Kubb Rules

• Three kinds of piece: the king is the tall block that stands at the centre; the 10 kubbs are the smaller blocks that start on the two baselines; the 6 batons are the sticks you throw.
• Mark a pitch 8 m long and 5 m wide. Put 6 pins at the corners and centre-line ends. Stand the king at the centre, then place half of the 10 kubbs along each baseline.
• Under U.S. v4, space the five baseline kubbs no closer than one baton length from the corner stakes, with the baseline running through their centres.
• Leave space behind each baseline for the waiting team. The diagram’s pitch dimensions exclude that clearance.

A player from each team throws a baton toward the king at the same time. The closer legal baton wins the choice of first throw or baseline; the other team gets the remaining choice. Knocking the king down does not win this opening toss.

Every turn has the same shape: the attacking team throws its batons, then the other team gathers the kubbs that were toppled, throws them into the attackers' half, and the attackers stand them up as field kubbs before throwing batons again. Turns alternate until one team has toppled every opposing kubb and then the king. (U.S. rules v4, §I.D)

1. Throw your batons from behind your baseline at the kubbs standing on the far baseline. Under U.S. v4, throw each baton underarm; it must not go more than 30 degrees off the vertical plane and must at least start rotating end over end, except a non-rotating throw is legal from the advantage line at field kubbs. (U.S. rules v4, §II.B.1) Current World Championship rules require your feet to start the throw inside the sidelines and fully behind the throwing line. (World Kubb rules, Throw the sticks)
2. When your batons are spent, the other team collects the kubbs you toppled and throws them underarm from its baseline into your half.
3. You stand each of those kubbs up where it stopped. They are now field kubbs, and they are the other team’s first targets.
4. The other team throws its batons: at the field kubbs first, then at your baseline kubbs, and, once every one of your kubbs is down, at the king.
5. Then it is your turn again, starting with the kubbs the other team toppled on your side.

U.S. National v4 opens with two batons for the starting team, four for its opponent, then six on later turns. No player throws more than two batons in a round.

Under U.S. v4, defenders pivot each incoming kubb upright over an end edge, where it stopped, without twisting the piece.

A field kubb that can be raised in bounds must be raised in bounds. (U.S. rules v4, §II.D.3)

Under U.S. v4, raise an incoming leaning kubb on the end closest to the field. If that end is out of bounds, raise the supporting kubb first, lower the leaning kubb back to its former position, then raise it in bounds. (U.S. rules v4, §II.D.5(d))

If your opponent leaves field kubbs standing in your half, draw an imaginary line through the centre of the one closest to the centre line, parallel to your baseline. You may throw batons from behind that advantage line. Throw incoming kubbs and any king attempt from your original baseline. A baseline kubb toppled while an opposing field kubb still stands is raised in its previous place.

The field kubbs in the far half are your first targets.