How to play Gonggi: four picking stages and Kkeokgi
Gonggi is a Korean five-stones dexterity game. This guide describes a common way to play, while noting that families and regions may use different rules. The Denny Games version is a single-player browser adaptation with touch, mouse and keyboard controls.
What is Gonggi?
Players use five small stones. Toss one keeper stone into the air, pick up a group from the surface, and catch the keeper before it lands. Gonggi can be practiced alone or played by taking turns with other people.
The exact origin is not known. Historical references describe children playing with small round stones, while the steps and names vary across regions and groups.
How do the first four stages work?
A common sequence is one stone at a time, two at a time, three followed by the last one, and all four remaining stones at once. A turn succeeds when the keeper is caught and the requested stones are picked without disturbing the others.
In Kkeokgi, players toss all five stones and receive some on the back of a hand. They flick those stones up again and try to catch them in the hand. Groups decide whether every stone must be caught or whether the captured count scores points.
What counts as a mistake?
Dropping the keeper or moving a stone outside the group being picked commonly ends the attempt. Local rules can change the fourth stage, catching rules or what happens after a mistake; agree on those details before playing in person.
The browser adaptation uses a visible timing band and three mistakes per stage. Its final Kkeokgi challenge converts the back-of-hand and catch sequence into two timed button presses. That timing and scoring are digital game rules, not a claim about every physical version.
How do I play the browser version?
Choose a stage, toss the stones, select the requested number while the keeper is in the air, then press Catch when the marker reaches the amber band. Catching near the centre earns more points. A picked stone can be tapped again to put it back before the catch.
Stage 5 has two catches: first receive stones on the hand, then flick and catch them again. Pause from the player controls. Completed throws and personal bests save in this browser; an unfinished toss restarts after a reload.