Carrom Rules

Setup

• The red queen piece is placed in the very center of the board, in the very middle of the center circle. Assemble six of the nine white pieces in the circle so they form a Y, with the queen in the very center of that Y. The two diagonal sides of the Y need to each point toward a corner pocket on the board. Arrange the nine black pieces along the outer sides of the Y, with three on each side. Each set of three should travel along the side of the Y in a V shape, with the middle piece touching the queen. The three remaining white pieces each go into the small notches within the black pieces.

Striking

• Choose a color to play--white or black--and a side of the board to sit on; you can only shoot from that side of the board. Flip a coin to determine who goes first by "breaking" the circle of carrommen pieces. When shooting the striker at your pieces, the striker must touch both of the base lines on your side of the board. Shoot the striker from any type of grip you want, as long as you flick the striker and don't push it. Touching the striker with your fingernail before flicking it will help make sure the striker is on the lines, improve accuracy and keep you from hurting your finger. Aim to get one of the other pieces into any of the board's four holes. Position your body in any manner, as long as you don't leave your chair or place any body part except your hand into another quadrant of the board. Imagine diagonal lines running from corner to corner across the board in an X; your body can't cross either of those diagonal lines.

Scoring

• When you sink one of your pieces or the queen into a corner hole, you pocket it. Your turn continues as long as you sink a piece on each shot. You can't sink the queen until you sink one of your own pieces. If you sink the queen, you must then sink one of your pieces on the next shot or the queen goes back to the center of the board. If you sink the next piece, the queen is covered and play continues until someone sinks all his pieces. If you sink the striker, one of your pieces goes back on the board and you end your turn; sinking the striker and a piece together means two pieces are back on the board and your turn continues. If you sink all your pieces, you score one point for each of your opponent's pieces on the board and three if you covered the queen. Play continues until one player scores 25 points or has the most after eight games.