Quoits
The traditional game of Quoits has a long and venerable history. The old game, still played in certain British pubs, uses steel quoits that are thrown at metal pins embedded in beds of soft clay. Masters Traditional Games specialises in unusual sports and we also have it's sister sport, Horseshoes.
Various indoor and parlour versions of quoits have appeared over the last couple of centuries and we have both the traditional indoor Pub quoits as well as the Victorian parlour version of the game with multiple pins. Take your pick but feel safe in the knowledge that a game that has survived this long will always be enjoyable...
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Deck
Quoits |
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Horse
Shoes |
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The game with a single stake is more skilful and we think more enjoyable in general so our default recommendation is to opt for one of the above quoits games. However, children may prefer the greater opportunity and level of chance involved with the multi-stake varieties below.
Jaques
Traditional Nine Pin Quoits |
Jaques
Original Royal Quoits |
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Traditional Quoits
The traditional game of Quoits has a long and venerable history. The full game is played outdoors using iron or steel quoits that are thrown at metal pins embedded in beds of soft clay. Although a beginner will always aim for a "ringer", the game is very tactical and a ringer is not always the best shot - expert players will often attempt to "cover" the pin with a the top of a quoit sticking out of the clay in order to prevent their opponent from being able to place a better quoit. A well aimed quoit can deliberately flip an opponent's quoit out of the way. Two versions of traditional outdoor Quoits are played - "The Northern Game" played in the North of England and "The Long Game" played in Scotland, Wales and North Suffolk, England. The Long Game is as much a test of strength as skill with heavy metal quoits weighing up to 10lb being tossed 18 or 21 yards at a pin that is flush with the clay and consequently barely visible. Scotland and Wales still play an international once a year. In England, the Long game only survives in any major form in Suffolk where somewhat different rules and lighter quoits lend a quite different flavour.
More popular in England is the Northern Game which is played at the shorter distance of 11 yards and features a pin that sticks slightly out of the ground so a ringer properly encircles the stake. The game is more tactical because only the top ringer scores which obviously gives a nominal advantage to the player who tosses second. The first player therefore usually endeavours to block the second player's quoit by a covering the pin with the body of the quoit or maybe by positioning a quoit right in front of the stake.
You can learn more about the History of Quoits from The Online Guide to Traditional Games.