How to Play Ring Toss

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

Ring toss is a simple throwing game in which players pitch a set of rings towards one or more upright pegs, scoring points for each ring that lands cleanly around a peg. It needs no special surface, sets up in minutes, and suits a wide age range, which is why it appears at garden parties, beaches, and school fetes the length of the country.

Part of its enduring appeal is the balance between luck and technique. A steady arm and a consistent release action genuinely improve your results, yet the game stays unpredictable enough to keep younger or less experienced players competitive right to the end.

A little history

Ring toss belongs to a broad family of target-throwing games that have been played across many cultures for centuries, with rope or vine rings being tossed over stakes recorded in various forms of folk play around the world. Its origins as a distinct named game are unclear, though versions of peg-and-ring play were commonly documented as fairground and seaside attractions in Britain and North America by the late nineteenth century. The garden version became widely available as a boxed set during the twentieth century as outdoor leisure games grew in popularity.

Setting up

1. Place the peg board or single stake on a flat, stable surface with clear space around it.
2. Measure and mark the throwing line. A distance of 2 metres is standard for children; 3 metres is typical for adults. Agree the distance before play begins.
3. Divide the rings equally between all players. With four players using 16 rings, each player receives four rings.
4. Decide the target score needed to win, or agree that the player with the most points after a fixed number of rounds wins. A target of 21 points is a common choice.
5. Determine the throwing order. A coin toss or each player throwing one ring closest to the peg works well.

How to play

1. Players throw in the agreed order, completing their full turn before the next player goes.
2. On your turn, stand behind the throwing line and toss each of your rings in sequence towards the peg or pegs. You may not cross or lean over the line when releasing a ring.
3. Hold the ring flat and release it with a smooth, level action. There is no restriction on throwing style provided both feet remain behind the line throughout the throw.
4. Once all players have thrown all their rings, retrieve them, tally the scores for the round, and record the totals.
5. Play continues in the same order for subsequent rounds until the winning condition is met.
6. If using a multi-peg board with different point values per peg, each ring is scored according to whichever peg it encircles. On a single-peg board, each successfully hooked ring scores 1 point (or an agreed value, typically 1 to 3 points).
7. A ring must lie flat around the base of the peg and stay on after all throws in the turn are complete for it to count. Rings that rest on top of another ring still score provided they encircle the peg.

Winning and scoring

The winner is the first player to reach or exceed the agreed target score (commonly 21 points) at the end of a round. If two or more players reach the target in the same round, the player with the higher total wins that round. If scores are level, those players each throw one ring as a tiebreaker, repeating until one player scores and the other does not. If no target score is used, the player with the most points after the agreed number of rounds wins outright; ties are broken by a single-ring throwoff as above.

The fine points

The most common dispute is whether a ring that is touching the peg but has not cleanly encircled it counts as a score. The standard ruling is that it does not: the ring must encircle the peg and lie around its base without being propped up solely by contact with the post itself. A ring that spins on and then falls off before the round ends does not score. However, a ring knocked off by a subsequent throw from the same player still counts if it was validly on when thrown, provided the group agrees this rule before play starts, as practice varies.

Foot fault disputes arise when a player leans well forward to release. The rule is straightforward: any part of either foot crossing the line at the moment of release is a fault and that throw does not score. Agree before play whether to apply a warning system or immediate disqualification of the throw, particularly in games involving children.

How to win more often

• Find a consistent grip: hold the ring between your thumb and first two fingers with the ring horizontal, and focus on releasing it flat rather than at an angle.
• Aim for a gentle arc rather than a flat, fast throw. A ring that drops onto the peg from above settles far more reliably than one that arrives at speed and bounces.
• On a multi-peg board, target the highest-value peg only when you have a reliable technique. Beginners score more steadily by aiming for mid-value pegs that are easier to hit.
• Watch your opponents' misses and note whether rings are consistently falling short or long. Adjust your distance judgement rather than your release action to correct the error.
• In a close game, play conservatively in the final round: securing any score is better than risking nothing by going for a difficult high-value peg.

Variations

Team Play

Divide players into two teams. Team members take alternate throws within the same round, and scores are pooled. The first team to reach the agreed target wins. This works well with four players and encourages a more relaxed, social pace of play.

Elimination

Each player starts with three lives. Any round in which a player scores no points at all costs them a life. The last player with lives remaining wins. This format sharpens focus and keeps even shorter games tense throughout.

Progressive Distance

Begin with the throwing line at 1.5 metres. After each complete round in which every player has scored at least one ring, the line moves back by half a metre. Scoring and winning conditions remain the same, but the increasing difficulty rewards consistent technique over luck.

Solitaire Challenge

A single player throws all rings in sets of five rounds, recording the total rings hooked out of the maximum possible. The personal target is to beat your previous best. Setting a minimum qualifying score, such as 60 per cent of the maximum, gives the solo game a clear pass or fail structure.

Ring Toss: frequently asked questions