bunco

So, I grew up in the north, and until I moved to Dallas I had never before heard the word "Bunco" - let alone knew that it was a secret ritual where women gather, talk, eat and gamble - yes I said gamble. Now it's not an outright betting game like Poker...no,no,no - we are women after all, and flinging chips to the center of the table is just not ladylike. Instead, at the appointed time, on the third Monday of the month, we arrive under the cloak of dusk. As we gather we each place five dollars in what is delicately referred to as "the box", then we go about warmly greating each other - we take a take a casual roll call of who is there, and who we expect - then as the clock strikes the hour, we take our seats and start to roll dice. I should note that the dice rolling is a serious affair - a hush comes over the room, we all watch the dice - with anticipation, never knowing who will roll the bunco (three of a designated number), which will signal the end of the round. Then finaly someone yells "BUNCO" and it's over - we tally up our scores, count our wins and loses and move to the next table. This ritual repeats itself over and over again for exactly one hour - at which time we award prizes for the most wins, most loses, most Bunco's, etc. We quietly gather our purses, find our keys and make our way back home.

Just wondering about the history of the game - I googled "Bunco" and here is what I found, perhaps this is why we play at night, for such a short time :)

During the 1880's and into the mid 1890's, Bunco was played in Texas & Oklahoma, through Kansas & Missouri, in towns and cities along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers , and from New York to the Great Lake states. Through the Victorian era and prior to WWI, Bunco had achieved permanent placement as a traditional family or parlor game, promoting social interaction. During this period Bunco groups consisting of 8-12 people and as many as 20 people enjoyed an evening of food, drink, conversation, and friendly competition. During prohibition and the roaring 20's, the infamous Bunco gambling parlors resurfaced in various regions of the US The most notorious speak-easies and Bunco dice parlors were located in and around Chicago, Illinois. The term "Bunco Squad" referred to the detectives who raided these establishments!

(excerpt from: //www.worldbunco.com/history.html)

Regardless of the origins... this is one Yankee who is glad that the women of the South have continued this ritual, and look forward to next month :)