Let’s Play
Kubb
How To Play
Setup
The object of the game is to be the first team to knock down all your opponent’s Kubbs and the King Kubb.
Games can be played between 2-12 players.
To determine who goes first, one player from each team will toss a baton underhand towards the King Kubb. The closest to the King Kubb chooses who goes first.
Gameplay
Teams alternate turns tossing all six of their batons at their opponent’s Kubbs.
Official Kubb rules state the baton must be thrown underhand with the baton flying in an end-over-end manner (no helicoptering). Some house rules play with an overhand throw with the baton flying end over end.
After Team A throws, Team B must toss any of their knocked down Kubbs across the center line, and Team A stands them up. Kubbs knocked into the field must be knocked down before knocking down the opponent’s baseline Kubbs.
Both teams throw from the baseline until there are field Kubbs in play. Then players may throw from the most forward field Kubb on their side.
Once all of the Kubbs on your opponent’s side are knocked down, field and baseline, the King Kubb must be knocked down to win.
All throws at the King Kubb must be thrown from the baseline.
If at any time during the game someone prematurely knocks over the King Kubb, they automatically lose the game.
A common house rule is the King Kubb must be knocked down by bending over and throwing the baton in an overhand motion through one’s legs.
Scoring
The winner is the first team to knock down all opponent’s Kubbs, including the King Kubb, following the specified rules.
History
The true origin of Kubb, pronounced ‘koob,’ is steeped in mystery. With its popularity growth so has the number of people that would like to claim that it was invented by their decedents. Kubb is often referred to as a Viking game with the storying being that the Vikings used bones as batons as skulls as the Kubb’s.
While the game may have been created on the battlefield it is more likely that it was created in the woods of Sweden when parents were trying to keep their children occupied. Kubb translates into “block of wood” in Swedish.
What we do know is that an official account of Kubb can first be found in the Swedish Encyclopedia, Norkisk Familjebok from 1911. The game has been played in Sweden since the 1930’s and has been very popular there since the 1980’s. In the early 2000’s Kubb gained popularity in the United States and has as a large contingent of loyal participants.
Many Kubb clubs can now be found throughout the United States, including the U.S. Kubb Championship.
