Carrom is one of India’s most loved indoor games, played in homes, clubs and tournaments. Competitive carrom follows rules set by the International Carrom Federation (ICF), and the All India Carrom Federation governs the sport in India. Here is a simple guide.
Board and pieces
A standard carrom board has a square playing surface of about 74 cm on each side, with a pocket in each corner. Each player has two baselines on their side, and the striker is placed between them for every shot.
The pieces are:
- 9 white coins and 9 black coins
- 1 red coin, called the queen
- 1 striker, which is larger and heavier than the coins
Starting the game
Coins are arranged in a circle at the centre, with the queen in the middle. A toss decides who breaks first, and the player who breaks plays white. In singles, two players sit opposite each other. In doubles, partners sit opposite each other.
How to play
On each turn, a player flicks the striker from the baseline to hit their own coins into the pockets. If you pocket your own coin, you get another turn. The striker must touch both baselines or sit on the centre circle of the baseline before striking, and it must not be placed on the diagonal arrow lines.
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The queen and covering
The queen can be pocketed only after the player has pocketed at least one of their own coins. After pocketing the queen, the player must cover it by pocketing one of their own coins in the next shot. If the queen is not covered, it is returned to the centre.
Common fouls
- Pocketing the striker
- Striker or coin leaving the board
- Touching the striker with any part of the body other than the hand used to strike
- Touching coins on the board during play
For a foul, the player usually loses the turn and one of their pocketed coins is put back on the board.
Scoring
A board ends when a player pockets all their coins. The winner of the board scores one point for each opponent coin left on the board. The queen adds bonus points only up to a set score in a match. Under ICF rules, a game is usually played up to 25 points or for a fixed number of boards.
Tips for beginners
- Keep the board clean and lightly powdered for smooth play.
- Practise straight shots and thumb shots.
- Plan to cover the queen before going for it.
Bottom line
Carrom is easy to learn and hard to master. Knowing the queen rule, fouls and scoring will help you enjoy the game more.
Source / स्रोत: International Carrom Federation, All India Carrom Federation
