Games We Played When We were Children (Part Two): PLaying Cards

The advent of computers had completely overtaken "street games" which children, during our time, had enjoyed and learned a lot from. The beauty of "street games' is that they make children directly relate to each other. The games also help children make use of all their talents and skills. I could say that much of what I had faced in life, I had faced one way or the other in the street games I played.

Another popular game we played was a card game we called "teks". I guess it came from the word "text" referring to the playing card where a scene of the story was printed or because it was given free when you buy a "Texas" bubble gum . Featured in the cards are cartoon storyboard clips of local films complete with characters' dialogues and action sequences. These cards were available in the sari-sari store at certain times of the year. Most of the time, they were given free if you buy candies, cookies, or snacks. The goal was to gather as many as you can. 

There were many ways you can gain (or lose) your cards. You can play "lucky nine" with some other children with the cards as your bet. The more popular, however, was by flicking the cards (composed of a card from each player called, "pamato"). The card-pamatos were gathered together faced up, placed over a fisted-hand with the thumb cocked. The flicker then flicks the card. The odd card-pamato (face up and all others face down or face down and all others face up) wins. All other situations gave the flicker another chance to flick the cards. The card-pamatos maybe arranged in any position as long as all were face up. The flicker was determined by each player flicking his card and the odd card would be the flicker. The flicker was given the benefit of flicking the cards. When his card turned out to be the odd card, he collects all bets from all players. If the card of another player turned out to be the odd card, he pays the bet of that player. That player now becomes the flicker. Normally, the bet is without limit. But the flicker may request for a lesser bet. The game goes on until only one player has all the cards or when they decide to quit.

Other contests with the cards as bets were also done. After class hours and during weekends, at least most male kids were into "teks". There were times when we would even color, or design our pamatos so that they will be attractive and easily recognized even at a distance. Depending on the performance of that pamato, its design would either be imitated or would just be one of the cards in circulation. When not playing, these teks would be neatly stacked in a shoe box (serving as a bank) while some of them were placed in one of our pockets to be ready for any contest. Cards maybe sold to other players depending on the existing rate. Old cards sell at forty pieces  (40) at five (5) centavos! New cards maybe sold at half the number per five centavos.

Lessons learned from this game were a lot. Foremost would be the sweetness of victory and agony of defeat. How to be generous in victory and humble in defeat. Proficiency in numbers because we do a lot of calculations. Creativity because the games require strategy and discipline in decision-making. We also learned how to establish goals and experience how to achieve them. Certainly, there were other lessons learned depending on the experience of the individual. All the time these cards were popular (we call it "uso"), these lessons were being learned. It goes on and on until the next "uso" comes and the next lessons learned.