Quoits, << kwoyts, >> is a game in which players toss a metal ring, called a quoit, at a peg, called a mott. The mott is level with the ground. A white target about 4 inches (10 centimeters) in diameter surrounds the mott so players can see where it is located. Rules vary, but in championship competition players toss quoits at two motts 54 feet (16 meters) apart. Each player stands behind one mott and alternately throws two quoits at the other mott. A quoit closer to the mott than an opponent’s quoit counts one point. Most games end when a side has 21 points. If the score is tied at 20-20, play continues until one side leads by 2 points.
Quoits vary in size and weight. Those used in championship tournaments weigh 31/2 pounds (1.6 kilograms) and measure 6 inches (15 centimeters) in diameter with a hole 23/4 inches (7 centimeters) in diameter. Informal games of quoits often follow the rules of horseshoe pitching.
