How to Play Conkers

By Jaques of London · Est. 1795 · Updated 2026-08-17

Conkers is a two-player striking game played with the hard seeds of the horse chestnut tree threaded onto a length of string. One player holds their conker still while the other swings theirs to hit it. Play continues, alternating turns, until one conker is destroyed.

It is fast, free, and needs nothing more than a tree, a bit of string, and a sharp eye. Most games are played outdoors in school playgrounds and parks during autumn, when conkers fall naturally and are at their hardest.

A little history

Conkers is widely documented as a British and Irish playground tradition from at least the mid-nineteenth century, with the first recorded game noted in 1848 on the Isle of Wight. Its origins before that point are unclear, though some historians suggest earlier versions were played with hazelnuts or snail shells. The horse chestnut became the standard when the tree grew common across Britain. Annual championships have been held in various forms since 1965.

Setting up

1. Collect mature, fallen horse chestnuts. Choose ones that are firm, dense, and free from cracks.
2. Pierce each conker through its centre using a skewer, nail, or drill. The hole should be just wide enough for the string to pass through snugly.
3. Thread a piece of string approximately 25 cm long through the hole. Tie a large, secure knot at one end so the conker cannot pull free.
4. Each player wraps the free end of their string around their hand once or twice to get a firm grip, leaving a comfortable length of string between hand and conker.
5. Decide who strikes first. A coin toss or agreement between players is standard.

How to play

1. The defending player holds their string at arm's length, allowing their conker to hang completely still at a height convenient for the striker.
2. The striking player wraps their string around their hand, draws their conker back, and swings it to hit the defender's conker as hard and accurately as possible.
3. If the striker misses the target conker, that counts as one miss. A player is allowed up to two misses per turn (house rules vary; agree before play).
4. After the strike, regardless of whether it connected, the turn passes to the other player, who now strikes while the first player defends.
5. Play continues in this alternating fashion until one conker is completely smashed off its string. That player loses the match.
6. If the strings become tangled during play (a 'snag'), the first player to call 'strings' or 'snag' earns an extra strike before normal play resumes. This call must be made immediately.
7. If a conker is knocked out of the defending player's hand but remains on its string, it is not out. The defender retrieves it and play continues.
8. A conker is only defeated when it is entirely destroyed or detached from the string. A cracked or damaged conker that remains attached is still in play.

Winning and scoring

The player whose conker survives wins the match. Conkers carry a score based on how many opponents they have defeated, and this score accumulates throughout a season. A brand-new, unbeaten conker is called a 'none-er'. When it wins its first match it becomes a 'one-er'. When a one-er beats another one-er it becomes a 'three-er', because it claims its own win plus the defeated conker's score. The rule is: the winner's conker adds one to its own tally, then also absorbs all the previous wins of the losing conker.

The fine points

The most common dispute is over a 'stamp': if a conker lands on the ground after being knocked loose, the attacking player may shout 'stamps' to attempt to stamp and destroy it, while the owner may shout 'no stamps' to prevent this. Whichever call is made first governs play, so the rule must be agreed before the match begins. Some players allow the stamp rule as standard; others ban it entirely. Settle this at the start.

A second regular dispute concerns hardening. Many players soak conkers in vinegar or bake them to harden the shell. Whether this is acceptable is entirely down to local agreement or competition rules. In organised championships it is typically banned and conkers may be inspected. For informal play, if both players are happy, there is no rule against it.

How to win more often

• Select a conker that is as round and dense as possible. Irregular shapes crack unevenly and tend to split sooner.
• Aim for the same spot on the opponent's conker with each strike. Repeated impacts on one point weaken it far faster than random hits.
• Hold your string taut and your defending conker very still. A moving target is harder to hit, but a swinging conker that wraps around the striker's string wastes your opponent's turn and can tangle strings in your favour.
• When striking, use a smooth pendulum swing rather than a wild downward chop. Accuracy matters more than raw force, and a clean contact transfers more energy to the target.
• Keep your conker dry between games. Damp or frozen conkers lose density quickly. Store them in a cool, dry place if you are playing across multiple sessions.

Variations

Stampsies

If a conker is knocked to the ground, either player may attempt to stamp on it to end the match immediately. The first player to shout 'stampsies' gains the right to stamp; the owner can counter with 'no stampsies' if they are faster. This variation adds a quick-reflex element and is widely played in playgrounds where ending the match decisively is preferred over prolonged exchanges.

Tournament Play

In organised conker tournaments, players are seeded and matched in a knock-out bracket. Conkers are often supplied by the organisers and allocated at random to prevent pre-hardened entries. Each match is governed by a referee who rules on disputes, counts misses, and confirms a conker is fully destroyed before declaring a winner. The scoring tally system still applies to track the champion conker's overall record.

Three-Strike Rule

In this variant each player is allowed three swings per turn rather than the more common one or two. If all three miss, the turn passes. This version suits younger or less experienced players and produces longer matches with more sustained rallies before a conker finally breaks.

Last Conker Standing

A group version for three or more players, each with their own conker. Players are paired randomly each round and the loser of each pairing is eliminated. The surviving winner keeps their tally and faces the next opponent. Play continues until only one conker and one player remain. The scoring tally system works exactly as in standard play and can produce conkers with very high scores after a long session.

Conkers: frequently asked questions