jeu du tonneau), is a bar and open-air cafe game found across France since the 19th century. The cabinet, often cast iron and wood, was a bistro fixture seen in cafes and village fairs.

Every old cabinet is a little different: the number of holes, the presence of mills or bridges and above all the scoring scale vary from one model to the next. That is why there is no universal rulebook, only a shared playing tradition.

Goal

Be the first to reach the target score by hitting the barrel’s targets.

Equipment

A barrel or frog cabinet with its central frog, holes and ramps.
Cast-iron pucks (often about ten per turn).
A clear throwing area a few metres from the cabinet.

How a game unfolds

Set the frog cabinet at the agreed throwing distance.
Each player throws their pucks in turn at the targets.
You aim first at the frog mouth, which scores the most points.
Pucks that drop into numbered holes or onto ramps score lower values.
You add up the points scored turn after turn.
The first player or team to reach the target score wins the game.

How to score

Throw discs at the barrel. The frog’s mouth scores big (100), the other targets less. Points add up.

Scoring in detail

The frog mouth is the prize target: it scores the most (100 points in the scale used here).
The other targets (mill, bridges, numbered holes, ramps) score decreasing values (50, 25, 10, 5).
A puck that goes nowhere scores nothing.
You add up points with no overshoot penalty: the first to reach the target score (500 by default) wins.

A player has several pucks. Here is a typical turn and the scale used here, where the frog mouth scores the most.

Example: a turn of throws
Puck	Target hit	Points
1	Frog mouth	100
2	Bridge / mill	50
3	Numbered hole	25
4	Off target	0

This turn scores 175 points in total. The exact values depend on the cabinet used: the principle stays the same, the mouth is the prize target and the others score decreasing values.

Winning

The first player to reach the chosen score wins the game.

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Fouls and special cases

A puck that bounces back out of the target or falls to the ground does not count.
Throwing while crossing the playing line usually voids the puck.
On some cabinets, certain targets only count if the puck stays lodged in them.

Tips to play well

Do not always aim for the mouth: the intermediate targets, which are easier, give a steadier score.
Throw the puck flat, with no spin: a puck arriving face-on drops into the mouth better than one at an angle.
Set the throwing distance before you start and keep it the same for everyone: too far, and the mouth becomes almost impossible.
Watch how the puck bounces off the cabinet: every barrel has its own trajectories, learned after a few turns.

A bit of strategy

When the target score is close, do the maths: a safe 25-point target may be enough to win rather than going for the mouth and missing everything.
In teams, send your steady players in first to lay a base of points, and keep a bold thrower to go for the mouth.
Consistency beats risk over a long game: aiming true every turn scores more than one big shot followed by several zeros.

Variants

Scoring scales vary from one cabinet to another: hole and ramp values are not universal.
You can set a lower target score for a quick game, or a higher one for a long one.
Some variants play a fixed number of turns, with the highest score winning.

Key points

The frog’s mouth is worth the most points.
The holes and ramps are worth fewer points.
The target score is adjustable (500 by default).

Frequently asked questions

How do you score in the frog game?

You add up points by the target hit. The frog mouth scores the most (100 points here), holes and ramps score lower values (50, 25, 10, 5). The first to reach the target score wins.

How much does the frog mouth score?

The mouth is the hardest target and the best rewarded. In the scale used here it scores 100 points, against 5 to 50 for the other targets.

What score wins the frog game?

The target score is adjustable. By default you play to 500 points, but you can lower it for a short game or raise it for a longer one.

Does the frog game have other names?

Yes, it is also called the barrel game or jeu du tonneau. It is the same traditional pub game where you aim at a frog with an open mouth.

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