Carrom is an interesting game similar to billiards or Table Shuffleboard. However, in this game you use your fingers and striker pieces instead of sticks and balls. This game can be played by two people (singles) or four people (doubles). The game is also known by other names around the world, including carrom, couronne, carum, karam, karom, karum, and finger billiard.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Preparing the Board
Step 1. Get to know the symbols on the board well
Think of carom as a game of finger pool. Instead of balls, you take small pieces and try to fit them into pockets with heavier pieces called strikers. The carom board is made of a large wooden board that contains many symbols. Make sure you know what these symbols mean to prepare for the game. You have to understand the signs on the board to play effectively.
- The carom board should be 60-70 centimeters above the ground.
- There is a circular hole in each corner of the board, which is equipped with a net to catch the pawns. There are two foul lines on the board, and two concentric circles in the center of the board. The middle circle is the size of a pawn, and the main circle is six times larger. Before starting the game, the pieces are arranged in this circle.
- There are also squares on both sides of the board. Each player has their own rectangle, and striker pieces must be fired from within this rectangle.
Step 2. Learn the importance of the carom piece
There are 9 black pawns, 9 white pawns and 1 red pawn (sometimes referred to as "queen"), in addition to the two pieces known as "striker pieces". Each player has 9 pieces in carom, and one striker piece. One player gets all the black pieces, and the other player gets all the white pieces. Sometimes, these pieces are called carrommen.
- The white and black pawns are fine wood pieces that look like pawns in a game of checkers. In each round, you try to get a pawn into the board's pocket by banging the striker against the pawn.
- The red pawn is called the queen, and can be put into the bag only after you have placed one of your own color in the bag (the red pawn functions similarly to the 8 ball in billiards). If your points are less than 24, the queen will add 5 points to your score. If your score is more than 24, the queen will not add any points.
Step 3. Prepare the game board, to start the game, put the queen in the middle of the board
Then, place the six pieces around the queen. Each of the six pieces must touch the queen and the pieces next to it.
- Position the remaining 12 pieces around the circle of six pieces. Make sure the outer pieces touch the inner pieces. Alternate the color of the pieces. In other words, the circle must have one red piece, followed by a white piece, followed by a red piece, and so on
- You and your opponent must place the strikers in the rectangles at each end of the board.
Part 2 of 3: Starting the Game
Step 1. Sit across from each other
The game is usually played as a single match (1 on 1), although sometimes it is also played in teams. Players or teams must sit across from each other. You and your partner, or your opponent and partner, must face each other. Each player has their own rectangular box as the area to shoot the striker.
Step 2. Practice gripping the striker pieces
Striker is a heavy piece that is used to knock other pieces into the pocket. If you're new, it's best to practice holding and hitting with the striker a few times before playing. Make sure you flick instead of pushing the striker pieces. You must not move or leave the chair while using the striker, and this piece must be flicked within the rectangular area of the side of your board. There are two main grips you can use to hit a striker: the straight grip, and the scissor grip.
- Most people use a straight grip because it is easier to maneuver for the layman. You hold the underside of your palm and rest your fingertips against the board. Hold your index finger directly behind the pawn and make sure you snap your finger to shoot. For more control, hold the striker between your thumb and middle finger to position it before flicking.
- Add the scissors less often, but they may be more comfortable for you. Place your hands sideways on the board so that your ring and little fingers are pressed against the board. Then, hold the middle finger back with the index finger so that they are more or less perpendicular to the little and ring fingers. It looks like a pair of scissors. The shot is made by releasing the middle finger so that it flicks forward and hits the striker.
Step 3. Determine who plays first and ask the player to break the circle
Usually, a coin toss is done to determine the first player, but you can also use other methods, such as the oldest or highest player starting first. If so, the player must break the circle in the center of the board by shooting it with the striker.
- Rarely players can put a pawn into the bag on the first try. However, if this happens, the player will continue his turn until he fails to enter a pawn.
- You should always return the striker to the rectangular area before starting to shoot.
Step 4. Change turns to determine the color of the pawns for the player
Who has the black and white pawns is not determined before the game. It is set during the game. The first player to hang a pawn must enter the same colored pawn throughout the game.
- Carrom's goal is to get all the pieces into the pocket before your opponent. You also need to hang a red pawn aka queen.
- Red pieces, or queens, can only be pocketed after you've added another piece.
Part 3 of 3: Finishing the Game
Step 1. Keep playing until you finish round one
A carrom round ends when one of the players puts in all the pieces of his color, plus the queen. You play several rounds until one of the players reaches 29 points. The first player to reach 29 points wins the game.
- Remember, you and your opponent take turns shooting the striker. You can only shoot from within your rectangular area.
- If you manage to enter the pawns continue playing. You can shoot the striker back, and keep playing until you fail to land a pawn.
Step 2. Follow the rules regarding queens
The queen, aka the red pawn, must be pocketed at the end of the round. Players must hang and “cover” the queen. Covering the queen means that you hang the queen according to the rules of the game. If you have hung the queen, but did not cover it, the queen will be returned to the center of the board.
- You may not hang the queen until you have entered at least one piece of your color. Players who enter the queen piece before the other pieces do not cover the queen. The queen piece will then be returned to the center of the board.
- If you hang the queen after placing another piece, you have covered the queen. The queen piece is not returned to the board and you can earn points from the queen at the end of the round.
Step 3. Penalize the offending player
There is a foul in the carrom game. If a player commits a foul, the penalty is that one piece of color is returned to the board. The following situations lead to violations.:
- The player violates if you put the striker in the pocket. It's also a violation if you hit a striker or other piece on the board.
- Putting an opponent's pawn into the pocket is also a violation. In addition to having one of your pieces returned to the board, this violation is also given an additional penalty. If previously pocketed and covered, the queen piece is also returned to the board.
- If you pocket the last pawn before the queen is pocketed, the entered and penalty pieces are returned to the board. In other words, two pieces are returned to the board.
- If you touch any piece other than the striker, this is a foul.
Step 4. Keep playing until one player has pocketed all his pieces
The first player to pocket his pieces wins the round, and is awarded points. However, the round is not over if the queen is still in the game. The queen piece must be included and covered by one of the players to complete the round.
Step 5. Score in each round correctly
To determine the score, count the number of pieces that your opponent still has. For example, say your opponent still has 5 pieces on the board; meaning, your score increases by 5.
- If you pocket and cover the queen during the game, an additional 5 points are awarded as long as your score is under 24. If you get 5 points from the opponent's pawn, and you also cover the queen, this round's score is 10.
- Add up points as the rounds increase. If the total points have reached 24, you will no longer get 5 points from the queen piece.
Step 6. Finish the game
There is no fixed number of rounds in carrom. You keep playing until you reach a score of 29. Points are added up each round. In the end, the first player to score 29 or more wins the game.
- For example, your score is 12 in the first round. The opponent wins the next round and gets 9 points. In the next round, you win and get 12 points so your total points are now 24.
- In the fourth round, the opponent won and scored 5 points so the total is now 14 points. In the fifth round, you get 8 points. Now, your total score is 32, which goes beyond the 29 needed to win the game. Congratulations, you won this carrom game
Tips
- Be patient the first time you play. The game lasts quite a while as you and your opponent can have a hard time getting the pieces into the pocket. If you get used to it, the game will run faster and more interesting.
- Patience is very important in playing carrom. You have to keep your head cool even if you make a foul or your shot misses. Don't be frustrated. You need to give full attention and concentration to hang the carom piece.
