How to Play Quoits League Rules

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

Quoits is a traditional throwing game in which players pitch heavy rings, called quoits, at a fixed target pin set into a bed of clay or sand. It combines the satisfying thud of iron on clay with genuine tactical depth, as players must decide whether to aim for a ringer, knock an opponent's quoit away, or simply hold the hob.

The game is played widely across British pubs, working-men's clubs, and village greens, particularly in the north of England, Scotland, and Wales, where organised leagues keep a strict set of rules. It rewards consistent technique over brute force, making it accessible to most adults while offering real skill headroom for regular players.

A little history

Quoits has been played in Britain for several centuries and references to ring-throwing games appear in records dating back to at least the 17th century. Its precise origins are unclear, with some historians linking it to the Roman discus or to horseshoe games brought by travelling soldiers, though firm evidence for either theory is thin. What is well documented is that by the 19th century formalised quoits clubs and league play were established across northern England and lowland Scotland, with regional bodies drawing up standardised rules that form the basis of modern league play today.

Setting up

1. Prepare two square clay or sand beds, each roughly 3 feet square and laid flush with or slightly proud of the ground surface.
2. Drive an iron hob pin vertically into the centre of each bed so it stands approximately 1 inch proud of the clay surface.
3. Set the two beds so the hobs are exactly 11 yards (33 feet) apart for standard league play. Some regional leagues use 18 yards; confirm before play.
4. Each player or team takes their own matched set of quoits. Pairs of quoits are traditionally identified by a distinguishing mark or by being slightly concave on one face.
5. Decide which player or team throws first by mutual agreement or a coin toss.
6. Mark or agree the throwing footer (the edge of the bed from which players must not step forward when throwing).

How to play

1. Players stand at the footer of one bed and throw their quoits toward the hob at the opposite bed.
2. In a singles game each player has two quoits; in pairs or doubles each player still throws two quoits per end.
3. Players throw alternately within an end. In a pairs game the order is: one player from each team throws, then their respective partners throw from the same end before everyone walks to the other bed to score.
4. A quoit must be thrown underarm or in any style that releases from the hand cleanly. There is no mandated grip style in standard league rules, but the quoit must leave the hand before the player's foot crosses the footer.
5. After all quoits have been thrown, players gather at the scoring bed to measure and agree the result before any quoits are moved.
6. A ringer is a quoit that encircles the hob pin, touching it or lying flat around it. A ringer always scores and cancels an opponent's ringer if both have ringers (see Winning).
7. If no ringer is thrown, the quoit or quoits closest to the hob score, provided they are closer than all of the opponent's quoits.
8. Players then throw from that end back toward the original bed, and this constitutes a complete end.
9. Play continues end by end until the target score is reached.
10. Only one side scores per end. Both sides never score in the same end.

Winning and scoring

The standard league target is 21 points, though some competitions use 11 or 31 points agreed before play begins. Only one player or team scores per end. A single ringer scores 2 points. If both sides throw ringers they cancel each other, and the next closest quoit to the hob determines who scores. If one side throws two ringers and the other throws none, that side scores 4 points. If both sides each throw two ringers, all four cancel and no points are awarded for that end. When no ringer is landed, the player or team whose quoit is closest to the hob scores 1 point for each of their quoits that is closer than all of the opponent's quoits. A player or team wins when they reach or pass the target score at the conclusion of a complete end.

The fine points

The most common dispute is whether a quoit is genuinely closer to the hob than an opponent's. The correct procedure is to measure from the inner rim of each quoit to the base of the hob pin. If two quoits are found to be equidistant after careful measurement, no points are awarded for those quoits and the next nearest quoit decides the end. A quoit that has been knocked into a ringer position by a later throw counts as a ringer; it does not matter how it arrived there. A quoit that stands on its edge against the hob or another quoit is measured from the point at which it would lie if it fell flat, and most league bodies rule that a leaning quoit that clearly encircles the pin counts as a ringer once it settles.

A quoit landing outside the bed entirely scores nothing and cannot be measured. If a quoit strikes the hob and bounces clear of the bed it is dead and removed from that end before measuring. Players must not touch or move any quoit before the end has been scored and agreed by both sides; doing so forfeits any scoring advantage for that quoit. In organised league play a designated referee or the opposing captain has the final say on disputed measurements.

How to win more often

• Develop a consistent release point and grip before varying power. Accuracy to the hob matters more than strength at any distance.
• If your opponent already has a ringer, aim to throw your own ringer to cancel it rather than trying to land close and score a lesser point.
• When you hold two quoits closer than your opponent's, consider placing your second quoit defensively just short of the hob to block rather than going for a riskier ringer attempt.
• In pairs play, communicate with your partner before the second pair throws. If your side already holds the hob, your partner can afford to throw conservatively; if you are behind, they need to attack.
• Clay bed conditions affect the quoit's bite and slide. In wet conditions quoits grip and stay where they land; in dry or sandy conditions they skid. Adjust your landing point accordingly, aiming to land short and slide in rather than landing long.

Variations

Short Mat (11-Yard) Quoits

Popular in pub leagues with limited outdoor space, this version reduces the throwing distance to 11 yards rather than the full 18 yards used in some regional traditions. The scoring rules remain identical, but the shorter pitch suits indoor or covered-yard play and is considered a more accessible entry point for new league players.

Rope or Rubber Quoits

Indoor and children's versions of the game replace heavy metal quoits with rings made from rope, rubber, or plastic. The throwing distance and target post are scaled down accordingly, sometimes to as little as 5 metres. Scoring follows the same closest-to-the-pin and ringer principles, though the lighter rings reward a lobbed, high-arc throw rather than the flat delivery used with iron quoits.

Team Quoits (Fours)

Four players per side take part, each throwing one quoit per end, alternating between teams throughout the end. Total team scores are aggregated across a fixed number of ends rather than playing to a simple point target. This format is used in some club championships where individual contributions can be tracked on a scorecard and the team with the highest cumulative score at the end of the agreed number of ends wins.

Welsh Long Quoits

Traditionally played in parts of Wales, this regional variant uses heavier quoits and a considerably longer pitch, sometimes exceeding 20 yards. The hob is set flush with or below the clay surface rather than proud of it, so ringers are identified by the quoit lying flat over the pin position. Scoring is the same in principle but ringers are harder to verify and measuring disputes are more common, making an independent referee standard practice in organised play.

Quoits League Rules: frequently asked questions