How to play rules of horseshoes

A game for ringers. The object: to pitch a horseshoe so that it lands around a metal stake or nearer to it than your opponent’s horseshoe. Drive two iron stakes so that they stand 14 inches above ground and 40 feet apart. Center each in a 6-foot-square pitcher’s box. You and your opponent stand in one box and pitch your horseshoes at the other stake with an underhand throw. As you release the horseshoe, flick your wrist so that the horseshoe spins and remains parallel with the ground. You each pitch two horseshoes per turn, move to the other stake and evaluate the score, and then pitch them back at the first stake.

A horseshoe encircling the stake (a ringer) is worth 3 points. A leaner (a shoe leaning against the stake), a shoe touching the stake, or the horseshoe closest to the stake (if it’s within 6 inches) each scores 1 point. If both of your horseshoes land closer to the stake than your opponent’s, you score 2 points. If you toss a ringer over your opponent’s ringer, you void his score. Try to topple your opponent’s leaner or knock his horseshoe farther from the stake. The game is 50 points.