Ring games on a carrom board are those centered on playing with target rings or zones. Players flick their pieces to land them within designated areas, combining precision with a touch of creativity. These games are a fantastic way to experiment with new mechanics on the carrom board.
Download rules for all 85 games in our Carrom instruction book.
How to Play Ring Games on a Carrom Board
- Rotation Cue Pocket (Numbered Rings)
- Wild Ring Pool
- Shooter Is Wild
- Game of Forty-Six
- Single Rings
- Single Rings Variation
- Bank Them All
- Red Rings Wild
- Line-Up
- Double Line-Up
- Six at War
- Ring Stacks
- Black Bank
- Shuffle Board
- Each their Own
- Pin and Ring Call
- Double Circle
- Three Rings
- Call the Black
- Deduct
- Zelto
- Center Scores
- Double Center Scores
More Carrom Rule Variations
Rotation Cue Pocket (Numbered Rings)
Equipment: 15 rings of any color, paper numbered disks, one white Shooting Ring. Played on the checker side of the board.
Object of the Game: To score more points than your opponent by pocketing numbered rings in rotation, beginning with ring number 1.
How to Play Rotation Cue Pocket (Numbered Rings)
- Number any 15 rings by inserting in them the numbered paper disks. Lineup the rings in a triangle. The first player shoots at the No. 1 ring from any position on the shooting line.
- Any ring pocketed is good providing the lowest numbered ring on the board is first hit by the Shooting Ring.
- A ring pocketed without a player first hitting the low numbered ring is respotted, centered on the straight line and the shooter loses their turn.
- Each player must shoot the Shooting Ring from wherever it lies after their opponent has missed.
- Each player must shoot for the lowest numbered ring on the board, and continues shooting whenever the player pockets the lowest numbered ring or some other ring scored as a result of a hit of the lowest numbered ring.
Shooting off the Board and into Pockets
A shooter loses their turn when:
1. The player fails to first hit the lowest numbered ring.
2. The player fails to pocket a ring.
3. Their Shooting Ring is shot off the board.
4. Their Shooting Ring goes into a pocket.
The player shooting after their opponent has allowed the Shooting Ring to go off the board or into a pocket, shoots at the lowest numbered ring from any point on the game starting line.
A ring going off the board is spotted, centered on the straight line.
Any ring pocketed at the time a Shooting Ring goes into a pocket is spotted, centered on the straight line.
How to Win: As a player pockets a ring, the player should remove it. At the end of the game, after all the rings have been pocketed, each player totals their ring score and the player with the highest total is the winner.
Wild Ring Pool
Equipment: 21 rings of any color, one white Shooting Ring. Played on the checker side of the board.
Object of the Game: To pocket the most rings of any color, shooting at any ring from where the Shooter Ring rests.
How to Play Wild Ring Pool
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Place 21 rings of any color in the center of the board. The first player shoots the Shooting Ring from any point on the shooting line. Any ring pocketed is a score for the shooter. Failure to pocket a ring gives the next player the opportunity to shoot at any ring from where the Shooting Ring lies.
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If the Shooting Ring should be pocketed or goes off the board, the shooter loses their turn and the player forfeits a ring, if the player has previously scored any, by placing it in the center of the board. Any ring pocketed when a Shooting Ring goes into a pocket is also placed in the center of the board. Play, after a Shooting Ring is pocketed or goes off the board, is always resumed by the next player at the shooting line.
How to Win: One for each ring pocketed. Total score wins.
Shooter Is Wild
Played on the checker side of the board.
Equipment: 12 green and 12 red, 1 white ring.
Object of the Game: To pocket the most rings by using any ring as the Shooting Ring.
How to Play Shooter is Wild
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The game consists of two rounds, with a round being over when all the rings on the board have been pocketed. The first player is selected by flipping a coin.
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All the red and green rings are centered on the table except a white Shooting Ring. The first player shoots at the rings with the white ring, and if the player pockets a ring the player continues to shoot using any ring as a shooter. When the player misses, it is an opponent’s turn to play.
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After all the rings are pocketed, the round is played. The player finishing the first round begins the second round.
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If a Shooting Ring is pocketed, the shooter loses their turn and forfeits a ring on the center of the board.
How to Win: One for each ring. Highest score at the end of two rounds is the winner.
Game Of Forty-Six
Equipment: 15 rings, 1 white Shooting Ring. Played on the checker side of the board.
Object of the Game: To score an exact total of 46 points by pocketing rings in the numbered pockets. The score for each ring pocketed is based on the number of the pocket (a ring pocketed in pocket No. 1 scores 1 point, in pocket No. 2, 2 points, etc.)
How to Play Game of Forty-Six
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Place 15 rings in the center of the board. The first player shoots the white Shooting Ring from the base line and tries to pocket the playing rings. The score for a pocketed ring is based on the number of the pocket. If a ring is pocketed the player continues to shoot. When a player misses, the next player shoots the white Shooting Ring from where it lies.
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If the white Shooting ring is pocketed the shooter forfeits their turn and any playing ring pocketed is placed back on the board.
How to Win: The first player who scores 46 and exactly 46 points is the winner. If a score in excess of 46 is made, the last ring scored becomes a “no count” and the next player takes their turn.
Single Rings
Equipment: 12 green rings, 12 red rings, 2 white Shooting Rings. Played on the checker side of the board.
Object of the Game: To pocket each ring that you place in the center of the board by shooting at it from any numbered position spot. Pocket must be called for score to count.
How to Play Single Rings
- Each player starts with 12 rings of one color and a Shooting Ring. The first player places one of their rings in the center of the board and attempts to pocket it with their Shooting Ring which is shot from any numbered position spot (1, 2, etc.).
- If the player pockets the ring the player keeps it, if the player fails, the player forfeits it to their opponent. Each player has one shot and passes their turn whether the ring is pocketed or not.
How to Win: The game ends when one player has all the rings.
Single Rings Variation
Equipment: Same as Single Rings. Played on the checker side of the board.
Object of the Game: Same as Single Rings except that a player who pockets a ring continues to shoot until the player misses.
Bank Them All
Equipment: (For the Experts) 15 rings with numbered paper disks, 2 white Shooting Rings. Played on the checker side of the board.
Object of the Game: To score the highest number of points by banking every shot at the numbered disks.
How to Play Bank Them All
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Center the numbered disk rings on the board. Each player takes every shot from the Shooting line but must bank their Shooting Ring, that is, their Shooting Ring must hit the rim board before hitting a ring.
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There are no forfeits for pocketing the Shooting Ring or going off the board.
How to Win: Player with the highest total based on a total of the numbered rings scored is the winner.
Red Rings Wild
Equipment: 4 green rings, 4 white rings, 7 red rings, 1 black Shooting Ring. Played on the checker side of the board.
Object of the Game: Each player pockets their playing rings, green or white rings as selected.
How to Play Red Rings Wild
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Place the 7 “wild” red rings in the center of the board and place the 4 green and 4 white playing rings around them. The first player places the black Shooting Ring on the baseline and shoots it into the group of playing rings, trying to pocket a ring of their color. If the player succeeds in pocketing one of their playing rings, the player next tries to pocket a red ring. the player continues to alternate, pocketing their playing ring and a red ring until all of their 4 rings are pocketed. When a player misses, their opponent shoots the same Shooting Ring from where it lies and shoots at rings of their color.
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When a player resumes shooting after their opponent misses, the player shoots at whatever type ring the player last failed to pocket. That is, if the player misses when shooting at a wild red ring, the player resumes shooting at any wild red ring. If a player shooting at their own playing ring or a wild red ring fails to pocket that piece and pockets the other piece instead, the pocketed piece is placed in the center of the board and the player loses their shot.
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If two playing rings or red rings are made on one shot, the player must pocket two of the other pieces on their subsequent shots.
How to Win: The player who first pockets all of their 4 playing rings wins the game.
Line-Up
Equipment: 6 green rings, 1 white Shooting Ring. Played on the checker side of the board.
Object of the Game: To pocket, one at a time, a line of six rings by shooting at the end rings of the line only at all times. Each ring scored counts one point.
How to Play Line-Up
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Place six rings in a line at the center of the board. The first player shoots the Shooting Ring from the base line at either of the end rings in the column attempting to pocket the line of rings one at a time. When an end ring is knocked out of the line but not pocketed, and the line of rings not otherwise disturbed, the next player can shoot at the loose ring wherever it lies. Play on the loose ring is continued until pocketed.
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If the line of rings should be knocked apart, either by shots directed at the end rings or at a loose ring when in play, the line is reformed and play starts over again.
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The player shoots the Shooting Ring from wherever it lies, and when a ring is pocketed the shooting Ring is placed in play again from the baseline.
How to Win: Total of 10 points wins.
Double Line-Up
Equipment: 6 red rings, 6 green rings, 1 white Shooting Ring. Played on the checker side of the board.
Object of the Game: To pocket your column of six rings by bank shots only.
How to Play Double Line-Up
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Player sitting at station between pockets 1 and 2 places six rings in a column, starting from a point on pocket spot No. 2 and headed toward pocket No. 3. The player at the opposite side of the board lines up their six rings in the same manner from the pocket No. 4 at their right.
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The first player banks their Shooting Ring from the rim opposite him and tries to pocket the rings in their column. The Shooting Ring is picked up after each shot. When a ring is pocketed the player continues to shoot.
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If a Shooting Ring is pocketed, the player loses their turn and places a ring in the column as a forfeit. The player who first pockets their rings wins a round.
How to Win: The winner of two rounds wins the game.
Six At War
Equipment: 6 green rings, 6 red rings, 2 white Shooting Rings. Played on the checker side of the board.
Object of the Game: To pocket six of your rings before your opponent pockets his.
How to Play Six At War
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Each player places six rings of a color on the Backgammon tips on the side opposite their station. The first player shoots their Shooting Ring to pocket their rings in any pocket. If the player pockets a ring, the player continues shooting until the player misses. The Shooting Ring is played from where it lies.
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The second player uses their own Shooting Ring and plays to pocket their rings. If a Shooting ring goes into a pocket a ring is placed on the Backgammon tip and the player loses their turn.
How to Win: The player first pocketing all their rings wins a round. Winner of two rounds wins the game.
Ring Stacks
Equipment: 12 green and 12 red rings, 1 black ring, 2 white Shooting Rings. Played on the checker side of the board.
Object of the Game: To shoot 4 green rings off a straight line without touching 3 red rings placed in between the green.
How to Play Ring Stacks
- Place 4 green and 3 red rings alternately and evenly spaced on the straight line running between the No. 1 and No. 2 pockets.
- From any point on the line 3 - 4, on the opposite side of the board, a player shoots the Shooting Ring in an attempt to move the green rings off the line without touching or moving the red rings.
- Each shot is made from the base or shooting line. A player loses their turn when the player hits or disturbs a red ring or fails to move a green.
- The line of rings is reset after each turn.
How to Win: The player moving the most green rings in 5 turns is the winner.
Black Bank
Equipment: One black ring, 2 white Shooting Rings. Played on the checker side of the board.
Object of the Game: To pocket the black ring from its center spot on the board by means of bank shots - shots which carrom off the rim boards.
How to Play Black Bank
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Center the black ring on the board. The first player, shooting from the baseline, banks their Shooting Ring off the rim board and tries to hit the black ring into a pocket. After three tries the player loses their turn.
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A player may choose to start their second and third shot from where the Shooting Ring lies or from the baseline. The black ring, if moved but not pocketed, remains in its position until the next player shoots, at which time it is again placed in the center.
- The black ring, if pocketed on the first shot of a turn, counts 10; if on the second shot, 5; if on the third shot, 3. For any hit of the black ring, count one point.
How to Win: First player to reach 15 points wins.
Shuffle Board
Equipment: 3 red rings, 3 green rings. Played on the checker side of the board.
Object of the Game: To shoot your ring as close to the edge of the pocket as possible without pocketing it.
How to Play Shuffle Board
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Each player starts off with three rings of a color. The first player shoots from the No. 1 spot diagonally toward the No. 3 pocket attempting to land their ring as close as possible to the edge of the pocket. The next player shoots from the No. 1 spot in the same manner, and can drive their opponent’s ring out of play into the pocket, or try to get close to the pocket’s edge.
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When all three rings are played, the ring closest to the edge of the pocket scores 3, next closest 2, and third closest 1. If any ring is hanging over the rim of the pocket, it scores double.
How to Win: A score of 20 wins the game.
Each their Own
Equipment: 4 green rings with disks numbered 1 - 4. Four red rings with disks 11 - 14. One Shooting Ring. Played on the checker side of the board.
Object of the Game: Each player tries to pocket their four rings in its corresponding numbered pocket before their opponent can. Rings 11 - 14 are played for pockets 1 - 4. Rings must be pocketed in numerical sequence.
How to Play Each their Own
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Place the four green rings numbered 1 - 4 and the four red rings 11 - 14 in the center of the board. One player has the red, the other the green rings.
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The first player places the Shooting Ring on the baseline and shoots to pocket their No. 1 ring in pocket No.
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If the player misses, the next player shoots the Shooting Ring from where it lies and attempts to pocket their No. 11 ring in pocket No. 1. A player continues shooting until the player misses, proceeding from pocket No. 1 to 2, to 3 and 4.
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A player may shoot at any ring, their own or their opponents, and at any numbered ring, in an attempt to pocket their ring in its proper pocket.
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If a ring is pocketed in the wrong pocket, the player loses their turn and the ring is centered on the board.
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If a player pockets their ring in the proper pocket and pockets an opponent’s ring, the latter is placed in the center of the board.
How to Win: The player who pockets all their rings first is the winner.
Pin And Ring Call
Equipment: 5 green rings, 5 red rings, 4 ten pins, 1 white Shooting Ring. Played on the checker side of the board.
Object of the Game: To hit a playing ring so that it will pocket a ten pin on a called shot, thereby leaving the pocket clear for pocketing all your rings directly on called shots.
How to Play Pin and Ring Call
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Place a ten pin in front of each pocket. Place 5 green and 5 red rings in the center of the board. The first player uses the Shooting Ring from any point on the baseline to hit the playing rings and call the pin the player intends to knock into the pocket. When a ring, on a called shot, knocks a pin into the pocket, that pocket is clear for a player to pocket rings of their color in that pocket on a called shot.
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Play is always with the Shooting Ring from where it lies, and a player shoots at their rings only. A player can pocket a pin with an opponent’s ring providing the player first hits their ring.
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A player continues shooting when the player pockets a pin or ring. A pin or ring pocketed or knocked down on a non-called shot is set up again, pin in front of the pocket, ring in the center of the board, and the player loses their turn.
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If a Shooting Ring is pocketed the player forfeits a ring, if the player has one, in the center of the board, and the player loses their turn.
How to Win: Each pin pocketed counts 2. Each ring pocketed counts 1. 15 points wins the game.
Double Circle
Equipment: 4 red rings, 4 green rings, one white Shooting Ring. Played on the Crokinole side of the board.
Object of the Game: To pocket your color rings on called pocket shots.
How to Play Double Circle
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At each point of line intersection on the outside circle place alternately a red and green ring. On the next inner circle alternately place a green and red ring. This will form two circles of alternately colored rings. No two rings of the same color will be next to each other.
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The first player places the Shooting Ring in the center of the board, just outside the center hole, and shoots at their opponent’s ring in an attempt to pocket their ring directly ahead.
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If the player pockets their ring the player then continues to shoot at any other of their rings but must call the pocket in which the player intends to score their shot. If the player misses, their opponent shoots the Shooting Ring from where it lies at any of their rings and the player must also call their shot.
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If the Shooting Ring is pocketed the shooter loses their turn and the next player shoots from the center of the board. If a ring is pocketed in an uncalled pocket the ring is placed on the intersect spot on the outside circle closest to that pocket.
How to Win: The player who first pockets all their rings is the winner of a round. Winner of two rounds wins the game.
Three Rings
Equipment: One green ring, 2 red rings. Played on the checker side of the board.
Object of the Game: Playing with three rings on a straight line, a player shoots one and attempts to hit the other two for a score.
How to Play Three Rings
- Place a green ring in the center of any straight line between the pockets.
- Place a red ring on each side of the green so that the three rings are equal distance from each other.
- A player shoots one of the red rings and attempts to hit the other two rings for a point score.
How to Win: Five points wins the game.
Call the Black
Variation of Wild Ring Pool
Equipment: Same as Wild Ring Pool, plus black ring. Played on the checker side of the board.
Object of the Game: Same as Wild Ring Pool.
How to Play Call the Black
Same as Wild Ring Pool except:
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Play with 21 rings of any color plus the black ring which is placed in the center of the group of rings when starting the game.
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The black ring counts three points and can only be scored when the player calls the pocket in which the player intends to score the black ring. If the black ring is pocketed without being called, the shooter loses their turn and the black ring is centered on the board.
How to Win: One for each ring. Three for the black ring. Total score wins.
Deduct
Variation of Rotation Cue Pocket (Numbered Rings)
Object of the Game: Same as Numbered Rings.
Equipment: Same as Numbered Rings.
How to Play Deduct: Same as Numbered Rings except a stiffer penalty is exacted if the shooter fails to hit the lowest numbered ring first on any shot. The penalty is a deduction of three points.
Zelto
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This fascinating variation is played on the Carrom side of the board, and is intended to develop bank shots.
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To set up the game, six rings of a color should be placed on opposite sides of the board from player shooting, one on tip of each Backgammon point, and then each player in proper turn proceeds to pocket their color, in any one of the four pockets, partners pocketing same color and sitting opposite each other. The player or side accomplishing this first counts two points for each ring left on the board of opposing color.
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Thirty points constitute a game.
Center Scores
Equipment: 1 ten pin, 4 color rings, 1 white Shooting Ring. Played on the Crokinole side of the board.
Object of the Game: To carrom shoot four rings from the outer circle into the inner pegged circle without knocking down the center pin.
How to Play Center Score
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Place a ten pin in the center hole on the board. Place 4 rings on the outer circle line, one in front of each pocket.
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The first player places the Shooting Ring on the border line in front of the pocket and in line with the playing ring. With their shooting Ring the player attempts to knock the playing ring with one shot into the center ring without knocking down the pin. After their one shot, the player places their Shooting Ring in front of the next pocket and proceeds to knock that playing ring into the center ring, and so on until the player has taken all of their four shots.
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If the center pin is knocked down it is set up again and the ring removed from play.
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If all four rings are knocked in the center circle 5 points are scored, otherwise one point is scored for each ring.
How to Win: The player with the highest score at the completion of three turns is the winner.
Double Center Scores
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Same as Center Scores, except eight playing rings are used, four on the outer circle and four on the mid circle, in line with each other.
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Each player has eight shots, two from in front of each pocket, with the Shooting Ring positioned in front of the pocket for each shot.
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All other rules are the same as Center Scores and the scoring is doubled.
