Taistelupetankki
Taistelupetankki is a Finnish outdoor sport based on pétanque, created in 1999. Players use two metal balls and try to get at least one ball closest to the jack (the small target ball). You can win by getting close, or by knocking an opponent’s ball or the jack away with your own ball. A common tactic is to knock an opponent’s ball away and use the other ball to stay closest to the jack. If a player doesn’t have any ball closest to the jack on their turn, they are out. The last player remaining wins.
The game starts when the winner of the last round or the youngest player throws the jack to a spot on the field. Then everyone throws both of their balls, one after another, aiming to end with at least one ball closest to the jack. The throwing order goes to the player who has the furthest ball from the jack; that player throws first, and if they fail to place a ball closest to the jack, they are out. The next turn goes to the player with the furthest ball, and so on. A player picks up their ball from the ground between their feet and throws it from that spot. Jumping is allowed, as long as you land in the same place, and the ball must travel at least 10 cm in the air.
A match can last from about five minutes to an hour, depending on skill, terrain, weather, how many balls knock others away, and players’ focus. Players act as judges themselves if disputes arise.
The Finnish Taistelupetankki Association runs competitions open to everyone year-round, mostly in the Helsinki area. There are also individual competitions each year in Tampere and in Tallinn.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 11:41 (CET).