Pusser's Rum: The Grand Prize for The World Uckers Championship

Traditionally played by the Royal Navy, uckers is a board game played by two to four players who compete to get four pieces around the board before their opponent. The whole goal is to get all of your pieces home before another opponent can. Even more glory is given to those who can achieve all pieces home without the opponent getting any home at all—this became known as an "8-piece-dicking."

The Rules

At the World Uckers Championship 2021, the Royal Naval Association set specified rules for the qualified participants:

"The game is played with four players in two teams. Teammates play diagonally opposite each other (red and yellow vs. blue and green). The object of the game is to circumnavigate the board with each of your coloured counters and finishing in the appropriately coloured home triangle. The team with all eight of its counters home first wins the game."

Although traditionally played in the Royal Navy, uckers has spread to many of the other Armed Forces of the UK as well, including the Commonwealth Forces. With this spread of its fame, came new competitions and new rules. The Royal Naval Association also put in place these rules which must be followed by each participant in order to compete. Essentially, the rules allocate challenges and movements that players can and cannot make.

The Champions

To complete the games, each winning team is paired up with another until thirty-two winning teams remain. Then, those winning teams are awarded with a coveted Royal Navy tradition: Pusser's Rum, and sent off to the Grand Final. The winners for this year's World Uckers Championship were Bob and Sara Field. (Pictured below)

The Prize

Pusser's Rum is the traditional Royal Navy style rum produced at original Admiralty strength and in accordance with the Admiralty’s blending recipe last used when the Royal Navy discontinued its daily ration on 31 July 1970. It is the only recipe today still produced in exact accordance with the Admiralty's specifications, proving to be a favorite for Royal Navy Veterans and New Generations alike. It is the ultimate gift of liquid history given to the Uckers World Champions.