Home > Sports > List > Unusual > Thumb Wrestling

Thumb wrestling, also called pea-knuckle or thumb war, is a game played between two players using thumbs to simulate fighting. There are many claims as to who invented thumb wrestling.

Paul Davidson claims his grandfather invented thumb wrestling, while Julian Koenig claims he invented the game when he was a boy. The goal of the game is to pin the opposing player’s thumb. A short chant  “1, 2, 3, 4, I declare a thumb of war” is usually performed before the game starts. When the game is over, the winner chants “1, 2, 3, 4, I win thumb-o-war.”

The World Thumb Wrestling Association just recently held their first-ever thumb wrestling competition.

---

---

Related Pages

• See the related unusual sports of Toe Wrestling, Finger Wrestling and Finger Jousting
• See also arm wrestling and other wrestling sports
• Unusual Wrestling Competitions
• More unusual sports
• Videos of unusual sports