Oktoberfest Kubb Rules

Setup

Kubb is typically played on a rectangular pitch approximately 16’ x 26’ (8m x 5m). Baseline kubb blocks are set up evenly between the corner stakes with the king in the middle of the pitch. The pitch is split up into halves, each team with their respective fields. Teams can consist of 1-6 players each. 

The object of the game is to knock as many of your opponent’s kubb blocks over as you can using the dowels. The dowels MUST be tossed underhand, end-over-end, no helicopters.

To win, a team must knock all of their opponent’s kubb blocks over and successively knock over the king. However, if the king is knocked over any time during play, the offending team loses.

To start, each team tosses one dowel. Whoever gets their dowel closest to the king without touching it, goes first. 

Team B tosses first, one at a time trying to knock over as many baseline kubb blocks as they can. 

Team A tosses back toppled kubb blocks on to Team B’s field. These now become field kubb blocks. 

Team B sets up field kubb blocks where they lie, in either direction but they must be facing Team A. 

Team A tosses back the dowels. They must knock over the field kubb blocks before the baseline. 

Team B tosses back toppled kubb blocks onto Team A’s field. If kubb blocks tossed onto the opposing team’s field do not make it within the field boundary in two tries, the opposing team may put the blocks where ever they want.

For instance, they could put the field kubb a minimum of one block length from the king or they can put them just in front of their baseline kubb blocks.

Team B tosses back dowels from their new baseline created by the closest field kubb block to the king left standing from Team A’s previous turn. 

Team A tosses back toppled kubb blocks to Team B’s field. If two or more of the kubb blocks come into contact with one another, Team B has to stack them. (This is an optional rule to speed up game play.) 

Possible stacking configurations:

Team B sets up field kubb blocks 

Team A tosses back dowels 

Team B tosses back toppled kubb blocks trying to get them as close together as possible to increase chances of toppling multiple kubb blocks in one toss. 

Team A sets up the field kubb blocks 

Team B tosses back dowels 

Team B has knocked over all of Team A's field kubb blocks and baseline kubb blocks with two dowels left. 

Team B tosses at king Team B must use the remaining dowels to try and topple the king from their original baseline. If their baseline had moved up, they still need to move back to the original baseline to toss at the king. 

If Team B topples the king, Team B wins. If Team B doesn't knock the king over with their remaining dowels... 

Team A gets one shot at the king. (This rule is optional. This can be replaced with: Team A tosses back toppled kubb blocks and play continues) 

If Team A topples the king, Team A wins.