Kubb Rules The Viking Block Tossing Lawn Game
Koob The Swedish Yard Game Played with Teams or Single Players
Sep 30, 2009
Kubb is an outdoor game that can be played on any level surface, from grass, sand or snow and has been wildly popular for centuries in Sweden. Rumors originate the game in France, but it was being played by the Vikings over 1,000 years ago.
Kubb Outdoor Game Equipment
The only equipment needed for this lawn game is a Kubb block set. This set consists of 4 Hornpinnar (corner pins), 10 Kubbs (casting blocks), 6 kastpinnar (casting pins), 1 Kung pin. The pieces are made of hard wood and weathersealed to protect them from the elements. The Kung is 4" x 4" x 16", the Kastpinnar are 12.5" long made from 1.7" dowels, the Kubbs are 3" x 3" x8" and the Hornpinnars are .5" x 12". These Kubb pieces can be handmade or bought in sets.
Setting up the Outdoor Kubb Game Field
Each of the four corner pins are set up to mark the outside areas of the playing field. Although there is not a set standard for this game, the field sizes are usually approximately 5 x 8 meters, 6 x 4 meters or 8 x 10 meters or anywhere in between (roughly from 13' x 20' to 26' x 32' with 16' by 26' being the average size .) The field should be level, but can be on any surface. At the end of the longest sides of the field are the opposing sidelines, also called the baseline. Five Kubbs are set up on each baseline, standing on end. The King is placed in the exact center point of the field.
Playing the Viking Yard Game Kubb
To determine who throws first, one player from each team (teams can be made up of any number of players) while standing behind his baseline, throws a Kastpinnar into the center, as close to the Kung as possible without hitting it. The player who comes closest wins the first shot for his team. Play starts with that team throwing four (not all six) at the other teams Kubb line, trying to knock over as many as possible. Kastpinnars must always be thrown by an underhand throw and must go up in the air and back down again. Horizontally spinning throws (like a helicopter) are not allowed.
The Throwing Line
In this yard game, the throwing line is a line that is horizontally equal to the Kubb that is nearest the Kung in his own playing field.
Continuing Play for Kubb
Any Kubbs that were knocked down by team number one are picked up by team number two and throw onto team one's side of the field. These Kubbs are stood up at the spot where they landed and are now call Field Kubbs. Team number two starts their turn. Using all six of the Kastpinnar, they throw them first at the Field Kubbs that were previously knocked down, if they are successful in knocking those pins over again, then they may move onto trying to knock down the opponent's Kubb, if they have any Kastpinnars left. Once all of the Kubb on the baseline are knocked over, if there are any pins left, the team tries to knock over the Kung but must throw from their baseline.
If a Kubb on the baseline is hit before all of the Field Kubbs are knocked down, it is simply stood back up again with no penalty. If the Kung is knocked over before all of the Field Kubbs and Baseline Kubbs are knocked over, the throwing team loses that game.
When the team has run out of the six Kastpinnars, their turn is over and the process is restarted with the next team.
The game ends when one team successfully knocks down all of the Field Pins, Baseline Pins and the Kung.
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