I never miss out on the opportunity to play some Kubb 😀

Fancy a round of Kubb? Ask a Norwegian and before you know it you’ll be out playing.

The word Kubb means “wood log” in Norwegian, and is an essential part of this game where the main objective is to knock over “kubbene” (the logs). The game is also known as Viking, and said to date back to the Viking ages. But there is no proof of this, and the name Kubb is mostly used.

What does the Kubb game consist of?

As the name indicates you’ll need some kubber (wooden logs/blocks), some sticks to throw at them and some pins to mark the game field. Then you need a King, which is the largest log of them all. More specifically:

10 x Kubber (rectangular wooden blocks, 10-15 cm tall and 5-7 cm square at the end)
1 x King (a larger wooden piece sometimes with a carved crown on the top. 25-30 cm tall and 7-9 cm square on the end)
6 x Batons (25-30 cm long and 2,5-4,5 cm in diameter)
4 x Field marking pins in each corner of the pitch

With a saw and access to wood logs, Kubb is a game you can make yourself. Back in 2011 I traveled to Nicaragua and visited a small remote village on the eastern coast. As a part of the cultural exchange my danish friend Martin and I collected driftwood from the beach and with a saw and help from the locals we made all the pieces so we could introduce them to the game. It immediately became a big hit, with the whole village coming to watch and partake in the game.

I often enjoy thinking that still today there is a village in Nicaragua where they play Kubb and tell the tale of the two Vikings that once introduced them to this fun game.

Playing Kubb in a remote village in eastern Nicaragua

Kubb can also be bought. In Norway it can usually be found in toy stores and sometimes book stores. You can also find it online. I found one on Amazon and one on Etsy that seems to be two very good options. They both come with a handy carrying bag, so that you can easily transport the game when visiting friends, family or heading to a park.

Buy the Kubb game online:
Amazon

Buy Kubb on Amazon

Where can Kubb be played?

Playing Kubb on pebbles can work well

Kubb is meant for playing outdoors. Preferable on a flat surface like a lawn, but in my opinion it works well on any surface as long it’s not too hard (asphalt and concrete). Grass, sand, snow and pebbles are my recommended surfaces. If the surface is too hard it will wear out the logs faster, and also make them bounce around in all directions. It’s best to not get hit by a Kubb…

How to play Kubb?

Scandinavians love to play Kubb in public parks, or in their gardens. It’s a game for all ages, and even kids down to the age of 4 can have a lot of fun playing this game.

Kubb is played on a rectangular pitch, 5×8 meters (16 x 26 feet). There are always two teams, which may consist of only one person. The main objective is to throw the batons to try and hit the “kubber” so that they fall over. Once one team has been able to hit all the kubber, then one can throw at the King in the middle. The team who makes the King fall will win!

There is more to the game, so for a more detailed description I recommend this article (Wikipedia). Kubb games also come with playing instructions. Also, here is a YouTube-video which explains the rules.

First team to get the King down wins

Kubb takes a great deal of concentration, but it’s fun! I hope you found this article inspiring. These days Kubb is played all over the world, and there are even Kubb Championships to be found. If you are planning to travel to Norway I’d recommend giving it a try so you can arrive here with some practice.

Ha det gøy med Kubb! Have fun playing Kubb!