Kubb Rules: How to Play the Kubb Yard Game

Kubb (say "koob") is a Scandinavian lawn game that mixes the aim of horseshoes with the strategy of chess, and these kubb rules will get your backyard crew playing in minutes. Two teams throw wooden batons at each other's wooden blocks, called kubbs, then try to topple the king standing in the middle of the field. Below you will find how to play kubb step by step, using the standard rules followed by most US clubs and tournaments, plus the common backyard shortcuts.

Quick rules

• Two teams face each other across a rectangular field, each with five kubbs on its baseline and the king in the center.
• Throw the six batons underhand, end over end, to knock down the other team's kubbs.
• Knocked kubbs are thrown back into the thrower's half by the other team and stood up as field kubbs.
• Field kubbs must be knocked down before baseline kubbs.
• If a team leaves field kubbs standing, the other team may throw from the line of the closest one.
• Once all of the other side's kubbs are down, throw at the king from your baseline. Topple it to win.
• Knock the king over early and your team loses on the spot.

What you need

• A kubb set: 10 kubbs (blocks, about 6 inches tall), 1 king (about 12 inches tall), 6 batons (throwing sticks, about 12 inches long) and 4 corner stakes.
• A flat lawn, beach or park space. The standard field is 5 meters wide by 8 meters long (about 16 by 26 feet). For kids, shrink it to about 4 by 6 meters.
• 2 to 12 players, split into two teams of 1 to 6. Use our team generator to split a big group fairly.

Setup

1. Push the four stakes in at the corners of the field. The two short sides are the baselines.
2. Stand five kubbs evenly spaced along each baseline, with the outer two at the corner stakes.
3. Place the king in the exact center of the field.
4. Decide who throws first. A common method: one player from each team tosses a baton toward the king from their baseline, and the closest without touching it chooses.

How to play

Throwing batons

1. Team A stands behind its baseline and throws the six batons, one at a time, at Team B's baseline kubbs. Teammates share the batons however they like.
2. Every throw must be underhand, with the baton spinning end over end. Sideways helicopter spins and overhand throws are not allowed; a kubb knocked down by an illegal throw is stood back up.
3. Knocked kubbs stay down for now. Kubbs still standing stay put.

Throwing kubbs back (inkasting)

1. Team B now picks up every kubb Team A knocked down and throws them, from behind its own baseline, into Team A's half of the field. This is called inkasting.
2. If an inkasted kubb lands outside Team A's half, it is thrown again. If it misses a second time, Team A may place it anywhere in its half, at least one baton length from the king and the corner stakes.
3. Team A stands each landed kubb upright where it stopped. These are now field kubbs.

Taking turns

1. Team B now throws the six batons. It must knock down all field kubbs on its side first, and only then aim at Team A's baseline kubbs.
2. If a baseline kubb falls while field kubbs are still standing, it is stood back up.
3. After Team B throws, Team A inkasts the knocked kubbs into Team B's half, and play continues back and forth.

The advantage line

If a team fails to knock down all the field kubbs in its turn, the other team gets an advantage. On its next turn, that team may step forward and throw batons from an imaginary line level with the field kubb closest to the king. That shorter distance can make the game swing quickly.

Throwing at the king

1. Once a team has knocked down every field kubb and baseline kubb on the opposing side, any batons it has left in that turn may be thrown at the king.
2. Throws at the king must be made from your own baseline, even if you held the advantage line.
3. Topple the king and you win. If the king falls at any other time, by a baton, a kubb or a stray throw, the team that knocked it over loses.

Scoring

Kubb has no running score inside a game: you win by toppling the king. For a match, most groups play best of three or best of five games. A simple tournament table:

How to win

Clear every kubb on the opposing side, field kubbs first and then baseline kubbs, and then knock over the king with a legal throw from your baseline in the same turn.

Variations

• Opening limit: many tournaments, including US national rules, limit the first team to 2 batons on its opening turn, the second team to 4, and full 6 batons after that. This balances the first throw advantage.
• Stacking: under some rules, inkasted kubbs that touch each other are stacked on top of one another, making them easier to knock down together.
• No advantage line: casual players often drop it and always throw from the baseline.
• Penalty kubbs: some groups let the receiving team place any kubb that lands out twice, as above; others simply let the thrower keep trying.
• Kids' kubb: a shorter field and no penalty for an early king, just stand it back up.

Sources differ on small details such as stacking and the opening baton limit; agree before you start.

Tips and strategy

• Practice a smooth underhand swing with a straight wrist. Accuracy beats power.
• When inkasting, try to cluster kubbs close together and near the center so they are hard to clear in one pass, but stay safely away from the king.
• Use the advantage line. Leaving one field kubb standing near the king hands your opponents a much shorter throw.
• Save at least one baton for the king when you are close to clearing the field.
• Throw at the nearest field kubbs first to shorten your work.

Common mistakes

• Helicopter or overhand throws, which are not allowed.
• Aiming at baseline kubbs before clearing field kubbs.
• Throwing at the king from the advantage line instead of the baseline.
• Standing too close to the field. Keep spectators and kids behind the baselines and well to the sides.

Love lawn games? See the rules for cornhole, bocce and croquet, or browse our full list of outdoor games.