Finger hooking is an old Alpine strength sport that is mainly practiced in Bavaria and Austria. Two opponents sitting opposite each other at a table try to pull their opponent towards them by their finger. The expression “ripping someone off” also comes from this process. There are two known ways of hooking the fingers before the draw: either the players hook their index fingers together or a leather strap is used into which the middle fingers are hooked. In addition to physical strength, the most important thing is the right technique.
While pub disputes were supposedly settled in this way in the past, finger wrestling is now an organized sport with fixed rules. At tournaments and championships, participants compete against each other in different weight and age classes. The tournament is regulated by a referee, a chairman and two assessors. To be on the safe side, there is a so-called catcher behind each participant who provides safety support in case the opponents' entangled fingers become loose early.