Outdoor & pub games
Mölkky
- players
- 2–12
- minutes
- 20
- years
- 6+
In the box
12 pins numbered 1 to 12 · 1 mölkky, the throwing pin
Official rules (federation's site)
Box details
- Origin
- Traditional game, with no specific designer or publisher
- Mechanics
- DexterityTeam-Based
Where to buy it
Near you
In a shop
Within 50 km.
The basics
Reach exactly 50 points by knocking down numbered pins with the mölkky, a throwing stick. A single pin knocked down scores its number, several pins score how many fell, and the pins are stood back up where they landed. The first to exactly 50 wins; going over 50 drops you back to 25, and three missed throws in a row eliminate you.
Checked against the official rules · September 2026
The rules, step by step
Setup
12 numbered pins, About 3.50 or 4 m, 2 to 12 players
- Twelve pins numbered 1 to 12 and a throwing stick, the mölkky.
- The pins are set in a tight formation, numbers facing the players: 1 and 2 at the front, then 3, 10, 4, then 5, 11, 12, 6, and 7, 9, 8 at the back.
- The international rules place the formation 3.50 metres (give or take 10 cm) from the throwing area; the French federation says about 4 metres.
- Two to twelve players, individually or in teams.
How to play
Take turns, Stood up where they lie
- Players take turns throwing the mölkky from behind the line, without touching it. Throwing underarm is the custom, but the international rules allow any style.
- After each throw, the fallen pins are stood back up on their base, numbers facing the throwers, exactly where they lie, without lifting them off the ground.
- The formation therefore spreads out as the game goes on: throws become more and more technical.
Scoring
1 pin = its number, Several = how many fell
- A single pin knocked down: score the number written on it, from 1 to 12.
- Several pins knocked down: score the number of pins, not their numbers. Three pins make 3 points.
- A pin only counts if it is lying completely flat on the ground. A pin leaning on another pin, on the mölkky or on a natural feature (stump, root) does not count; leaning on an artificial feature (edging, plank), it counts.
End of the game
Exactly 50 to win, Over 50: back to 25, 3 misses: eliminated
- The first to reach exactly 50 points wins.
- Going over 50 brings the score back to 25 points. It is the rule that makes games last.
- Three throws in a row without scoring eliminate the player or team. A foot over the throwing line counts as a void throw.
- If everyone else is eliminated before anyone reaches 50, the last one still in the game wins.
House rules and pitfalls
The scorer applies the drop back to 25 automatically: no need to think about it during the game.
- The scorer applies the drop back to 25 automatically: no need to think about it during the game.
- Near the end, aiming at a specific pin beats a big throw: at 47 points, you need a 3, not a 12.
- In competition, a match is played to two games won. At one game each, the team with the most points over the first two games starts the decider; if that is tied too, it is settled by a mölkkout, a short throwing contest on five pins in a row.
Going further
Variants · Frequently asked questions · In the same family · Play with the game assistant
Variants
Target
50 points (official)
30 points (short game)
choose them when you start a game: the scorer adapts
Frequently asked questions
What happens if you go over 50 in Mölkky?
The player's or team's score immediately drops back to 25 points. That is why you aim at specific pins near the end.
How do you score when several pins fall?
Score the number of pins knocked down, not the sum of their numbers. Knocking down pins 12, 9 and 4 scores 3 points, not 25.
How far do you throw from?
Three and a half metres between the throwing area and the starting formation under the international rules, about four metres according to the French federation. The throwing area does not move, but the pins move further away as throws go on.
How do you score in Mölkky?
A single pin knocked down scores the number written on it; several pins score how many fell. You must land on exactly 50: a score that goes over 50 drops back to 25. A pin only counts if it is lying completely flat.
What happens after three missed throws in Mölkky?
A player or team that misses three throws in a row, without knocking down a pin, is eliminated. A foot over the throwing line counts as a void throw.