What is "knife game"

n. a (l/en: game) wherein a (l/en: player) places his hand on a surface and tries to quickly (l/en: stab) the spaces between the (l/en finger fingers)

The knife game, pinfinger, nerve, bishop, stabscotch, or five finger fillet (FFF), is a game wherein, placing the palm of one's hand down on a table with fingers apart, using a knife, or sharp object, one attempts to stab back and forth between one's fingers, moving the object back and forth, trying to not hit one's fingers. The order in which the spaces between the fingers are stabbed varies. In the following examples, the spaces are numbered 1 (behind the thumb) through 6 (after the little finger).

In North America, the most popular version is to simply stab all the spaces in order, starting from behind the thumb to after the little finger, and back again:

1-2-3-4-5-6-5-4-3-2 (repeat).

In Australia this order is used.

1-2-1-3-1-4-1-5-1-6 (repeats).

In Europe, a more complex order is used:

1-2-1-3-1-4-1-5-1-6-1-5-1-4-1-3-1-2 (repeats)

or an even more complex order:

1-2-1-3-1-4-1-5-1-6-2-6-3-6-4-6-5-6-4-6-3-6-2-6 (etc.)