Carrom is a delightful indoor board game that combines skill, precision, and strategy. Let’s dive into the rules and how to play:
Equipment:
Carrom Board: The game is played on a square wooden board with netted pockets in each corner.
Carrommen (Coins): There are 18 round-shaped carrommen (9 white and 9 black) used by the players.
Queen: A unique red or yellow carromman that needs special handling.
Striker: A larger, heavier disc used to strike the carrommen.
Lubricating Substance: To keep the board smooth.
Objective:
Pocket or sink all your carrommen before your opponents do.
Additionally, pocket and cover the red queen to earn 3 extra points.
Setup:
Arrange the carrommen in the center circle.
Place the queen in the center of the board.
Decide who goes first (usually by a toss or rolling the striker).
Gameplay:
Players take turns using the striker to hit their carrommen.
The striker must touch both baselines during a shot.
Pocketing a carromman earns you one point.
If you pocket the queen, you get 3 points.
The player who pockets the queen must cover it in the same turn.
If you pocket the striker, you lose a turn and one carromman.
If you pocket a carromman and the striker in the same shot, you get another turn.
The game continues until a player reaches the agreed-upon points (usually 25) or completes a set number of boards.
Fouls:
Foul if the striker doesn’t touch both baselines.
Foul if the striker doesn’t hit any carromman.
Foul if the striker pockets the opponent’s carromman.
Foul if the queen isn’t covered after pocketing.
Foul if the striker jumps off the board.
Winning:
The player with the most points wins.
Carrom is all about precision, angles, and a touch of luck. Enjoy the game!