The game in its modern conception became popular in the late 1980s when commercial kubb sets were first manufactured. In Gotland it is called 'KР“В¤gelkrig' (Skittles war) and is described as a variation of skittles and played with a ball. The FР“В¶reningen Gutnisk Idrott (Society (of) Gotland Games), formed in 1912, does not list kubb as one of the traditional games from Gotland. It is often claimed that the game dates back to the Viking Age and has survived since then on the Swedish island of Gotland, although there is no evidence of this. The alleged Viking origin of the game has led some players and kubb fans to nickname the game 'Viking chess', though that distinction more aptly describes hnefatafl.

The game can be played on a variety of surfaces such as grass, sand, concrete, snow, or even ice. Games can last from five minutes to well over an hour. Some rules vary from country to country and from region to region, but the ultimate objective of the game is to knock over the 'kubbs' on the opposing side of the pitch, and then to knock over the 'king', before the opponent does. 'Kubbs' are placed at both ends of the pitch, and the 'king', a larger wooden block, is placed in the middle of the pitch. Play takes place on a small rectangular playing field, known as a 'pitch'. Kubb can be described as a combination of bowling and horseshoes. Kubb (pronounced in Swedish or in Gutnish) is a lawn game where the objective is to knock over wooden blocks ( kubbar) by throwing wooden batons ( kastpinnar) at them. Kubb King on an unused pitch during final rounds of the 2013 USA Kubb National Championship

Outdoor viking games