Tejo: Colombia’s Explosive National Sport

Colombia’s national sport is quite literally an explosive game. The objective of Tejo is to throw metal discs at gunpowder-filled targets. And quite often, it goes hand in hand with drinking beer, taking the danger levels and fun up a few notches. This local game is steeped in tradition. It is loud, rowdy, and the source of great competition in Colombia.

If you are travelling through Bogota or Medellin, you can find Tejo experiences specially catered for tourists. Or, you can look for a local chicheria in the rural areas of Colombia for a more authentic taste of Tejo. You will also find Tejo at carnivals or festivals, or even in hostels and hotels throughout the country that offer backpackers free tejo nights.

Origins of Tejo

The exact origins of the game are disputed, but most sources agree that it originated in central Colombia before the Spanish Conquest. The original version of Tejo, or turmequé, was played with golden discs and involved players throwing the discs into a clay pit to hit a target. Ball, hunting and throwing sports were prominent in pre-Hispanic South America. For instance, Sapo, a traditional coin throwing game, was popular in the Incan Empire before the Conquest.

When the Spanish conquerors came to Colombia, many of the original games were adapted or recreated with a Spanish twist. Tejo didn’t disappear, but it was adapted to use metal tejos, or discs, instead of gold rings. The game pretty much stayed the same for the next 400 years. It was only in the 20th century that Tejo’s explosive nature was created.

During La Violencia, a ten-year civil war in Colombia, it is thought that the gunpowder and explosion element was added to Tejo. It was a violent time in Colombia’s history, and La Violencia is thought to have killed 200,000 people. That is, approximately 2% of the population. Tejo was a symbol of national pride, an aboriginal game that had stood the test of time, but it was time now to renew the game and give it a more dangerous edge.

This version of Tejo also has claypit targets and metal discs, called tejos. But inside the pits, there are mechas. These are small envelopes that are filled with gunpowder, and will blast if hit with a tejo.

How To Play Tejo

The game is played across a field, with the throwers standing around 18.5 to 20 metres from the clay board. This target is slanted at a 45-degree angle, and covered in clay. On the surface of the board, there are small targets called mechas, which you need to hit. The clay target itself is not very large, only 1 metre by 1 metre. And behind it, standing up straight, is a wooden board, which you are not supposed to hit.

If you throw a tejo onto the clay without hitting one of the mechas, you get 1 point. Hit a mecha, and you will be awarded 3 points. Land the techo in the centre of the clay pit but without an explosion, and you get 6 points.

And if you can get your tejo in the middle of the mechas and hit the big bang, you get all 9 points. Surrounding the clay target, there are small wooden bars to reduce the area of the explosion. And under the centre of the clay target, there is a pipe to absorb the explosion’s impact.

Generally, you are throwing the tejo with an underhanded motion. And try to get it to land on the clay, and not hit the board behind the clay target. If you are playing at a local pub or venue, an explosion will probably earn you a round of chichas.

Is Tejo Really All That Popular?

Funnily enough, Tejo is the second most popular game in Colombia behind soccer. Soccer is arguably the most popular sport in Latin America and around the world. Colombia has a rich history of soccer, with players such as Diego Maradona, and in recent times, Lionel Messi leading the way. And there is a huge culture of watching soccer and betting on it in Colombia.

But Tejo is the second biggest sport in the country. Like soccer, it is more of a working-class pastime. And you will find it played across bars and beer halls in both rural towns and big cities. There are organised tournaments and competitive tejo leagues too. Some of these tournaments are covered in the National Games of Colombia, and there are even a few professional teams. There is a Colombian Tejo Federation that organizes national tejo competitions, but the sport has not really caught on outside Colombia.

Efforts were made to introduce Tejo into the Olympics, but these didn’t really get far at all. The biggest hindrance is not the popularity or recognition of the game. But trying to put distance between an organised version of tejo, and the boozy working class pastime that is seen as. Because, make no mistake, this is a game that for years you would enjoy during a night out. Tejo throwers would often drink beers during games, and your prize for winning would often just be more booze.

Gambling Element of Tejo

Though it wasn’t always the case. Tejo doesn’t really require any skills, and can be done by anyone from seasoned experts to fresh beginners. Of course, you can get better at the game by practising. But still there is an amount of luck and chance that make it impossible to determine what will happen.

And this only naturally created a silent market for gambling on tejo. There are no formal gambling sites or sportsbooks in Colombia that take bets on Tejo. The gambling traditions around tejo are not as big in Colombia as, say, horse race betting or soccer wagers. But Tejo gambling is more social and practiced between friends, peers, or acquaintances. It can involve betting on who will buy the next round of beers. Or even range to goods, and even money wagers.

Betting on Tejo or Playing for Money

Sportsbooks in Colombia would offer bets on tejo if they could. It is a niche sport, and one that would attract a lot of local attention. But the main problem is that it is too unpredictable. A sportsbook cannot really offer betting odds on a game of tejo unless it has enough information and confidence to accurately predict the probabilities. And sportsbooks need to give themselves an edge, too. This is to make sure they make a profit.

But if oddsmakers have to gauge a game of tejo between two local champions, it is far harder to determine. Just take into account that they may be 2 or 3 beers in, and really anything can happen.

Casinos cannot really cash in on the frenzy either. It is a skill based game, and the house could theoretically set up payouts and stakes for your games. But it can’t really do that because one player may have a better ability than the next. Imagine if you have a payout of 1.5x for hitting the middle, whereas a less talented player would have odds of 4x. It just cannot realistically be reimagined as a casino game.

Explosive Casino Games with a Similar Bang

Though Tejo isn’t suited for casinos, there are plenty of casino games that capture the same explosive thrill. Slots are perhaps the most versatile and eclectic casino games. You can find slots with all kinds of themes, animations, sounds, and atmospheres.

Slot features like collapsing reels, chain reactions, or “blasting wilds” add a similar sense of chaos and reward. You are most likely to find these among the “dynamite” or Miner themed games.

Another one is crash games, a rising trend at online casinos. These often feature flying vessels or astronauts, who will either crash or explode in the game. And the objective is to cash out before they explode.

Safe Way to Enjoy Tejo

Going back to Tejo, it is a must-try if you are in Colombia. Nowadays, there are designated zones where you can play Tejo in a controlled and safe environment. The games are supervised and you will not end up damaging any property or hurting anyone.

There are, of course, local venues that may offer more authentic versions of Tejo. These are also controlled, but to a much lesser extent. It is best to stick with a safer environment where you don’t end up breaking any windows or accidentally setting off a fire. Remember, they use highly flammable gunpowder and it can be extremely dangerous. So play safely, and enjoy it with good company. You can even crack a cold one and take a few shots, maybe even placing a friendly wager on the side.