How to Play Ringing the Bull

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

Ringing the Bull is a traditional ring-toss pub game in which players stand at a marked line and swing a metal ring, suspended from the ceiling or a beam on a length of cord, so that it catches on a single horn or hook mounted on a board on the opposite wall. The game requires no great strength but demands a precise, repeatable arc and a good feel for the cord's swing, making it fiendishly easy to learn and genuinely difficult to master.

It is most commonly found in British pubs, beer gardens, and village halls, where a permanent rig can be left in place between sessions. Because each turn takes only seconds and the equipment is compact, it suits noisy, sociable settings perfectly, and the gap between a beginner and a regular is visible from the very first throw.

A little history

The game is traditionally associated with British pub culture and is found across England, with particular concentrations in the East Midlands, Yorkshire, and parts of the South. Its origins are unclear: ring-on-hook games of broadly similar form appear in records from the nineteenth century, and a hook-and-ring game is documented in Caribbean and Latin American traditions too, which suggests the idea arose independently in more than one place. What is well established is that the British pub version, using a bull's horn or a cast-iron hook styled as one, has been a fixture of inn and tavern life for well over a century.

Setting up

1. Fix the board to the wall at approximately chest height (around 1.4 to 1.5 m from the floor to the tip of the horn is a widely used standard, but match your venue).
2. Attach the ceiling hook or screw eye into the beam or ceiling directly above the point from which players will throw, so the cord hangs vertically when the ring is at rest.
3. Thread the cord through or tie it to the ring, then attach the other end to the ceiling hook. The cord length should be set so the ring, when swung in a straight horizontal arc from the throwing line, can just reach and sit on the horn. A common starting cord length is around 1.8 to 2.1 m, adjusted to suit the room.
4. Mark a throwing line on the floor. The player must stand at or behind this line for every throw. The line should be positioned so the ring hangs directly above it when at rest.
5. Decide before play begins: the target score to win (21 is the most widely used figure), or the number of rounds to play if using a fixed-round format.
6. Agree on throws per turn (5 throws per turn is the most common arrangement) and whether any handicapping applies for mixed-ability groups.
7. Determine playing order by each player taking one practice swing; the player who rings it, or comes closest, goes first. If no one rings it, draw or coin-toss.

How to play

1. Players take turns in the agreed order. On your turn, stand at or behind the throwing line.
2. Take the ring in one hand, draw it back to your side, and swing it forward in a smooth underarm arc directly toward the horn. Release the ring at the point in the swing that sends it on a trajectory to hook onto the horn. Do not step over the throwing line during the swing.
3. A successful ring is one that lands on and stays on the horn under its own momentum. If the ring bounces on and falls off, it does not count.
4. After each throw, retrieve the ring by pulling the cord back to you and allowing the ring to swing back to your hand. Take all your throws for the turn before the next player steps up.
5. Each successful ring scores 1 point. Record scores after each player's turn.
6. If using the standard 5-throws-per-turn format, a player who scores on all 5 throws in a single turn has scored a maximum of 5 for that turn.
7. Play proceeds clockwise. Continue until one player reaches or passes the winning score, or until all agreed rounds are complete.
8. If two or more players reach the winning score in the same round, those players play a sudden-death tiebreak: each takes one throw at a time, and the first to ring it when their opponent does not wins.

Winning and scoring

The standard winning score is 21 points, with each successful ring counting as 1 point. The first player to reach exactly 21 wins. Some groups play bust rules: if a player's score would exceed 21, the excess points are deducted from their score instead (for example, a player on 20 who scores 2 in a turn drops back to 19). If playing a fixed-round format rather than a target score, the player with the most points after the agreed number of rounds wins. In the event of a tie under fixed rounds, a sudden-death round, one throw each, decides the winner.

The fine points

The most common dispute is whether a ring that settles on the horn counts if the cord has wrapped around the horn first. The standard ruling is that it does not count: the ring must land cleanly on the horn without the cord aiding or preventing its movement. Similarly, if the ring clips the horn, bounces clear, and then returns to rest on it due to cord tension, it does not count. Only a ring that arrives and stays under the natural arc of the swing is valid.

A second regular argument concerns foot faults. The player's leading foot must remain at or behind the throwing line throughout the throw and follow-through. If a foot crosses the line before the ring leaves the player's hand, the throw is void and does not count as one of the player's attempts for that turn. A retake is not permitted: the throw is simply lost. Where the cord length has been set incorrectly so that the ring cannot physically reach the horn from the line, adjust the cord before play resumes and replay any affected throws rather than carrying on with a faulty rig.

How to win more often

• Develop a consistent grip and release point. Most players who ring regularly release the ring at roughly hip height on the forward swing. Find your release point in warm-up and repeat it on every throw.
• Swing in a single plane. Sideways drift in the arc is the most common reason the ring misses the horn. Keep your elbow close to your body and swing straight toward the target.
• Use a smooth, medium-pace swing rather than a fast one. A hard throw creates too much bounce; a slow one loses arc. Aim for a swing speed that lets the ring arrive on the horn with enough momentum to sit but not enough to rebound.
• Watch where your misses go. A ring that consistently passes above the horn means you are releasing too early or the cord is too short; one that drops below means you are releasing late. Adjust your release point in small increments.
• Under pressure, slow down. The instinct when tense is to rush the swing. Take a breath, let the ring settle to a complete stop before starting your next throw, and reproduce your normal rhythm.

Variations

Team Play

Divide players into two teams of equal size. Teams alternate throws, with one player from each team throwing in turn. Team scores are totalled, and the first team to reach an agreed target (commonly 31 or 51) wins. This format works well with six or more players and keeps everyone involved between turns.

Bust Rules (Exact Score)

Rather than allowing players to win by reaching or exceeding the target, bust rules require an exact score to win. If a player's points would take them past the target, their score resets to half the target (rounded down) and play continues. This lengthens the game and increases tension at the top of the scoreboard.

Round-the-Clock

Players must ring the bull a set number of times in a single turn before advancing. Commonly, a player must ring it once on their first active turn, twice on their second, three times on their third, and so on up to five. Miss the required count in a turn and you do not advance. The first player to complete all five levels wins. This variation rewards consistency rather than total volume of rings.

Handicap Match

To level a game between experienced and novice players, beginners start with a points head start or are permitted a greater number of throws per turn. A commonly used handicap is a 5-point head start for a complete newcomer playing against a regular. Agree the handicap before play begins and keep a written note to avoid later disputes.

Ringing the Bull: frequently asked questions