Kubb: The Viking Throwing Game Taking Over Backyards Worldwide

Introduction

Kubb (pronounced “koob”) is a Swedish outdoor throwing game often called “Viking chess” — though it has almost nothing in common with actual chess. The game involves two teams taking turns hurling wooden batons at rectangular wooden blocks (kubbs) placed on opposite ends of a rectangular pitch, with a tall wooden King standing in the centre. Knock over all your opponent’s kubbs, then topple the King to win. Knock the King over too early, and you lose immediately.

Legend holds that the Vikings invented Kubb over a thousand years ago on the island of Gotland, off Sweden’s eastern coast. Some stories claim warriors played with the bones and skulls of defeated enemies, though there is no archaeological evidence for this grisly origin. What is certain is that the modern form of Kubb was revived in the 1980s on Gotland, where local craftsmen began producing sets and codifying the rules. By the 1990s, the game had spread across Scandinavia and into mainland Europe.

Today, Kubb has a thriving international tournament scene. The World Championship has been held annually on Gotland since 1995, drawing hundreds of teams from dozens of countries. National championships are held across Europe and North America, and the game has become a staple of summer barbecues, beach holidays, and camping trips worldwide. Its appeal is simple: the rules are easy enough for children to grasp in minutes, but the strategy and skill ceiling are high enough to keep competitive players engaged for years.

Equipment

A standard Kubb set contains 23 wooden pieces in total:

• 1 King — the tallest piece, approximately 30 cm tall and 9 cm square at the base, often with a pointed crown or carved top. The King stands in the centre of the pitch and is the final target.
• 10 Kubbs — rectangular wooden blocks, approximately 15 cm tall and 7 cm square at the base. Five start on each team’s baseline.
• 6 Throwing batons — round wooden dowels, approximately 30 cm long and 3 cm in diameter. These are the projectiles players throw at the kubbs.
• 4 Corner stakes — thin wooden pegs used to mark the corners of the playing field. Some sets use string or tape instead.

Most commercial sets are made from birch, pine, or rubberwood. Higher-end tournament sets often use hardwoods like beech or oak for greater durability and a more satisfying weight. The pieces should be smooth, splinter-free, and weather-resistant if you plan to leave them outdoors.

Field Setup

Setting up the Kubb pitch takes less than two minutes once you know the layout:

1. Mark the pitch. Place the 4 corner stakes to form a rectangle approximately 5 metres wide by 8 metres long. The short sides are the baselines and the long sides are the sidelines. You can use string between the stakes to make the boundaries visible, but this is optional.
2. Place the baseline kubbs. Each team lines up 5 kubbs evenly spaced along their own baseline, standing upright. The kubbs should be positioned roughly at the edge of the pitch boundary.
3. Position the King. Stand the King upright in the exact centre of the pitch — equidistant from both baselines and both sidelines. The King is the focal point of the game and must not be touched until the final winning throw.
4. Determine first throw. Each team simultaneously throws one baton toward the King from their baseline. The team whose baton lands closest to the King without toppling it earns the right to throw first. If a team knocks the King over during this process, the other team goes first.

For casual play, you can adjust the pitch dimensions to suit your space. A smaller field (4 m × 6 m) makes the game easier and faster — good for children or beginners. A larger field increases the challenge and makes tournament-style play more demanding.

How to Play

1. Team A throws batons at Team B’s baseline kubbs Standing behind their own baseline, Team A’s players take turns throwing the 6 batons at Team B’s 5 baseline kubbs on the opposite end of the pitch. All throws must be underhand and the baton must rotate end-over-end vertically. Each player may throw one or more batons depending on how the team divides them. The goal is to knock over as many of Team B’s kubbs as possible.
2. Knocked-over kubbs become field kubbs After Team A has thrown all 6 batons, Team B collects every kubb that was knocked over from their baseline. Team B then throws these kubbs underhand into Team A’s half of the pitch. Each kubb must land within the boundaries and past the centre line. These are now called field kubbs.
3. Stand field kubbs where they land Team A stands each field kubb upright on the spot where it came to rest. If a field kubb landed tilted or on its side, stand it up on the end closest to where it stopped. The field kubbs now become targets that Team B must attack on their next turn.
4. Team B must knock over all field kubbs FIRST When it is Team B’s turn to throw, they must knock down every field kubb in their opponent’s half before they are allowed to target any baseline kubbs. If a baseline kubb is knocked over while field kubbs are still standing, that baseline kubb is simply stood back up. This rule is the engine that drives Kubb’s strategy.
5. Failing to clear field kubbs advances the throwing line If Team B cannot knock over all the field kubbs with their 6 batons, Team A gains a powerful advantage: on their next turn, Team A may throw from the line of the closest remaining field kubb rather than from behind their baseline. This drastically shortens the throwing distance and often leads to devastating follow-up turns.
6. Alternate turns and repeat After each throwing turn, the process repeats: knocked-over kubbs are gathered, thrown back as field kubbs, stood up, and the opposing team attacks. Teams alternate turns until one side has knocked over all 10 of the opponent’s kubbs (both field and baseline).
7. Knock over the King to win Once a team has toppled all of the opposing team’s kubbs in a single turn, they earn the right to throw at the King. The King shot must be taken from behind the team’s own baseline. If the King is knocked over, that team wins the game. If they miss, play continues — the King is only reset if it was accidentally bumped but not toppled.
8. The King penalty — knock it over early and you LOSE This is the most dramatic rule in Kubb: if a team accidentally knocks over the King at any point before all opposing kubbs are cleared, that team immediately loses the game. Every throw near the centre of the pitch carries this electrifying risk.

Throwing Rules

Kubb has strict throwing regulations to ensure fair and consistent play:

• Underhand only. All baton throws must be delivered with an underhand motion. The throwing arm swings from below the waist. Overhand, sidearm, and backhand throws are all prohibited.
• End-over-end rotation. The baton must rotate vertically, tumbling end over end as it travels toward the target. This is the defining throwing technique in Kubb and gives the game its distinctive look.
• No helicopter throws. Spinning the baton horizontally (like a helicopter rotor or a frisbee) is illegal. A horizontally spinning baton covers far too much area and would make the game trivially easy. If a baton is thrown helicopter-style, the throw does not count and any kubbs it knocks over are stood back up.
• Release below waist height. The baton must leave the thrower’s hand at or below waist level. This prevents players from gaining unfair velocity or angles.
• Throw from behind the line. Players must release the baton from behind their designated throwing line — normally the baseline, but the advanced throwing line applies if the opposing team left field kubbs standing.
• One baton per throw. Only one baton may be thrown at a time. There is no rule about which player on a team throws which baton, so teams can freely assign their best throwers to the most important targets.

Field Kubb Rules

Field kubbs are the heart of Kubb’s strategic depth. Understanding these rules is essential:

• Throwing field kubbs. When throwing knocked-over kubbs back onto the pitch, you must throw them underhand and they must land within the opponent’s half of the pitch (between the centre line and the opponent’s baseline) and within the sidelines.
• First out-of-bounds throw. If a field kubb lands outside the boundaries or does not cross the centre line, the throwing team gets a second attempt with that specific kubb.
• Second out-of-bounds throw. If the kubb goes out of bounds a second time, the opposing team may place that kubb anywhere they wish on their half of the pitch, as long as it is at least one baton-length from the King and one baton-length from the nearest sideline. Skilled opponents will place it in the most advantageous position.
• Stacking and grouping. If a thrown field kubb lands on top of or touching another field kubb, both are stood up where they lie. This means a good thrower can deliberately group field kubbs together, making them easier to knock down in a single baton throw.
• Field kubbs that knock over baseline kubbs. If a thrown field kubb accidentally topples a baseline kubb, the baseline kubb is simply stood back up. No penalty applies.
• Field kubbs must be cleared first. On every throwing turn, the attacking team must topple all field kubbs before any baseline kubb knockdowns count. Baseline kubbs hit while field kubbs remain standing are stood back up.

The King

The King is the centrepiece of Kubb in every sense — physically and strategically. Here are the key rules governing the King:

• Winning condition. To win, a team must knock over all 10 of the opponent’s kubbs (field and baseline) and then topple the King. The King is the final target and the game cannot be won without it.
• Losing condition. If the King is knocked over at any point before all opponent kubbs are cleared — whether by a baton throw, an errant field kubb, or even the wind blowing a baton into it — the team responsible immediately loses. This is the most punishing rule in the game.
• King shot from the baseline. The winning throw at the King must be taken from behind the team’s own baseline, regardless of any advanced throwing line they may have earned. This ensures the final shot is always a long-range challenge.
• Accidental contact. If the King wobbles or shifts but does not fall over completely, play continues without penalty. The King must be fully toppled — lying flat on the ground — for either the win or the loss condition to trigger.
• Resetting the King. If the King is bumped out of position but remains standing, it stays wherever it ends up. It is not moved back to the centre. This can occasionally shift the game’s geometry in interesting ways.

Strategy Tips

Tournament Play

Kubb has grown from a casual garden game into a serious competitive sport with structured tournaments around the world. The three most prestigious events are:

World Championship (VM i Kubb)

The Kubb World Championship has been held annually since 1995 in the village of Rone on Gotland, Sweden — the island where the modern game was revived. The tournament takes place every summer and typically attracts over 100 teams from Sweden, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Switzerland, and many other countries. Teams of six compete in a group-stage-and-knockout format. The atmosphere is festive, with live music, food stalls, and a strong community spirit.

European Championship

The European Kubb Championship rotates between host cities across the continent. Countries with strong Kubb traditions — particularly Germany, Belgium, and Switzerland — frequently host the event. The competition follows official rules as defined by the World Championship organisers in Gotland and draws many of the same top-tier teams.

U.S. National Kubb Championship

The U.S. National Kubb Championship is held annually in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, which has become the unofficial capital of American Kubb. The event has been running since 2007 and has grown significantly, with over 100 teams competing in recent years. Eau Claire’s enthusiasm for the game extends beyond the tournament: the city hosts multiple Kubb leagues and has permanent pitches in public parks.

Tournament rules are generally standardised: 5 m × 8 m pitches, strict end-over-end throwing regulations, and time limits of 30 minutes per set to keep the schedule moving. In timed games, if neither team has won when time expires, the team with fewer remaining kubbs on the pitch wins. Ties are decided by a single sudden-death King shot from each team.

History & the Viking Connection

The romantic story of Kubb’s Viking origins is deeply embedded in the game’s identity, though historians treat it with caution. The most popular legend claims that the game was played by Norse warriors on Gotland over 1,000 years ago, possibly using the bones of defeated enemies as game pieces. Some accounts link it to Viking funeral games or warrior training exercises.

In reality, there is no conclusive archaeological evidence connecting Kubb to the Viking Age. No wooden game sets matching Kubb’s description have been found in Viking-era excavations on Gotland or elsewhere in Scandinavia. The earliest verifiable references to the game date only to the early 20th century on Gotland, where locals remember it as a traditional pastime.

What is well documented is Kubb’s modern revival in the 1980s. During this period, Gotland residents began producing standardised wooden sets and establishing codified rules. The first organised tournament was held in 1995 in Rone, Gotland, and this event — now the World Championship — catalysed the game’s spread beyond Sweden. German and Swiss travellers who encountered Kubb on Gotland brought it home, and from there it spread rapidly across Europe and eventually to North America.

Whether or not real Vikings played Kubb, the “Viking chess” branding has undeniably helped the game capture public imagination. It adds an element of drama and historical gravitas to what is essentially a relaxed garden game — and the King piece standing defiantly in the centre of the pitch certainly feels like something from a saga.

DIY Kubb Set

Building your own Kubb set is a satisfying woodworking project that requires only basic tools and materials. Here is what you need:

Materials

• The King: one piece of 90 mm × 90 mm square timber, cut to approximately 30 cm in length. Carve or cut a pointed crown shape on top to distinguish it from the kubbs.
• 10 Kubbs: 70 mm × 70 mm square timber, each cut to approximately 15 cm in length.
• 6 Batons: 30 mm diameter wooden dowels, each cut to approximately 30 cm in length.
• 4 Corner stakes: thin wooden pegs or dowels, approximately 20–30 cm long and sharpened at one end so they can be pushed into the ground.

Construction Tips

• Use pine, birch, or poplar for an affordable set. Hardwoods like beech or oak are more durable but cost significantly more.
• Sand all pieces thoroughly to remove splinters and rough edges. Start with 80-grit sandpaper and finish with 220-grit for a smooth surface.
• Apply an outdoor wood sealant or polyurethane if you plan to leave the set outside or play on wet grass. This prevents moisture absorption and cracking.
• Use a mitre saw or chop saw for clean, perpendicular cuts on the kubbs and King. Square cuts ensure the pieces stand upright reliably.
• Store your set in a canvas bag or wooden crate for easy transport to parks, beaches, or camping trips.

A DIY set can be completed in an afternoon and costs well under €15 in materials — a fraction of the price of commercial sets that often retail for €30–€60.

Variations

Mini Kubb

Also called tabletop Kubb, this miniaturised version scales the entire game down to fit on a large table or a patch of floor. The pitch might be just 1 m × 2 m, with kubbs only 5–7 cm tall and batons proportionally smaller. Mini Kubb is perfect for indoor play on rainy days and is a popular item at game cafes and toy shops in Scandinavia. The rules remain identical to the full-size game.

Speed Kubb

Speed Kubb adds a time pressure element. Each team has a maximum of 30 seconds to complete all 6 baton throws on their turn. If time runs out, remaining batons are forfeited. This variation dramatically accelerates the pace and adds a layer of stress that competitive players enjoy. Speed Kubb is sometimes used as a tiebreaker format at tournaments.

1v1 Kubb

In one-on-one Kubb, each player throws all 6 batons themselves. The pitch is typically reduced to 4 m × 6 m to compensate for the lack of teammates and to keep games from dragging. Solo Kubb is an excellent way to practise accuracy and develop your throwing technique without needing to organise a group.

Kubb with Penalty Rounds

Some house rules introduce escalating penalties for failing to clear field kubbs. If a team fails to knock over all field kubbs for two consecutive turns, the opposing team gains an additional bonus — such as throwing from the centre line rather than the standard advanced line. This variation speeds up games that might otherwise become stalemated when both teams struggle with field kubb clearance.

Beach Kubb

Playing on sand introduces unique challenges: kubbs sink slightly and are harder to knock over, while batons lose speed when hitting soft ground. Beach Kubb is popular in coastal Scandinavia and uses standard rules, though many groups reduce the pitch length to 6 metres to account for the more difficult throwing conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions