If you're new to Carrom or need a refresher, try these basic carrom game rules first so your family can enjoy the classic carrom board experience. Carrom games are a test of precision, strategy, and skill as players flick their strikers to pocket pins or achieve specific objectives. With over 85 ways to challenge yourself, carrom boards offer endless fun for both casual players and seasoned enthusiasts.
Download rules for all 85 games in our Carrom instruction book.
How to Play Classic Carroms
- Carroms
- Scottville Carroms
- Traveling Carroms
- Call Carroms
- Mixer
- Four Tries
- Bank Carroms
- Bank It
- Spot Shots
- Tips & Tricks
More Carrom Rule Variations
Carroms
This game is played on the checker side of the game board.
Equipment: 12 red rings, 12 green rings, 1 black ring, 2 white Shooting Rings.
Object of the game: To hit into any pocket, by means of your Shooting Ring, all of the rings of your selected color and the "wild" black ring. Total of 30 points wins the game. Each ring counts 1 point except the black which counts 5.
How to Play Carroms
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Mix 12 red and green rings in the center of the board and place the black ring in the center of the group. A coin flip determines who is to go first. The first player places their white Shooting Ring on the shooting line (the straight lines running from pocket to pocket) and finger-snaps the shooter into the group of rings. If any one or more of their colored rings is pocketed, the player continues to shoot. Failure to pocket any of their rings allows their opponent the opportunity to shoot and pocket the rings of their selection. Each player shoots every shot from the shooting line and not from where the shooting ring lies after a shot.
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If the white or Shooting ring should be pocketed, the shooter loses their turn whether the player pocketed a colored ring or not. Any colored ring which may have been pocketed must be placed at the center of the board, and the shooter must forfeit on the board one ring previously pocketed. No forfeit of a ring is required if a player has none to offer. If a player has to forfeit a ring and has none but the black ring, the player must forfeit the black ring but retains the 5 point count. If a Shooting Ring and the black ring are both pocketed, the black ring is centered on the board, and no additional ring is forfeited.
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A player pocketing an opponent's ring as well as their own continues to shoot. The player loses their turn, however, if the player only pockets an opponent's ring. Opponent's rings when pocketed are not replaced on the board but are credited to the opponent.
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A player whose Shooting Ring jumps the board loses their turn, forfeits a ring, and any ring pocketed is placed on the board. A colored ring jumping off the board is replaced as close to the center of the board as possible.
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An "inning" shall be concluded when the black ring has been pocketed by any player, and when all of the colored rings of one player have been pocketed.
- Each player scores one point for each of their colored rings pocketed. Player pocketing the black ring scores 5 points. Player who pockets all of their rings, thereby concluding the inning, scores one point for each opponent’s rings remaining on the board.
How to Win: Total of 30 points or any other agreed upon score determines the winner.
Note: A Shooting Ring is considered played if the player's finger hits and moves it to the slightest degree.
Scottville Carroms
This game is played like Carroms with the following exceptions:
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A coin flip determines who is to shoot first with the winner of the coin flip given the choice whether to break or not.
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Object Carrom rings (red, green, or black) cannot be directly shot at unless halfway over the shooting player's line. Shots cannot be made directly in the player's own pockets (the pockets behind their line). Only bank shots are allowed.
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At the start of each turn, you may have your opponent place a ring of your color, providing it is at least halfway behind your line, in the center of the table; or, if the center is occupied by another ring, as close to the center as possible so long as the other rings are not moved. You may have the black ring moved to the center if it is halfway behind your line after you have pocketed all of your rings. The black ring may be moved only at the start of your turn.
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Combination shots using the opponent's ring are allowed as long as the white ring hits a ring of your color first. Combination shots hitting your opponents ring first are allowed but your turn ends. The black ring is neutral and can be used in combinations.
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The black ring must be the last ring pocketed after pocketing all rings of your color. However, you must pocket the black ring in the pocket you declare before shooting it. Failure to do so represents a scratch shot. If the black ring is made out of sequence, pocketed in the wrong pocket, or a player scratches while shooting at it, the black Carrom ring is placed as near the center of the table as possible and all rings previously made of your color are bunched around the black ring (opponent's rings should never be moved or disturbed). The rings are placed in the center by the player who made the error.
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The player pocketing all of their rings and the black ring wins the game.
Travelling Carroms
Equipment: Same as for Carroms except only one Shooting Ring. Played on the checker board side of the game board.
Object of the Game: Same as Carroms except:
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Only one Shooting Ring is used by both players.
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Each player shoots the Shooting Ring from wherever it rests after their opponent has lost their turn.
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A Shooting Ring which is pocketed or jumps off the board is set into play by their opponent anywhere on the shooting line. A player shooting from the shooting line cannot shoot directly at any of their rings that are on the same side of the board if the rings are on or outside their shooting line.
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A player forfeits a ring each time the player fails to hit either their own or their opponent’s rings.
How to Win: Same as Carroms.
Call Carroms
Played on the checker board side of the game board.
Equipment: Same as Carroms.
Object of the Game: Same as Carroms.
How to Play Call Carroms
Same as Carroms except:
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The player must call their shot indicating the ring as well as the pocket the player will be shooting for. A player’s ring uncalled but pocketed is placed near the center of the board, unless it should be pocketed at the same time as a called ring is scored.
Mixer
Played on the checker side of the board.
Equipment: All the rings, 15 of which use the numbered paper disks.
Object of the Game: To score the highest number of points playing with all the rings, only 15 of which use the numbered disks. The black ring counts 25.
How to Play Mixer
The same as Carroms except:
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The numbered rings as well as the balance of unnumbered rings together with the black ring are centered on the board.
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When a Shooting Ring goes into a pocket the player must forfeit the highest numbered ring in their possession. The black ring is never forfeited.
How to Win: Each ring as numbered; unnumbered rings one, black ring 25. Highest score wins the game.
Four Tries
Played on the checker side of the board.
Equipment: 12 red rings, 12 green rings, 2 white Shooting Rings.
Object of the Game: To score more rings than your opponent, each player having four successive plays.
How to Play Four Tries: Same as Carroms except a player has four successive plays. A play is counted only when a player misses a shot, not when rings are pocketed.
How to Win: Player with the highest number of rings pocketed after four successive plays is the winner.
Bank Carroms
Played on the checker side of the board.
Equipment: 12 red rings, 1 white Shooting Ring.
Object of the Game: To hit playing rings by means of bank shots (striking the rim board first) made from any of the numbered spot positions.
How to Play Bank Carroms
- Place 12 rings of one color in the center of the board. The first player places the Shooting Ring on any of the number shot positions (1, 2, 3, 4) and attempts to hit the playing rings by carroming off the rim board. Any playing ring hit is counted as a score and kept by the player. Each play is from a numbered spot position.
- A player loses their turn when the player fails to bank-hit a playing ring.
- If the Shooting Ring goes into a pocket, the player loses their turn and in addition forfeits two rings on the center of the board.
How to Win: The player with the most rings wins.
Bank It
Played on the checker board side of the game board.
Equipment: Same as Carroms.
Object of the Game: Same as Carroms.
How to Play Bank It
Same as Carroms except:
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When shooting at rings lying between the shooting line and rim board, the shooter can not shoot directly at the ring but must bank their shot by first hitting the rim of the board.
Spot Shots
Equipment: Same as Carroms.
Object of the Game: To hit into any pocket, by means of your Shooting Ring, all of the rings of your selected color and the “wild” black ring. Shooting must start at Position No. 1 and if a ring is pocketed the next shot is taken from Position No. 2. With each successful shot the player advances to the next higher numbered spot for their next shot.
How to Play Spot Shots: In all respects other than the rotation of the spot for shooting after each successful shot, the game is played exactly as Carroms.
Tips & Tricks
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Flicking Technique: Try using your index or middle finger for a clean, controlled flick.
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Focus on Accuracy: Aim carefully for your intended pocket and use a controlled amount of force. Hitting too hard can scatter the pins.
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Plan Ahead: Think a few moves ahead, just like in chess. Start by targeting the carrom pins that are easiest to pocket while positioning others advantageously for your next turn.
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Adding Spin: Spins can help you navigate around obstacles or reach tight spots. Practice adding spin to the striker and pay attention to how it influences the direction of the pins.
