How to Play Rope Quoits

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

Rope Quoits is a throwing and targeting game for 2 to 4 players, played with flat rope rings and a short upright peg fixed in the ground. Each player pitches their rings from a set distance, aiming to loop them cleanly over the peg or land them as close as possible. The rules are simple enough to explain in two minutes, but accurate throwing takes real practice.

It is most at home on a lawn, at a campsite, or on a beach, which is a large part of its appeal. The rope rings are soft and safe, the equipment packs flat, and a full game takes less than half an hour. It rewards controlled technique over brute strength, so adults and older children compete on genuinely equal terms.

A little history

Quoits in various forms have been played in Britain for several centuries, with references to ring-throwing games appearing in records from the medieval period onward. Rope or rubber ring quoits developed as a practical alternative to the heavy iron or clay quoits used in more formal regional traditions, making the game portable and suitable for domestic gardens. The precise origins of the rope ring version are unclear, but it became a popular garden and seaside pastime in Britain during the twentieth century and has remained a staple of outdoor games sets ever since.

Setting up

1. Push the peg firmly into level ground so it stands upright and stable. The peg should protrude roughly 15 cm above the surface.
2. Mark a pitching line on each side of the peg. The standard distance is 2.5 metres from the peg to the pitching line for adults; reduce to 1.5 metres for younger children.
3. For 2 players, each player stands at opposite pitching lines and pitches toward the same peg. For 3 or 4 players, agree a single pitching line from which all players throw in turn.
4. Each player takes their set of rope rings. In a 2-player game each player typically holds 4 rings. In a 3 or 4 player game, divide rings equally so each player has 2.

How to play

1. Decide who throws first, either by agreement or by each player tossing one ring and seeing who lands closest.
2. The first player stands behind the pitching line and throws all of their rings one at a time toward the peg, using a smooth underarm or overarm action as preferred.
3. In a 2-player game, the second player then throws from the opposite pitching line back toward the same peg.
4. In a 3 or 4 player game, players take turns throwing from the same pitching line in the agreed order.
5. After all players have thrown their rings in a round, score the round (see Winning and Scoring), collect the rings, and begin the next round.
6. Players must not cross or touch the pitching line when throwing. Rings released after the foot crosses the line do not count.
7. Rings that land over the peg are called ringers. Rings that miss the peg are scored by proximity.
8. Continue playing rounds until one player reaches the agreed points target.

Winning and scoring

The agreed winning total is usually 21 points, though players may set any target before the game begins. Scoring works as follows: a ringer (a ring that encircles the peg cleanly) scores 2 points. If no ringer is thrown in a round, the player whose ring lies closest to the peg scores 1 point. Only one player scores per round. If two ringers from different players cancel each other, scoring falls back to the nearest remaining ring. If the nearest rings from two players are equidistant, no point is awarded for that round. The first player to reach or pass the agreed total wins.

The fine points

The most common dispute concerns whether a ring that rests against the peg without encircling it counts as a ringer. The standard ruling is that it does not: the ring must lie flat with the peg passing cleanly through its centre. Similarly, a ring that encircles the peg but is propped up at an angle by another ring still counts as a ringer provided it fully encircles the peg. Measure proximity from the inner edge of the ring to the base of the peg, not from the outer edge.

In the cancellation scoring system used by most players, only the player with the nearest uncancelled ring or the greatest number of uncancelled ringers scores in a round. If all of one player's ringers are cancelled by the other player's ringers, and that player also has a ring closer to the peg than any of the first player's remaining rings, they score 1 point for proximity. When distance is genuinely too close to judge by eye, use a short length of string or a ruler to measure.

How to win more often

• Settle on one throwing style and repeat it consistently. An underarm pendulum swing with a flat release tends to give the most reliable flat flight.
• Aim to release the ring so it travels horizontally and lands flat rather than at an angle. Rings that tip on landing rarely stay close to the peg.
• When you are ahead on score, play defensively by targeting the peg to cancel your opponent's ringers rather than simply piling on extra points.
• Pay attention to where your opponent's rings are landing before you throw your last ring so you can adjust your line rather than guessing.

Variations

Singles (Back and Forth)

Two players each stand at opposite ends of the pitch and throw toward the same peg from their own pitching line. After scoring, each player picks up the rings nearest them and throws back the other way. This avoids walking to the peg after every round and keeps the game moving quickly.

Teams

With 4 players, split into two teams of two. Teammates stand at opposite ends of the pitch and alternate pitching toward their partner's end. Team scores are combined at the end of each round and the cancellation rule applies across all four rings. First team to 21 wins.

Closest Ring Only

Remove the ringer bonus entirely: every round, only the player with the ring closest to the peg scores 1 point, regardless of whether it encircles the peg. This levels the game considerably for younger or newer players and keeps rounds very short.

Extended Distance

Move the pitching line back to 4 metres or more to suit competitive adult players. At greater distances, flat and consistent release technique becomes far more important and the skill gap between casual and practised players widens noticeably. Some groups also increase the winning target to 31 at this distance to give the game more depth.

Rope Quoits: frequently asked questions