free printable
Mölkky Rules Card
A one-page mölkky rules card: how to play, how to score, and how to set it up. Hit print, fold it, and keep it with your set. Want the full walkthrough? See the Mölkky rules.
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rules card Mölkky
Players2 to 12 (individuals or teams)
Ages6+
Setup5 min
SpaceAbout 12 to 15 ft long lane
What you need
- Twelve numbered wooden pins (numbered 1 through 12)
- One throwing pin, called the molkky
- A flat patch of grass, dirt, or gravel about 12 to 15 ft long
- Two or more players (great with teams)
- A scorepad or your phone to track each player's running total
Scoring
- Knock down exactly one pin: score the number on that pin (so the '12' pin is worth 12)
- Knock down two or more pins: score the NUMBER of pins knocked over, not the total of their numbers (knock over 3 pins = 3 points)
- A pin only scores if it is fully knocked flat; a leaning pin does not count
- First to reach exactly 50 points wins
- Score more than 50 on a throw and you are knocked back down to 25 points
- Miss all pins three times in a row and you are eliminated
How to play
- Set up the pins. Stand the twelve numbered pins close together in the official starting formation (a tight cluster) at the throwing distance. The numbers face the throwers so everyone can plan their aim.
- Throw underhand. Standing behind the throwing line, players take turns tossing the molkky underhand at the pins. Overhand and sideways throws are not allowed. Each player gets one throw per turn.
- Score your throw. If you knock over exactly one pin, you score the number printed on that pin. If you knock over two or more pins, you score the COUNT of pins that fell, not the sum of their numbers. A pin only counts if it is fully knocked flat.
- Stand the pins back up. After each throw, stand the knocked-down pins back up right where they came to rest (do not return them to the start). The pins spread out over the game, which changes the strategy as you go.
- Race to exactly 50. Keep rotating through players, adding up scores. The first player or team to reach exactly 50 points wins the game right then.
- Mind the reset and the misses. Go over 50 on a throw and your score drops back to 25. And if you miss all the pins three times in a row, you are eliminated from the game.
Set it up
Players throw from behind a line about 3 to 4 m (roughly 10 to 13 ft) from the pins. There is no single rigid distance in casual play, so set a comfortable line and keep everyone throwing from the same spot. The throwing line stays fixed even as the pins scatter.