Mölkky Rulebook

Mölkky is an outdoor game that originated in Finland. It's as simple as throwing a wooden pin to knock down numbered skittles, but it has enough aim and scoring strategy to keep kids and adults entertained together. This page walks you through everything you need to know to start playing, even if you've never heard of Mölkky before.

What is Mölkky?​

Mölkky was invented in Finland in 1996, based on a traditional Finnish stick-throwing game called kyykkä. The word "mölkky" itself means "wooden pin" in Finnish.

• The rules are simple — precision matters more than raw power
• All you need is a flat open space, like a lawn or park
• Playable solo, head-to-head, or in teams
• There's an active international competitive scene, including a Mölkky World Championship

What You'll Need​

You only need three things to play Mölkky:

Mölkky works with any group size, from two players to full teams — since everyone throws one at a time, it's easy for anyone to join in.

Basic Rules​

1. Set up the skittles: Arrange all 12 numbered skittles in the standard formation (an inverted triangle), placed about 3–4 meters from the throwing line.
2. Decide the throwing order: Determine who goes first (e.g. with rock-paper-scissors). Players then take turns throwing one at a time, in order.
3. Throw the Mölkky: From behind the throwing line, throw the wooden pin to knock down skittles. Kicking or otherwise knocking down skittles by hand is not allowed.
4. Reset the fallen skittles: After scoring, stand each fallen skittle back up exactly where it landed. Because skittle positions shift throughout the game, later rounds require more careful aim.
5. Move to the next round: Once every player (or team) has thrown once, play returns to the first player and a new round begins.

Scoring​

Scoring only has two simple cases:

• Exactly one skittle falls: You score the number printed on that skittle (e.g. knocking down skittle "7" scores 7 points).
• Two or more skittles fall: You score one point per skittle knocked down, regardless of their numbers (e.g. knocking down 3 skittles scores 3 points).

Points accumulate turn after turn. Since reaching exactly 50 points wins the game, deliberately aiming for a single skittle late in the game (rather than knocking down several) can be a useful strategy.

Winning and Losing​

• The first player (or team) to reach exactly 50 points wins the game.
• If a throw would push your score over 50, that throw doesn't count — instead, your score resets to 25 points. (For example, if you have 48 points and knock down skittles worth 6 points, you'd exceed 50, so your score drops to 25.)
• If a player (or team) fails to knock down even a single skittle for three throws in a row, they are eliminated from the rest of the game. Knocking down even one skittle resets this counter to zero.

Manners & Tips​

• Aim, don't force it: A precise, controlled throw usually scores better than a hard, wild one.
• Reset skittles carefully: Standing skittles back up exactly where they fell keeps the game fair — check with other players if you're unsure of the exact spot.
• Keep the throwing order: Sticking to turn order keeps the game running smoothly.
• Beginners can move closer: If you're new, try shortening the throwing distance while you get a feel for the game, then move back to the standard distance once you're comfortable.
• Appoint a scorekeeper: Having one person track scores and the three-miss elimination count helps avoid disputes.

That covers everything you need to play Mölkky. Set up your skittles, grab the throwing pin, and give it a try — the rules are simple, but the strategy runs deep.