Beto’s
Game Tournament
One of the objectives of the Erasmus GAMES PLUS Project: traditional games for learning to teach, also refers to the proposition of competitive events involving traditional games. In this way, the project seeks to highlight the contributions of the universe that permeate the practice of traditional games, inserting them in a competitive context. In this sense, the project held on April 23, 2024, a tournament involving Jogo do Beto, with students from the Sports Sciences course at the University of Coimbra.
Using the context of the commemorations of the 50th anniversary of the 25th of April, the date on which the Carnation Revolution took place, which marks the end of the dictatorship in Portugal, the Torneio do Jogo do Beto, was held with a feeling of respect for differences, gender equality and especially the reverence for good conduct, not only in the field of sports, but in living in society in general.

The tournament was previously announced to the students of the course, who had the opportunity to register through electronic communication.
Doubles could be mixed and there were no prerequisites for skills or experience in the game.

The prize was for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place and best mixed team.
From the registrations made, 16 pairs were formed, involving 32 students.

According to the number of pairs, the confrontations were defined by lottery, on the day of the event and in the presence of the students. From the draw, the matches were organized in the double bracket system.
It was reinforced to the students that referees would not be appointed to supervise and apply the rules and no poll workers would be appointed to count the points. In each match, the teams would have to assume these responsibilities, reinforcing the need for dialogue, consensus and especially honesty during the matches.

In each game, the students got involved with the game and with the competitive feeling, in the search for overcoming.

Throughout the event, teachers and students were very involved in the entire organization process.
At several times, superiority was related to the choice of the best strategy and not to factors related to gender or dexterity.



In the semi-final stage (J13 and J14) the matches lasted 30 minutes




However, even those who didn’t follow through continued to cheer for the rest.


After the final, the result was celebrated not only by the winning duo, but by everyone who was there, as the feeling during the event was one of great joy and relaxation.

Then the awards for best mixed doubles were held.




The bracket with the results of each game was as follows:

In this way, the project once again contributes not only by stimulating the practice and rescue of traditional games, but also in the realization of competitions involving the practices and values proposed by these games.





