The players use a wooden pin (also called mölkky) to try and knock over wooden pins of almost similar dimensions with the throwing pin, which are marked with numbers from 1 to 12. The pins are initially placed in a tight group in an upright position 3-4 meters away from the throwing place. Knocking over one pin scores the amount of points marked on the pin. Knocking 2 or more pins scores the amount of pins knocked over (e.g. 3 pins score 3 points). After each throw, the pins are lifted up again in the exact location where they landed. The first one to reach exactly 50 points wins the game. Scoring more than 50 will be penalised by setting the players score back to 25 points. A player will be eliminated from the game if they miss all of the target pins three times in a row.
Rules of Mölkky
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MÖLKKY: Wooden stick, used for throwing the numbered pins. Diameter 55…60 mm, lenght 220…230 mm. (see PICTURE 1)
PINS: Wooden pins (12 pcs). Numbered 1…12. Diameter 55…60 mm, length 90…100 / 150…160 mm. (see PICTURE 2)
PLAYERS: Two at minimum, no maximum limit.
MÖLKKAARI: Frame used for marking the throwing place. Not necessarily needed, since throwing place can be drawn to the ground as well. Front ~60 cm and sides ~30 cm. (see PICTURE 3)
PEN AND PAPER: Used for keeping track on points.
CLERK: Typically one player in one game acts as a clerk, changed when new game starts. If one of the players drops out of the game, he becomes the clerk.
POSITION OF PINS AT STARTUP: Pins are placed as in PICTURE 4 from about 3…4 meters from mölkkaari (the throwing place).
THROWING ORDER: In the first game the throwing order casted. In the further games, the player being the last in previous game will start and the winner will be the last one to throw.
START OF THE GAME: First player (according to throwing order) will make the starting throw.
ONCE PINS ARE FALLEN: Pins are lifted in that position where they are fallen (at the point where the base of the pin is). Pins is not fallen, if it rests against some other pin or mölkky.
POINTS FOR ONE THROW: If there is only one pin fallen, player will get as many points as that particular pin shows. If there are more than one pin fallen (2…12), player gets as many points as there are fallen pins (the maximum points are then 12).
MISS/LINE FAULT: If player does not get any pins fallen, or makes a line fault, he won’t get any points. Three such events in a row will cause player to drop out of the game (and become clerk).
END OF THE GAME: Game ends immediately, when some of the players reach 50 points exactly. If players gets over 50, his points will drop back to 25 as a penalty (no matter how much the player gets over 50).
EXAMPLE 1: Jim hits 6 pins, but one of these is resting against another pin (this pin is thus not counted). Therefore, Jim gets 5 points.
EXAMPLE 2: Heather throws and gets pin number 11 fallen. Therefore, she gets 11 points.
EXAMPLE 3: David has 45 points. So, he needs 5 points to win the game. He can achieve this by getting number 5 pin fallen or getting exactly 5 separate pins fallen. He decides to try getting 5 pins fallen, but unfortunately gets one more, and so getting 6 points to raise his total points to 51. This will cause his points to drop to 25.
EXAMPLE 4: Jennifer has 40 points. At this point, she gets number 10 pin fallen, and to total points will then be exactly 50. Therefore, Jennifer wins the game and the game is ended immediately.
PICTURE 1: Mölkky (throwing stick)
PICTURE 2: Pins (numbered 1…12)
PICTURE 3: Position of pins and mölkkaari at startup
PICTURE 4: Pin layot
