Kubb
Kubb is a traditional Swedish lawn game where two teams attempt to knock down rectangular wooden blocks by throwing wooden batons. The game concludes when a team successfully clears all opposing blocks and knocks over the central king block.
AT A GLANCE
- ERA
- 20th century
- ORIGIN
- Gotland, Sweden
- PLAYERS
- 2–12 players
- EQUIPMENT
- Wooden blocks & batons
- PLAYING AREA
- 5 × 8 m (standard)
- DURATION
- 30–60 min
- GOVERNING BODY
- VM i Kubb
- OLYMPIC
- No
Game components
| Item | Count | Role |
|---|---|---|
| King | 1 | Central target needed to win |
| Kubbs | 10 | Baseline/field wooden blocks |
| Batons | 6 | Throwing sticks for attacking |
| Corner pins | 4 | Define pitch boundaries |
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1911 | First known print reference published in Sweden |
| 1995 | First official World Championship held in Gotland |
| 2007 | US National Kubb Championship established |
How a game works
Teams take turns throwing six wooden batons from behind their baseline to hit opponent blocks. Any knocked-down blocks are tossed into the opponent's field and must be cleared first on subsequent turns. A team wins by clearing all opponent blocks and finally felling the central king.
Scoring in one line
Kubb is not scored by cumulative points; the match ends instantly when a team legally knocks down the king block.
Where it came from
Despite popular folklore linking the game to ancient Vikings, documented evidence of Kubb only dates back to early 20th-century Gotland, Sweden. Commercial production and standardized rules were established in the late 1980s and 1990s.
Kubb today
Kubb has grown into an international target sport with active competitive leagues across Europe and North America. Annual tournaments like the Gotland World Championship and the US National Championship attract hundreds of teams.
Run a Kubb tournament
Brackets, fixtures and standings in your browser — Best of 3 sets.
FAQ
Is Kubb an ancient Viking game?
No historical or archaeological evidence connects Kubb to the Viking era. The earliest documented references and standardized rules date to early 20th-century Sweden.
What happens if you hit the king early?
If a player knocks down the central king block before all necessary field and baseline kubbs are cleared, that player's team immediately forfeits the match.
How many players are needed to play Kubb?
Kubb can be played one-on-one or in teams of up to six players per side, resulting in total participant counts ranging from 2 to 12.