Attack the baseline
The starting team throws all six batons from behind its baseline at the opponent's baseline kubbs. To keep the opening fair, many players let the first team throw just two to four batons on the very first turn.
How to play
Learn it in five minutes. Play it for life.
Same game. Thirstier rules.
Kubb is simple to pick up and endlessly tactical. Here's everything you need for your first game, from marking the pitch to toppling the king.
Set up and play the standard game, then layer on eight house rules built for long evenings on the lawn. Sips, not chugs.
2–12Players, solo or in teams
20–60 minPer game
8 × 5 mPitch, smaller for kids
All agesIf you can throw, you can play
(01) Set up
Mark the pitch. Crown the king.
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I
Mark a rectangle
About 8 metres long and 5 metres wide on flat, open ground. Mark the corners with stakes, or anything you have on hand. The two short sides are the baselines.
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II
Line up the kubbs
Stand five kubbs on each baseline, evenly spaced from corner to corner. These are each team's baseline kubbs.
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III
Place the king
Stand the king in the exact center of the pitch, halfway between the two baselines.
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IV
Decide who starts
One player from each team throws a baton from their baseline toward the king. Closest without knocking him over goes first.
(02) The rules
Turn by turn, throw by throw.
Eight rules, one sip at a time.
Underhand, end over end
Every throw is underhand, with the baton spinning vertically through the air. No sidearm throws and no horizontal “helicopter” spins. A kubb only counts once it's knocked flat.
Throw the fallen back
The other team gathers every kubb knocked down on its side and tosses them into the attacking team's half. They're stood up where they land and become field kubbs. If one lands out of bounds twice, the attacking team places it anywhere in its half, at least a baton's length from the king and the corners.
Field kubbs first
Now it's the other team's turn to throw. They must topple every field kubb before aiming at the baseline. A baseline kubb knocked over too early is simply stood back up.
Step up to the line
If a team leaves field kubbs standing, the other team may step forward and throw from the line of the standing field kubb closest to the king. Throws at the king always come from the baseline.
Topple the king
Teams keep trading turns. Once every kubb on the opponent's side is down, field and baseline, you've earned a shot at the king from your baseline. Knock him over and you win.
Never too early
If the king falls before that moment, whether from a baton or a kubb, the team responsible loses on the spot. Respect the king.
Play the standard game with these house rules layered on top. Sips, not chugs: a good game of Kubb can run long.
Toast the king
Before the first baton flies, everyone raises a glass to the king. It’s tradition. Probably.
Six and nothing
Throw all six batons without toppling a single kubb and your whole team takes a sip.
Double down
Knock down two or more kubbs with one baton and hand out a sip for each kubb that fell.
Out of bounds
Throw a kubb back out of bounds twice and you take a sip while your opponent places it.
Helicopter tax
Any illegal throw, sidearm or helicopter spin, costs the thrower a sip, and anything it knocked over stands back up.
Stack attack
When a thrown-back kubb lands stacked on another, the team that has to knock them down takes a sip.
Royal blunder
Knock the king over early and you don’t just lose the game. You pour the next round, too.
Kingslayer
Topple the king to win and you’re crowned. Invent one new house rule for the next game.
(03) In play
Built for long evenings.
(04) Good to know
Questions from the pitch.
How many people can play?
Anywhere from two to twelve. Split into two even teams of one to six players. Each team shares its six batons every turn.
How long does a game take?
A casual game usually runs 20 to 60 minutes, depending on the players. Evenly matched teams can trade turns for a lot longer.
Can kids play?
Absolutely. Shorten the pitch to around 5 or 6 metres so the throws are within reach, and let younger players step a little closer.
What if a thrown-back kubb lands touching another?
Most players stack it on top of the kubb it's touching. A stacked pair still counts as two kubbs to knock down.
Where's the best place to play?
Short, level grass is classic, but sand, packed snow and turf all work well. Any open, reasonably flat patch of ground will do.
Any tips for beginners?
Aim at the bottom half of the kubb and keep your wrist firm for a clean vertical spin. When throwing kubbs back, land them in a tight group near the center line. They'll be much easier to clear on your next turn.
Ready for your first game?
Every set includes a king, ten kubbs and six batons in finished hardwood.