Gorodki
Russian throwing sport — smash 15 different pin patterns out of a "town" square with heavy 80 cm wooden bats.
👥1 per team🌤outdoor
What is Gorodki?
Gorodki is a Russian folk throwing sport with medieval origins. Competitors use a heavy 80 cm wooden bat (bita) to knock arrangements of five small wooden pins ("gorodki") out of a marked town square, from 6.5 m or 13 m away. The 15 standard pin patterns include the "cannon", "the fork" and "the letter". Fewest total throws to clear all 15 wins.
Quick facts
Category
Precision Sports
Type
Individual
Players
1 per team
Where played
outdoor
Country of origin
🇷🇺 Russia
Estimated origin
Medieval Russia (>500 years); Soviet-era standardised rules 1923
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
Sources & provenance
Last verified 2026-08-24.verified