How to Play Devil Among the Tailors

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

Devil Among the Tailors is a tabletop skittles game played on a compact wooden board. A ball is suspended from a central post by a cord; players wind the ball up and release it so it swings around the post and scatters a ring of nine small skittles. It is fast, tactile, and needs no explanation beyond one demonstration.

The game earns its place in pubs, village halls, and family game nights because it rewards feel and angle rather than brute force. A gentle, well-aimed release consistently beats a wild swing. That contrast between simplicity and skill is what keeps players coming back for another round.

A little history

The name is traditionally said to derive from the tailors who gathered together in cramped workshops, the central pin representing the devil wreaking havoc among them, though its precise origins are unclear. Tabletop skittles games of this general type were well established in British public houses by the nineteenth century, and the compact cord-and-ball format appears to have developed as a space-saving alternative to full alley skittles. Beyond that, the documentary record is thin.

Setting up

1. Place the board on a firm, level surface with enough room for players to stand comfortably at each end.
2. Stand all nine skittles upright in their marked positions around the base of the central post.
3. Wind the ball cord loosely around the post so the ball hangs freely and can swing a full circuit without snagging.
4. Decide the number of turns each player will take per round; three turns each is the standard.
5. Agree on the number of rounds to play, or on a target score, before the first player throws.

How to play

1. The active player picks up the ball and winds it around the post by hand, lifting it to create cord tension, then releases it smoothly.
2. The ball swings out and around the post on its cord, travelling in a circle and striking any skittles in its path.
3. Count every skittle that falls to the board surface as a point; skittles that lean against the post or against other skittles without falling flat do not score.
4. After the ball comes to rest, re-stand all knocked skittles in their original positions before the next throw.
5. The same player completes all of their allocated turns in succession before passing to the next player.
6. Play continues clockwise until every player has completed all of their turns for that round.
7. Record each player's total after each round. Play the agreed number of rounds or continue until a target score is reached.

Winning and scoring

The player with the highest cumulative skittle count at the end of the agreed number of rounds wins. With nine skittles per throw and three throws per turn, the maximum possible score in a single turn is 27. In the event of a tie, the tied players each take one additional turn as a tiebreaker, repeating until one player scores higher in that turn.

The fine points

The most common dispute concerns skittles that are leaning rather than flat. The standard ruling is clear: a skittle must be lying on the board surface to count. If it is resting against the post, the board rim, or another skittle at any angle above horizontal, it stands, scores nothing, and is not re-stood before the next throw. Apply this consistently and arguments disappear quickly.

A second issue arises when the ball wraps all the way around the post a second time during a single release, or when the cord knots and cuts the swing short. If the ball completes fewer than one full revolution because of a cord fault rather than player error, the throw is retaken. If the player over-winds deliberately or accidentally and the ball double-wraps, the throw stands as played with no retake. Establish these two rulings at the start and they rarely need revisiting.

How to win more often

• Release the ball at mid-height rather than high or low; a level swing keeps the ball in the skittle zone for more of its arc.
• Use a smooth unwinding action rather than a push or throw; force sends the ball wide of the skittles on the return arc.
• Aim to enter the skittle ring at a slight angle to the gap between two skittles; a centred hit on one skittle often leaves the neighbours standing.
• Watch which skittles survive other players' throws and adjust your release point to target that side of the ring.
• Consistency matters more than power. Develop one repeatable release and refine it; improvising a new technique every throw costs more points than it gains.

Variations

Target Score

Instead of a fixed number of rounds, players race to reach an agreed total, commonly 50 or 100 points. The first player to reach or exceed the target on the completion of their turn wins. This format suits larger groups because it naturally extends or shortens the game based on how well players are hitting.

Nominated Skittle

Before each throw, the player must call a specific skittle by its position. Only that skittle scores if it falls; all others knocked down in the same swing count for nothing. This strips the element of lucky broad sweeps and sharpens the precision side of the game considerably. Recommended once players are comfortable with the standard rules.

Team Play

Players split into two equal teams and alternate throws, with each team's scores pooled. The team with the higher combined total at the end of the agreed rounds wins. This works well with six or eight players and keeps everyone engaged throughout because each throw contributes to a shared total.

Devil Takes All

If a player knocks down all nine skittles with a single throw, they score a bonus equal to the number of skittles their nearest rival knocked down in their last turn. This creates a genuine high-risk incentive to go for a clean sweep rather than playing conservatively for a reliable six or seven.

Devil Among the Tailors: frequently asked questions