Three years later Meiszberg was speaking with a friend who had been at the party. Out of the blue, Meiszberg's began talking about the game they had played that day around the umbrella table. Three more years passed, and Meiszberg was at another outdoor gathering that featured popular games like Cornhole. The wheels in his head turning, Meiszberg went inside and began drawing up designs for a more sophisticated version of Cap-N-Hole that used a game board and bottle caps for game pieces. The early design also featured bumpers glued in place to make the game more challenging. About that time Meiszberg's place of work closed down, and he began working out of a temp agency. That is where he met Seno's wife. Seno owns New Country Designs in Wakarusa.
"I pulled out this design and said, do you think your husband can make a prototype for me," Meiszberg said.
Seno agreed, and soon Meiszberg's design on paper was reality.
While there are a few set rules to Cap-N-Hole, for the most part Meiszberg and Seno want players to be creative in how they play the game. The game board folds into its own carrying case. It comes in two sizes, including a 24-inch version and a 36-inch version. Both games feature three holes. While the standard scoring is one, three and five points depending on the size of the hole, Meiszberg and Seno said players can adapt to fit their preferences. For example, one teacher who tried the game on her students found a 1-3-5 point system much easier for their particular age group. While the game originally featured four bumpers glued in place, the bumpers are now movable. The game also comes with extra bumpers so players can create their own challenges.
In its most basic form, Cap-N-Hole features two players at a time, competing for points. Players try to get their bottle caps into one of the three holes on their board, which can be more of a challenge than it sounds, especially when the bumpers are set just right. Scoring usually goes up to 15 points, which again, Meiszberg and Seno said is flexible. The players race to see who can make the designated number of points first.
The game comes with six bottle caps and a total of 12 bumpers so players can choose how they wish to compete. The boards are made from locally-grown hardwoods and are appropriate for both indoor and outdoor use. Cap-N-Hole can be especially fun at Labor Day or Fourth of July parties, where more people can get in on the action, Meiszberg and Seno said. They also hope to present the concept to local hospitals, where hand-eye coordination exercises can come in handy as a form of physical therapy. They also feel it can be an appropriate game at elementary schools, where teachers can adapt the scoring system based on their students' math needs.
Just as important, Seno and Meiszberg, who both have kids at home, hope their game can serve as a means to quality family time.
"It's just as challenging for the adults as it is for the kids," Seno said. "It's a great family game. It doesn't involve computers, it doesn't involve cell phones; it's something that requires you to sit down with your own family and participate."
As time goes on, Meiszberg and Seno hope to see Cap-N-Hole grow and change.
"I think our goal over time will eventually be to make it into a home game system," Meiszberg said.
An ironic twist came last month when someone suggested they make a game and send it to President Barack Obama for his daughters to try.
"Sure enough, the guy actually comes to Wakarusa where we actually make the product," Meiszberg said laughing.
While it is not certain that they will actually get one of their games all the way to the White House, both think it would be a great idea.
"That really would be a feel-good story from a depressed area to let people know we're still kicking," Meiszberg said.
They also plan to take their game to Notre Dame tailgate parties this season in hopes of getting the word out.
Eventually they want to begin filling custom orders, perhaps including team logos or making the boards available in a variety of woods, but that is a while down the road yet.
The 24-inch board currently sells for $60, while the 36-inch board sells for $75.
Those who would like to learn more can simply search "Cap-N-Hole" online, Seno said.
Those wishing to order a Cap-N-Hole game can call Seno at New Country Designs in Wakarusa, 862-4954 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it