The origin of the name is also uncertain. Presumably there is a connection with the children's nursery rhyme which includes the line "Five, six, pick up sticks".
How To Play
Exact rules vary considerably between versions, however the basics are usually the same. A handful of sticks - usually pointed at each end - are dropped in a pile onto a flat surface. Players take turns to try and remove one stick without moving any of the others.Sometimes only one stick can be removed at each turn, sometimes the turn continues with a player removing as many sticks as possible. The latter version gives a slight advantage to the first player as when the sticks are first dropped there are usually several that are simple to pick up.
In the modern versions you can buy the sticks are usually of different colours with each colour being worth a different number of points. In some of the more up market versions the different point values are also represented by sticks made from different types of wood. An even more sophisticated version is the ancient Chinese Spellicans set recorded by R.C.Bell which consists of ivory sticks with the ends carved into different shapes.
Many sets you an buy also come with a metal hook that can be used to assist in removing sticks.