Gameplay

House Rules

Five Swings per Player

Hook the Ring = One Point

21 Point to Win

Best of Seven Breaks a Tie

Tournament Rules 2 Player

How to Play Ringo (And Win Like a Champ)

Step 1: Who Goes First? (The Odd vs. Even Showdown)

• Each player secretly holds a peg in their hand. Then, both reveal their pegs at the same time:
• If both pegs are facing the same way, it’s Even—the Even player goes first.
• If the pegs are facing different ways, it’s Odd—the Odd player starts.

The winner of this round gets the first throw.

Step 2: Throw, Hook, Score!

Each round, both players get three throws. Before you start, decide:

•Do you alternate take turns throwing one by one?

•Or do you go all at once and see who can land the most?

Scoring per throw:

•First throw = 3 points

•Second throw = 2 points

•Third throw = 1 point

Bonus Alert: Hook all three in a row? That’s a RINGO - which means 6 points plus a bonus for a total of 7 points!

Step 3: Canceling Points (Only One Scorer Per Round!)

At the end of each round, only one player gets points.

•Take the higher score and subtract the lower score.

•The player with more points keeps the difference.

Example:

•You score 4 points. (Hooked 1st & 3rd throw)

•Your opponent scores 2 points. (Hooked 2nd throw)

•4 - 2 = 2 points → You keep 2 points and start the next round!

Whoever scores in a round starts the next one. If nobody scores, the turn order flips!

Step 4: Race to 21 (But Watch Out!)

First to 21 points wins! But—there’s a catch.

Go over 21? You pay the price.

•If your score goes beyond 21, you subtract the extra points instead of gaining during the scoring phase.

Example:

•You have 19 points and land your first throw (19+3 → 22 points).

•You went over! Next round, you subtract 3 from 19 and drop back to 16.

Unless… you win with a RINGO!

If you hook all three rings in a round and hit 21 or more, you win instantly—no penalty!

Step 5: Instant Win Rule (The Skunk!)

If you reach 15 points while your opponent is still at 0, the game ends immediately. No penalty for going over! You’ve officially skunked them.”

Tournament Team Rules  (4 Players)

Team Play (4 Players) – Double the Players, Double the Fun

Step 1: Who Starts? (Odd vs. Even – Team Edition!

Just like in the solo game, one team is Odd, the other is Even. Each team secretly holds a peg, then both reveal at the same time:

• If the pegs face the same way, it’s Even—Even starts.
• If they face different ways, it’s Odd—Odd goes first.

Quick, fair, and straight to the action!

Step 2: Take Turns or Go All In?

Each round, your team gets three throws—but it’s up to you how you play:

• Alternate throws (Player A, then Player B, then back to A)
• Take all three throws in a row (One player throws all at once, then the next)

Whichever strategy you choose, the points work the same:

• 1st throw = 3 points
• 2nd throw = 2 points
• 3rd throw = 1 point

BONUS: Hook all three in a row? That’s a RINGO—which means 6 points plus a bonus for a total of 7 points!

The team with the most points in a round gets the first throw in the next.

Step 3: The Race to 21 (With a Catch)

Just like in the solo game, your goal is to hit exactly 21 points—no more, no less.

But if you go over 21, your team has to subtract the extra points from your total.

• Example:
• Your team has 19 points. You land a perfect 3-pointer → 22 points.
• Whoops! Since you went over, you subtract 3 instead—dropping back to 16 points.

Unless… you win with a RINGO!

If you hit 21 or more with a perfect 3-for-3, you win instantly—no penalty!

Step 4: Instant Win Rule – The Skunk!

If your team reaches 15 points while the other team is still stuck at zero, the game ends immediately. No penalty for going over—just a clean, ruthless victory.

Step 5: Bring Your A-Game (Or Prepare for Trash Talk!)

Ringo isn’t just about winning—it’s about bragging rights. Whether you dominate with a perfect RINGO or pull off an epic comeback from behind, one thing’s for sure: your opponents won’t forget it.

So pick your partner, sharpen your aim, and get ready for some heated, high-stakes fun. The only question left is… who’s taking home the victory dance?