How to Play Kerby

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

Kerby is a two-player throwing game played on a quiet residential street, with each player standing on opposite kerbs and taking turns to hurl a ball at the kerb directly in front of their opponent. The satisfying crack of a clean kerb strike and the ball bouncing back is what the whole game revolves around.

It costs nothing to play, needs no equipment beyond a rubber ball, and can be set up in seconds. That simplicity is exactly why it has stayed popular across generations of children in the UK and Ireland, filling summer afternoons on streets and cul-de-sacs where traffic is light.

A little history

Kerby is a traditional street game whose precise origins are unclear. It is widely documented as a staple of British and Irish playground and street culture throughout the twentieth century, and similar kerb-throwing games appear independently across many countries under different names. No single inventor or date of origin is recorded, and the rules have always been passed on informally from child to child rather than through any published source.

Setting up

1. Find a quiet street with two clearly defined opposite kerbs running parallel to each other.
2. Agree the target score before you start, typically 10 points.
3. Each player stands on the pavement directly behind their own kerb, facing their opponent.
4. Decide who throws first, by any fair method such as a coin toss or rock-paper-scissors.

How to play

1. The throwing player stands with both feet on or behind their kerb and throws the ball underarm or overarm toward the opposite kerb.
2. A valid throw must hit the pointed or raised edge of the opposite kerb cleanly. Hitting the flat road surface or the flat top of the pavement does not count as a strike.
3. If the throw misses the kerb entirely or strikes an invalid surface, the ball is retrieved by whichever player it rolls to and the turn passes to the opponent.
4. If the throw hits the kerb cleanly, the ball rebounds back toward the thrower. The thrower scores one point.
5. After scoring, the same player throws again immediately. They keep throwing and scoring for as long as they continue to hit the kerb cleanly.
6. If a scoring rebound bounces all the way back and the thrower catches it cleanly before it touches the ground, many traditional versions award a bonus or double points for that throw. Agree this rule before play begins.
7. When the active player misses, the opponent collects the ball, moves to their own kerb and becomes the new thrower.
8. Play continues in this alternating fashion until one player reaches the agreed target score.

Winning and scoring

The first player to reach the agreed target score, most commonly 10 points, wins the game. There is no requirement to win by two points or to land on the exact number, so the first player to reach or pass the target on a clean kerb strike wins immediately. Agree the target before play begins and stick to it throughout.

The fine points

The most common dispute is whether a throw has struck the kerb edge or merely clipped the road surface beside it. The standard ruling used in most informal games is that the throw counts only if the ball bounces back toward the thrower at a clear upward angle, which is the natural result of hitting the raised kerb edge. A ball that skims forward or rolls back flat has almost certainly hit the road, not the kerb, and should not score. When players disagree, the benefit of the doubt traditionally goes to the non-throwing player.

Another frequent question is what happens when the rebounding ball is caught. Some groups play that a clean catch scores a bonus point or doubles the point already awarded; others ignore catches entirely. Because there is no single authoritative ruleset, whatever is agreed before the game starts is binding. Do not introduce catch rules mid-game to settle a dispute, as this causes more arguments than it resolves.

How to win more often

• Aim for the very tip of the kerb edge rather than the broad face. A throw that strikes the apex of the kerb produces the cleanest and most predictable rebound.
• Keep your throwing motion consistent. An underarm bowl with a smooth release gives better accuracy over distance than a forceful overarm throw for most players.
• Vary your power occasionally. A slower, looping throw can be more accurate than a hard flat one, particularly if the ball keeps skimming the road surface just past the kerb.
• Watch how your opponent's successful throws behave and note the angle they use. Matching a working technique is faster than experimenting from scratch.
• Stay calm when you are on a streak. Rushing throws to extend a run is the most common cause of a sudden miss and handing momentum back to your opponent.

Variations

Catch Bonus

In this widely played variant, if the thrower catches the rebounding ball cleanly in both hands before it touches the ground, they score two points for that throw instead of one. The ball must be caught in the air; a scoop off the road does not count. This version rewards positioning and anticipation as well as throwing accuracy.

Three Lives

Instead of a points target, each player starts with three lives. A miss costs you one life, and the player who loses all three lives first loses the game. This format produces shorter, sharper games and raises the stakes on every single throw, making it popular when time is short.

Moving Kerby

Players must take one step back from the kerb each time they score a point, increasing the throwing distance progressively as the game goes on. The player who scores from the greatest distance when the opponent finally misses is declared the winner. This variant strongly rewards accuracy over power.

Team Kerby

Two teams of two players each compete, with teammates standing on the same kerb and alternating throws between them. A point is scored for the team when either teammate hits the opposite kerb. First team to the agreed target wins. Communication about positioning and turn order is key, and teammates must not obstruct each other's throws.

Kerby: frequently asked questions