skitt

Skitt is a traditional bowling-like game played with a set of wooden pins and a ball. It is most commonly associated with pubs and social clubs in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe, though regional variants exist elsewhere. In typical play, players take turns rolling or throwing the ball along a lane to topple as many pins as possible.

Equipment consists of wooden pins laid out in a fixed formation, usually nine or ten pins depending on local rules, and a wooden ball, sometimes with finger holes or a simple disc-shaped design. The pins are positioned upright at the far end of a lane, which may be a wooden alley with gutters or a carpeted area in casual settings.

Scoring and formats vary by variant. Some games count only the number of pins toppled on a throw, while others use a frame-based system similar to other bowling families, with a set number of frames per players’ turn. The length of the lane and the size of the ball can also differ by tradition.

Variants and regional forms include ninepins in various European regions and the classic British skittles, along with related bowling traditions such as kegeln in German-speaking areas. The precise rules, equipment specifics, and lane layouts have historically differed from one alley to another, and even today many pubs run their own local rules.

Today, skitt survives in heritage lanes, amateur leagues, and social gatherings, though it has largely been supplanted by modern ten-pin bowling in many places. It remains a cultural symbol of traditional English and European pub culture.

See also: Skittles (game), Kegeln, Bowling.