How do you play two-up?
Tim Colman
Typical Anzac Day outfit
So you’re in a crowded, rowdy bar and the drinks are flowing. You notice everyone gravitating towards a rabble of cheers and two copper coins spinning above the sea of heads. “Come in Spinner,” is heartily shouted just before the coins appear. Confused?
Well it’s two-up. As you can only play legally on Anzac Day many punters may be a little hazy on the rules for iconic gambling game. Luckily it’s not too difficult.
The game’s origins aren’t entirely clear but it’s generally believed it first appeared on the Australian goldfields in the nineteenth century. The perfect way to lose your gold after a hard day’s panning. During World War I it was played extensively by the Australian diggers hence its connection to Anzac Day.
The game can be played with either two or three coins. Pennies are favoured over decimal currency as they’re considered the perfect weight and size. Whether this decision is scientifically arrived at is unknown. As you can probably guess the game is all about heads and tails.
So you have a group of friends ready for a game. One person is the Spinner whose job it is to throw the coins in the air using a small piece of wood known as a kip. The throw has to go over shoulder height, not hit the roof (assuming you’re playing inside) and land somewhere in the playing area. The results are straightforward: two heads the Spinner wins, two tails they’ve lost. If it’s a head and tail, known as a One Them, the Spinner throws again.
The Spinner will place a bet before they throw which needs to be covered by another player. Two heads the Spinner takes the bet and cover while two tails means the covering player takes all. There are a few variations the most popular being the Spinner must throw heads three times in a row to win.
Punters who want in on the action also bet amongst themselves on the results of each throw. When you’re playing in a casino, where it’s legal all year around, the Spinner’s bet is covered by the house.
There are few other colourful characters involved in the game. The Boxer manages the game plus the bets and also leads the crowd in, “Come in Spinner,” calls when it’s time to play. The Ringkeeper looks after the coins after each spin to avoid any tampering. Not really used anymore, at least on Anzac Day, is the Cockatoo who keeps a look out for police.
There you have it, not exactly brain science but still easy to lose all your money. Thankfully it’s only legal once a year. Here’s a list of places you can find a game.
Is it ‘really’ illegal to play on other days?
Christian of Sydney, NSW, Australia
