For many Britons, nothing heralds the start of autumn like seeing chestnuts along a woodland path.
Every September, these iconic brown seeds fall from the horse chestnut, a non-native tree introduced to Britain in the 17th century.
And as anyone who remembers their school days knows, chestnuts were the inspiration for the classic game that has been played in schoolyards across the country for 200 years.
But what is the best way to win a conker competition? And what exactly should you look for when choosing your conker from the ground?
Speaking to MailOnline, scientists and chestnut enthusiasts revealed the science behind the perfect chestnut – and why bigger isn’t always better.
Speaking to MailOnline, scientists and chestnut lovers have revealed the science behind the perfect chestnut – and why bigger isn’t always better
Conkers are simply seeds of the horse chestnut, Aesculus hippocastanum. Conkers ripen in the autumn and fall to the ground in September and October.
Horse chestnut hunting was first recorded on the Isle of Wight in 1848, 232 years after the horse chestnut tree was brought to Britain from south-eastern Europe.
It is widely played in school playgrounds and at local clubs, as well as at the annual World Conker Championships, which have been held in Northamptonshire since 1965.
In this game, two players drill a hole in the chestnut, string it onto a piece of string and take turns hitting the other player’s seed to break it.
Many players think that bigger chestnuts are better because they deliver a more powerful blow to your opponent, but that turns out not to be the case.
Chris Quigley, Co-Founder of Peckham Conker Clubsaid that smaller chestnuts can be stronger because their compact size gives them greater density and makes them less likely to break or weaken.
‘Winning a horse chestnut fight is all about smashing your opponent’s nut, so the key to winning a horse chestnut is the structural integrity of the chestnut, not its size,’ he told MailOnline.
Smaller chestnuts are also harder to hit, giving you a distinct advantage when defending rather than attacking.
“If you have a small one, chances are your opponent will have trouble hitting yours,” Mr Quigley added.
‘With chestnuts, bigger is certainly not better.’
Another tip is to let your chestnut ripen. You can do this by letting it dry for a while in a warm environment. This will remove the moisture and make it harder (but don’t let it ripen too long, because then they can become brittle).
One player dangles his conker at arm’s length and holds it as still as possible (right). The striker holds the line of his own conker and swings at his opponent’s conker to try and hit it (left).
The beloved children’s wild chestnut is in danger as experts warn that chestnut trees and dozens of other European trees are at risk of extinction.
“We always say that ripening chestnuts is the best way to ensure a hard and structurally robust nut,” Quigley said.
‘As we age, moisture is stripped from our hair, while the natural oils (which make our hair stronger) are retained.’
Ripening chestnuts is also an alternative to pickling them in vinegar or frying them to toughen them – approaches that many consider cheating.
Dr Rob Jackson, an ecologist and plant pathologist at the University of Birmingham, said he often played with horse chestnuts as a child and had “lots of fond memories”.
He pointed out that chestnuts from more southern regions have more mass (they contain more matter, meaning they weigh more) than chestnuts from more northern regions.
A Study from 2004 Discovered chestnuts from Greece have a mass five times higher than those from Scotland due to temperature differences – so it may be worth taking a trip south to stock up on chestnuts.
To safely make a hole through your chestnut, experts advise using a narrow screwdriver or a hammer and nail
‘Seeds from more northerly areas are smaller than those from more southerly areas. That is a function of temperature. So the choice of seed location can be important,’ Dr Jackson told MailOnline.
When collecting chestnuts for a game of chestnuts, it is best to pick the ripe ones from the ground and not from the tree.
Chestnuts that are attached to trees may not be ready yet and may still be soft inside, which is not good for a chestnut fight.
As for shape, Andy Eddy, National Trust gardener and former chestnut picker, prefers round seeds rather than knobbly or ‘kidney’ seeds.
“The rounder the better, because the blows often bounce off,” says Eddy, who recommends a diameter of 2 cm.
‘If they have pimples or an unusual shape, it means the opponent will have more difficulty attacking you.’
According to John Hadman, chairman of the Ashton Conker Club, the exact way a player hits the ball varies when aiming to hit the light circle.
“Some people prefer the overarm stroke, where the chestnut comes down vertically,” Mr. Hadman said.
‘Others go in from the side or diagonally, thinking it might be easier to go against the softer part of the note.’
According to Woodland Trust, when striking, there should be 25 cm (9.8 in) of string between the hand and the chestnut.
The annual World Conker Championships (pictured) have been held in Northamptonshire since 1965
The shiny reddish-brown chestnut is surrounded by a pointed green husk, which naturally falls from the tree in autumn when ripe.
One final tip is to look at the tree your chestnut fell from, particularly the size of the tree and the color of the leaves.
Horse chestnut trees can become infested with a moth, the horse chestnut leaf miner (Cameraria ohridella), which lays eggs in the leaves of the trees.
“The leaves of affected horse chestnuts are much more shriveled and brown, so tree choice can be important,” Dr. Jackson said.
‘If you take seeds from a tree that looks healthier and has more green foliage, you might get a bigger chestnut that is better suited for battle.’
Finally, the National Trust warns that you should not attempt to eat your chestnuts, even though they look very similar to the chestnuts we eat at Christmas.
They are not the same as chestnuts and can be slightly poisonous. People can get sick from eating them.