Mastering mölkky? Quiz | Hobbies

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Mölkky is similar to the bowling family of games. The pins you knock over are called skittles and the object you throw to knock the skittles over is called the mölkky. What exactly is a mölkky?

Answer: a wood pin similiar to the target skittles

The mölkky is a cylindrical piece of wood slightly longer than the target skittles. It can still roll on its side but obviously it is handled quite a bit differently than a bowling ball.

The 12 skittles are arranged in a tight formation, like a pyramid, with the corners removed. The skittle numbers are arranged as shown in the crude (top view) diagram below. The player taking their turn stands in a designated throwing box (indicated below by the *) some 3-4 meters (10-12 feet) away and centered between the 1 and 2 skittles at the start (the throwing position does not move as the skittle formation warps and breaks throughout the game).

------7 8 9
--5 11 12 6
-----3 10 4
-------1 2

--------*

2. Your smug neighbor, an Olympic javelin thrower, is joining you in a game of mölkky and though he has not played before, he smugly (as is his way) assumes his Olympic background will give him an edge. You smirk and quietly allow him his delusion for a little while. As another player starts to go over the rules, your neighbor will learn soon enough that his background gives him no particular advantage here because the mölkky _____

Answer: may only be thrown underhand

The mölkky must be tossed underhand but you still have plenty of throwing style options such as a pinpoint toss with a narrow profile forward, a "helicopter" spin, or a straight toss in a horizontal orientation which can roll when it touches down

3. In mölkky, if you knock down exactly one of the numbered skittles on your turn, how many points do you score?

Answer: the number printed on top of the skittle

The skittles are numbered 1-12. If you knock down just one you score the number of the pin. Targeting specific single skittles is often the most efficient way to score an exact number as needed for seeking the winning score of 50.

4. In mölkky, how much do you score if you knock down more than one skittle on your turn?

Answer: one point per skittle knocked down

As the game progresses and the skittles get spread out more and more, targeting individual high value skittles often makes sense. At first though, because the skittles are packed so tightly and the highest point skittles are bunkered in the center of the initial formation, most experienced players try to simply take down as many skittles as possible on the opening toss.

5. After each player's turn, the skittles are returned to the base formation.

Answer: False

The skittles are set back up in place wherever they land after a turn. This leads to some interesting strategies and infinite varieties in actual play as, aside from the first toss, you never see exactly the same field of skittles twice.

6. A turn at mölkky where you strike no skittles is considered a fault. There is no penalty for the first violation(s) but similar to baseball, after the ___ time you do this you are eliminated from the game. What choice goes in the blank?

Answer: 3rd

This happens often when attempting a long range shot for a high value skittle which has been knocked back by repeated hits so you must weigh the temptation of picking a distant target against the limitation of your accuracy in throwing. In the spirit of being a good sport, an eliminated player is encouraged to take up the scorekeeping for the remaining players rather than storming off to pout.

7. A score of 50 points is your target to win mölkky. What happens if you go over 50 points?

Answer: your score is knocked down to 25 and play continues

This can put you in some precarious situations as the target needed to hit 50 exactly has a funny way of being a very difficult one to hit most of the time. For instance this makes a score of 49 problematic if the number 1 skittle is not a clear shot.

8. On your turn in a game of mölkky you strike the 3, 5, 7, and 11 skittles. The 3 and 11 come to lie flat on the ground touching each other. The 5 comes to rest leaning on the 11, and the 7 ends up leaning on the mölkky. Which skittles score points this turn?

Answer: the 3 and 11

Any skittle leaning on another skittle or on the mölkky is not scored. They may touch the mölkky or any number of skittles beside them but they must be on the ground, completely horizontal, to be counted.

For the case where just two skittles are struck and one comes to rest on the other or the mölkky, only one skittle is considered down and the single skittle scoring rule would apply.

9. Which of the following describes an appropriate venue for a game of mölkky?

Answer: any terrain with a relatively flat surface and enough space

Popular play has occured on all of the specific surfaces mentioned in the wrong answer choices and more. Though originally an outdoor game, it has also gained popularity indoors as well. As of the writing of this quiz, no professional leagues exist, but there are some pretty serious amateur leagues, particularly in the game's homeland of Finland, the rest of Europe, Japan, and Australia.

10. Mölkky is very physically demanding.

Answer: False

Mölkky has similarities to, and was likely inspired by another game, Finnish skittles or kyykkä which uses a skittle bat (much heavier and larger than a mölkky) to knock down skittles. Mölkky by contrast is billed as being for all ages and abilities and is enjoyed by children and adults.

Source: Author namrewsna

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor WesleyCrusher before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Mastering mölkky? Trivia Quiz

Mölkky is a game developed in Finland in 1996. This quiz is a primer on basic rules of play and terminology. It is sprinkled with a few hints to give you a chance if you don't play. If you do play, this should be a breeze.

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