What is the « sapo game »?

Sapo game in Peru

This game, present in several countries of Latin America, means “toad game” (Toad in the hole game). It’s a traditional game in chincherias or picanterias (where we go to eat and drink, mostly during week-ends); you have to throw coins toward a table made in iron or bronze in the middle of which there is a toad, waiting with its open mouth. The one who achieves to tuck in the coin into the toad mouth wins the game – and the money all the players bet. Meanwhile, holes are distributed around the toad and the player wins some points in function to its proximity to the toad mouth. 

This game comes from the Inca legend where toads were magic animals that granted wishes to who gave it a coin to eat and this one transformed the coin into gold. The Inca him-self often travelled to Titicaca Lake to take his chance. To this day, Peruvian peoples play to this game, mostly accompanied with music, laughs and beer.