When in the Netherlands...play Dutch games! Actually, play Dutch games even when you're not in Denmark. Here are a few Dutch games that Americans should definitely try their hand at.

Tollen Ba

This unique Dutch game is great for all ages! The exact origin of the game is uncertain, but Dutch Historians have determined it probably emerged in the 16th century, in the fishing villages of Enkhuizen and Spakenberg. The name says it all! In English it translates to "Tops Box."

Tollen Bak has many regional variations from Groningen to Delft. The version that is discussed here is from the Nijkerk/Amersfoort area of Gelderland. There are four parts to the game set. The Tollen or wooden tops, the starter string, the wooden pions, or pawns, and the Bak or Box.pions, or pawns, and the Bak or Box.

The object of the game is to knock down as many pions as possible during your keer, or turn. The points are set up according the diagram, and are earned only if the top knocks over the pawn.pions as possible during your keer, or turn. The points are set up according the diagram, and are earned only if the top knocks over the pawn.

Most Tollen Bak are not as elaborate as the one picture here, but the objective is often similar.

Sjoellen

Sjoellen is another unique Dutch game, it is similar to shuffleboard. Sjoellen is a verb meaning to slide. There are two components two Sjoellen: Stennen and the Sjoellenboord. The Stennen, or stones, are thin hockey puck like objects made of smooth wood or stone. The Sjoellenboord is the playing board for the game. The board is generally between 4-6 feet long, and is characterized by point corrals. The point corrals are set up in this order: 2,4,3,1.

The goal of the game is to get a perfect score of 148. There are 30 Stennen. In order to get a perfect score, a player must place 7 Stennen a piece in each of the four corrals, with an extra two in the "four" Corral. A player has three attempts per turn to slide all of the stones i