What Are the Essential Rules for Playing Carrom?
Carrom is a game that combines skill, strategy, and precision, making it a fascinating pastime for players of all ages. Understanding the basic rules, queen rules, fouls, and penalties, as well as the points system, is crucial for mastering the game and enjoying it to the fullest. Whether you’re playing casually with friends or competitively in tournaments, these guidelines will help you navigate the exciting world of carrom with confidence. In this blog, we will delve into the basic rules of carrom, the specific regulations for the queen, various fouls and penalties, and the points system that governs the game.
Basic Rules to Start Playing Carrom
Setting Up the Carrom Board
- The Carrom Board: A standard carrom board is square, typically measuring (74 cm x 74 cm) 29 inches on each side. It has four pockets in each corner and a smooth surface for the carrom men to glide across.
- Playing Surface: The inner playing area is 60 cm x 60 cm, with wooden bumpers along the edges. A light dusting of boric powder keeps the coins sliding smoothly.
- Pockets: There are 4 corner pockets, each 5 cm wide, where players aim to sink the coins.
- Carrom Men: There are 19 carrom men in total – 9 black, 9 white, and 1 red piece known as the queen.
- Striker: The striker is larger and heavier than the coins to flick the carrom men into the pockets. Its size can be up to 4.1 cm in diameter and weighs 15-20 grams.
Positioning the Carrom Coins
- Centering the Queen: The queen is placed at the center of the board within the central circle.
- Arranging the Carrom Men: The carrom men are arranged around the queen in an alternating pattern within a larger circle, known as the baseline circle.
Starting the Carrom Game
- Deciding the Break: Players usually flip a coin to decide who will take the first shot. The player winning the toss can choose to break or defer to the opponent.
- The Break: The player breaking uses the striker to hit the carrom men from the baseline, attempting to pocket a piece and ideally, the queen.
Playing the Carrom Game
- Objective: The main objective is to pocket all of your carrom men (either black or white) before your opponent.
- Turns: Players take turns to strike, and continue their turn as long as they keep pocketing their carrom men.
- Striking: The striker is flicked with the index finger or middle finger to hit the carrom men towards the pockets.
Carrom Queen Rules
- Pocketing the Queen: The queen can be pocketed at any time after a player has pocketed at least one of their carrom men.
- Covering the Queen: After pocketing the queen, a player must pocket one of their own carrom men in the subsequent shot to cover the queen. If they fail to do so, the queen is returned to the center of the board.
- Winning with the Queen: A player who pockets the queen and covers it successfully scores additional points, making it a crucial part of the game strategy.
All Carrom Fouls and Penalties
- Fouls: Fouls occur when a player breaks the rules of the game. Common fouls include:
- Pocketing the striker: If a player pockets the striker, they lose their turn and a penalty of one carrom man (previously pocketed) is returned to the board.
- Pocketing the opponent’s carrom men: If a player pockets an opponent’s carrom man, it is considered a foul and the opponent benefits from the miscue.
- Incorrect placement of the striker: If the striker is not placed correctly within the baseline area before a shot, it results in a foul.
- Failing to break: If a player fails to break the carrom men from the starting position on their first shot, it is considered a foul.
- Penalties: Penalties can vary depending on the severity of the foul:
- One-point Penalty: For minor fouls, such as pocketing the striker, the player loses one previously pocketed carrom man.
- Loss of Turn: Committing a foul typically results in losing one’s turn, allowing the opponent to play next.
- Multiple Fouls: Committing multiple fouls in succession can lead to cumulative penalties, significantly impacting a player’s progress in the game.
Carrom Points Rule
- Scoring Points: Points are awarded based on the carrom men pocketed and the successful covering of the queen.
- Points for Carrom Men: Each carrom man pocketed contributes to the player’s score. Typically, each carrom man is worth one point.
- Points for the Queen: Pocketing and covering the queen adds an additional three points to the player’s score. However, if a player fails to cover the queen, they do not earn these points.
- Winning the Game: The game can be played to a predetermined score (commonly 25 or 29 points) or for a set number of boards. The player who reaches the target score first, or has the highest score at the end of the game, is declared the winner.
- Bonus Points: In some variations of carrom, players can earn bonus points for specific achievements, such as pocketing multiple carrom men in a single shot or winning a game with the queen.
Frequently Asked Question on Carrom Queen, Fouls and Penalties
- What happens if the Queen and a carrom men are pocketed together during the break or in any subsequent stroke when all nine carrom men are on the board?
During the break or in any subsequent stroke when all nine carrom men are on the board, if the Queen and one carrommen are pocketed together, the Queen has to be covered. If more than one carrommen and the Queen are pocketed together, the Queen shall be considered covered.
- What happens if the Queen and the Striker are pocketed together by a proper stroke?
If the Queen and the Striker are pocketed together by a proper stroke, the Queen shall be taken out for placing by the Umpire, an additional carrom men shall be taken out for placing by the opponent, and the player shall continue his turn.
- What happens if a player pockets the Striker along with his carrom men while covering the Queen by a proper stroke?
If a player pockets the Striker along with his carrom men while covering the Queen by a proper stroke, the carrom men so pocketed plus one carrom men as Due shall be taken out for placing by the opponent, but the player shall continue his turn. If no carrom men is pocketed in the subsequent stroke, the Queen shall not be considered covered and shall be taken out for placing.
- What is the outcome if the Queen, a carrom men, and the Striker are pocketed together by a proper stroke?
If the Queen, a carrom men, and the Striker are pocketed together by a proper stroke, the Queen and the carrom men so pocketed with an additional one as Due shall be taken out for placing, and the player shall continue his turn.
- What happens if a player pockets the Queen while there is a Due against him?
If a player pockets the Queen while there is a Due against him, the Queen shall be taken out for placing, and the player shall lose his turn.
6. What is the rule for pocketing the Queen after recovering a Due or penalty when all nine carrom men are on the carrom board?
After recovering a Due or penalty, if all the nine carrom men are on the carrom board, a player shall have the right to pocket the Queen and cover it.
7. If the Queen is pocketed before any carrom men of the player is pocketed, what happens to the Queen and the player’s turn?
If the Queen is pocketed before any carrom men of the player is pocketed, the Queen shall be taken out for placing, and the player shall lose his turn.
- What happens if a player pockets their striker alone in a proper stroke?
If in a proper stroke a player pockets his striker alone, his turn shall be lost and one of his carrom coins (carrommen) will be taken out as a penalty by his opponent for placing. Such penalty carrommen shall be called ‘Due’.
- What happens if a player pockets their striker before any of their carrommen is pocketed?
If this happens before any of his carrommen is pocketed, the penalty and Due shall remain outstanding and shall be taken out as soon as they are available.
- What happens if a player pockets the striker with their own carrommen by a proper stroke?
If a player pockets the striker with his own carrommen by a proper stroke, the number of carrommen so pocketed, with a Due carrommen, shall be taken out for placing and the player shall continue his turn.
- What happens if a player pockets the striker with the carrommen of their opponent by a proper stroke?
If a player pockets the striker with the carrommen of his opponent by a proper stroke, the carrommen so pocketed shall be deemed to have been pocketed. The Due carrommen shall be taken out for placing and the player shall lose his turn.
- What happens if a player pockets the striker with both their own carrommen and their opponent’s carrommen by a proper stroke?
If a player pockets the striker with carrommen of his own and of his opponent by a proper stroke, the number of his own carrommen so pocketed, with a due carrommen shall be taken out for placing by the opponent and the player shall continue his turn.
- Who places the Due and/or penalty carrommen in Doubles?
In Doubles, the Due and/or penalty carrommen shall always be taken out for placing by the player who is sitting on the right-hand side of the player having his turn at the time of availability of carrommen.
- What should a player do if space is not available for placing the Due and/or penalty carrommen?
If Due and/or penalty carrommen is available for placing but sufficient space is not available, the player who has to place the carrommen shall be permitted to do so immediately after space becomes available.
15. Is thumb allowed in carrom?
Yes, using the thumb is allowed in carrom.
