|
|
Rules - How to Play
|
Kubb is generally a team game but can be played with as little as two people, or as many as twelve!
The playing surface can be grass, sand, gravel or even snow - as long as it is relatively level and is not too hard as to damage the thrown battens.
Object of Game:
To knock over the other team's Knights first with the throwing battens, followed by knocking over the King to win the match.
|
Step 1
|
 |
Set up two lines of knights at about 5 meters away from each other - space the 5 knights about 1 meter apart. Place the King in the centre of the space formed between the two lines of knights.
|
Hint - The exact size of the court is not important - just pace it out with large strides to the desired size. The actual size of the game can be varied to suit the skill and age level of the players. 4 meters may suit children better - whereas 6 meters will provide a more challenging game for the battle hardened.
Step 2
Divide the players into 2 relatively equal teams and decide on which team will play at which end.
Have some one spin the king end over end in the air, thus deciding which team starts by the direction the crown points upon landing.
Hint - You may wish to play the best of say 3 or 5 games, upon which you will swap ends at the beginning of each game. The losing team from the previous game starts the next.
Step 3
|
The starting team will stand behind their line of knights with the throwing battens evenly divided amongst themselves. Upon agreement of readiness the team will then lob the battens underarm - end for end - at the opposing team's knights.
If none of the opposing knights are knocked over, then the second team repeats the process and lobs them back at the first team's knights - and so on.
|
Hint - Caution is required by the team receiving fire. Back away from the line by about 2 meters, and keep a lookout for stray in-flight battens during the volley. Only proceed to pick the battens up off the ground after all 6 have been thrown.
The batten must be thrown end over end from an underarm throw. Overarm throws or rolling the batten side on is not permitted.
Step 4
Upon the event of a Knight (or Knights) being knocked over during a particular volley, and before returning fire, the affected team will throw the wounded Knight(s) back over into enemy territory - between the King and the other team's Knights.
Out of Courtesy an opposing team member will go and stand the wounded Knight(s) up on it's head (upside down) where it landed, square to the court - then get out of the way for the next inevitable round of batten throwing.
If when the wounded Knight is thrown and it rolls or lands beyond the opposing team's back line of Knights, then it is brought back and placed 300mm (batten length) inside the back line perpendicular to the point where it passed over.
If the wounded Knight does not make it as far as the King's line, then a second attempt can be made. However, if this second attempt fails, then the opposing team can place it wherever they wish - except no closer than about 300 mm (batten length) to any other playing piece.
If by accident an opposing team's Knight is knocked over during the placement of wounded Knights, then the throwing battens are forfeited to the other team for their turn at the next volley!
Likewise, if an opposing team's Knight is knocked over during a batten volley aimed at a wounded Knight, prior to the wounded Knight being knocked over, then the knocked over piece is stood back up and the remaining battens are forfeited to the other team for their turn at the next volley! (see Step 5)
Hint - This part of the game is very strategic. Thought must be given as to where to land the wounded Knight in enemy territory. Throwing it close to the opposing team's Knights makes it hard to hit (see step 5). Whereas throwing it close to the King's line makes it easier to hit - but if missed, poses a major threat to your team when the opposing team advances to throw from there! (also see step 5)
Occasionally, there is more than one wounded Knight. In this case you may want to consider throwing the second wounded knight to try and hit the first wounded Knight in enemy territory. If you are successful at knocking over the first Knight, then they are then stacked on top of each other to form a double height target. A third wounded knight may be thrown in the same manner, and stacked three high, and so on.
Step 5
Before the throwing team can aim at the other team's Knights - it must first knock over their own wounded Knight(s).
Once the wounded knight has been knocked over by it's own team's throw - it is removed from the game.
However - if a wounded Knight is still standing after all 6 battens have been thrown, then the opposing team players can then advance forward to throw the battens from the line of the wounded Knight closest to the King!
Once the wounded Knight has been knocked out of the game on any return volley- the opposing team will return to throwing from their base line or the next closest wounded Knight.
Hint - The wounded Knights that are removed from the game are placed to one side out of the way - however it is a good idea to use them as a line marker for each teams throwing line - especially when you run out of un-wounded Knights near the end of the game.
Step 6
Upon knocking over all the opposite team's knights, the King can now be targeted.
However we recommend the throwing technique is varied to make this harder to achieve. Face away from the King and lob the batten from between your legs.
The first team to knock over the King wins the game.
The King can only be targeted from the base line, not from any advance line due to the other team's wounded Knight that may still be standing.
Warning - If the King is knocked over at any other stage of the game, the offending team immediately loses the match!
|
|
