These games bring the fast-paced excitement of the iconic Crokinole board to carrom players. Many of these variations involve flicking discs into scoring zones or targeting opponents’ pieces. Perfect for families looking for more competitive gameplay, games on the crokinole side of the carrom board blend strategy with quick reflexes.
Download rules for all 85 games in our Carrom instruction book.
How to Play Carrom on the Crokinole Side
- Crokinole
- Pin-Crokinole
- Double Entry Posting
- Single Entry Posting
- Time Crokinole
- Corner Double Bank
- Piggy Back
- Ring Out
- Circle Scores
- Center Out
- Force Out
- Fast Play Force Out
- Ring Pegs
- Crown Castle
- Center Scores
- Double Center Scores
- Spin to Center
- Escape
- Break-In
- Spin Count
- Center Spin Count
- Twenty-One
- Rendezvous
- Between the Rings
More Carrom Rule Variations
Crokinole
Equipment: 6 red rings, 6 green rings. Played on the Crokinole side of the board - opposite the checker side.
Object of the Game: To score points by shooting your ring in the center hole on the board and in the circled areas surrounding the center hole. At the same time your object is to dislodge your opponent’s rings from any of the scoring areas.
How to Play Crokinole
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Each player plays with 6 rings and plays only from one side of the board between any two pockets.
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The first player places one of their rings on the outside circle line in their area of the board and tries to shoot it into the center hole. The next player takes their turn and tries to knock their opponent’s ring out of the entire circle area.
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Each player’s turn consists in shooting one ring only. When all 6 rings are played by both players, a round is completed and the score totaled.
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A ring shot into the center hole is scored 10 points immediately and this count is not lost if the ring is later dislodged. However, if 10 points or less is all that is needed to complete a game, a ring shot into the center hole cannot be counted until the round is completed. This means the ring can be dislodged for a no-count under this circumstance.
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A ring in the center hole when scored at once is not scored again at the completion of the round if it has not been dislodged.
Scoring: A ring in the center hole counts 10; a ring in the smallest circle counts 5; in the next size circle 3; and in the largest area circle, 2. A ring touching the line is considered in the area outside the line. Rings outside the outer circle are “ditched” and are removed from the board. Total of 100 points wins the game.
Pin-Crokinole
Equipment: 6 red rings, 6 green rings, 2 tenpins. Played on the Crokinole side of the board.
Object of the Game: Same as Crokinole except that a player’s tenpin first must be knocked down during the round of play for points scored in the round to be actually counted.
How to Play Pin-Crokinole
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Each player plays with 6 rings and a tenpin. The tenpin is placed by each player on the outside edge of the smallest peg circle and on the opposite side of the board from where the player sits. The two pins therefore are directly across from each other.
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Each player must first knock down their tenpin on the far side of the small circle or shoot to knock their opponent’s ring outside the scoring circle area before the player can shoot to land in the center hole on the board.
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When a player knocks down their pin it is removed from the board and the playing ring can be picked up for another shot. If an opponent’s tenpin is knocked down it is set up again.
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A player can only shoot for a center hole score when their tenpin is out of play and when no opponent’s ring is in a scoring circle area.
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A player’s tenpin can be knocked down by a direct hit or a carromed ring but the ring knocking down the pin must be the shooter’s ring.
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If a player has not knocked down their tenpin at the end of a round, no points can be counted even though the player may have rings in the scoring circles.
How to Win: Total of 50 points wins the game.
Double Entry Posting
Equipment: 8 red rings, 2 white Shooting Rings. Played on the Crokinole side of the board.
Object of the Game: To dislodge the four top rigs of two rings placed over Crokinole pegs on your opponent’s side of the board.
How to Play Double Entry Posting
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Each player places 2 rings of one color over the 4 Crokinole pegs on their half side of the board. The first player places their Shooting Ring at any point on the outer circle line on their half side of the board and attempts to dislodge any of their opponent’s top rings.
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If a top ring is dislodged, the player scores ten points. A dislodged ring can only be replaced on a peg if it is in the “Ditch” - the area outside the outside circle. If a dislodged ring falls into the circle area, the player can shoot to force it into the “Ditch” and thereby have it replaced on the peg. the player may, if the player chooses, shoot at any other top ring still on a peg.
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A player loses their turn and removes their Shooting Ring from the board when the player fails to dislodge an opponent’s top ring, or fails to force an opponent’s ring into the “Ditch.”
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Any bottom ring dislodged from a peg is replaced immediately, and a player loses their turn.
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If a player dislodges their own top ring from a peg, it is immediately replaced, the player loses their turn and forfeits five points.
How to Win: 500 points wins the game.
Single Entry Posting
Equipment: 5 green rings, 5 red rings, 2 white Shooting Rings. Played on the Crokinole side of the board.
How to Play Single Entry Posting
Same as Double Entry Posting except:
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Only a single ring is placed on three of the pegs on each side of the board. The far left peg on each side of the board is equipped with two rings.
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Any ring can be knocked off the pegs. Top ring dislodged counts 10 points, and lower or single rings count 5 points if dislodged from the pegs.
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A ring forced out of the circle in the “Ditch” area can be placed on the far left post to form a single stack or a double stack.
How to Win: 500 points wins the game.
Time Crokinole
A variation of Crokinole. Best played with a number of players on each side but can be played with two players.
How to Play Time Crokinole
Same as Crokinole except a limit of one minute is set for players to shoot all of their rings.
- A timekeeper calls the start of the game and the selected first player shoots their rings for the center hole. Any other player can then shoot for a scoring position or to force an opponent’s ring into the “Ditch” or area outside the outer circle.
- A player can stall their shots or rapid fire them but cease fire is declared by the timekeeper at the end of a minute. A count as in Crokinole is made and the team or player with the highest score wins the round.
How to Win: The team winning three rounds wins the game.
Corner Double Bank
Equipment: 3 red rings, 3 green rings. Played on the Crokinole side of the board.
Object of the Game: To shoot your ring so that it will bank off two rims and land in the center or pegged circle of the board for a score.
How to Play Corner Double Bank
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Each player plays with 3 rings of a color. The first player shoots each of their 3 rings from their side of the board, outside the large outer circle, toward a corner on the opposite side so that it will bank off the two rims and land in the center of the pegged circle.
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Each ring when shot is left on the board. A ring must bank off both rims and land inside the pegged circle to score a point.
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The opposing player shoots from the opposite side of the board.
How to Win: The highest score at the end of 5 rounds wins the game.
Piggy Back
Equipment: One red ring, one black ring, one white Shooting Ring. Played on the Crokinole side of the board.
Object of the Game: To dislodge the black ring from the top of the red ring in the center of the board, so that it will come to rest outside the outer circle, at the same time keeping the red ring inside the inner or pegged circle.
How to Play Piggy Back
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Place the red ring in the hole in the center of the board and place the black ring on top of it.
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The first player shoots the Shooting Ring from any point outside the outer circle and tries to hit the red ring so that the black ring will go outside the outer circle and the red remain inside the inner circle.
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Each player has one turn.
How to Win: If the black ring rests inside the inner circle it carries no score; if it rests in the middle circle area it counts one point; inside the outer circle area two points. If the black ring comes to rest outside the outer circle it counts three points. The count for the red ring is in reverse - 3 points for inside the pegged circle, 2 points inside the middle circle, 1 point inside the outer circle and no points outside the outer circle. First player to score 20 points wins.
Ring Out
Equipment: 4 green rings, 4 red rings, 2 white Shooting Rings. Played on the Crokinole side of the board.
Object of the Game: To dislodge an opponent’s ring from its peg and into the “Ditch,” the area outside the outer circle.
How to Play Ring Out
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Each player has 4 rings of a color, red or green, and places one alternately over 4 pegs. Each player in their turn shoots their Shooting Ring at an opponent’s ring to dislodge it from its peg and force it into the “Ditch.”
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If a player fails to dislodge an opponent’s ring the player loses their turn. If the player dislodges a ring and it falls into the circle area, the player loses their turn. If a ring is dislodged and falls into the “Ditch” (outside the circle) the player continues to shoot.
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All shots are taken from outside the outer circle.
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A player must shoot at any opponent’s ring in the circle area before attempting to dislodge an opponent’s ring from a peg.
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If a player dislodges one of their own rings from a peg, the player loses their turn and the ring remains where it lies.
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A ring landing in the center hole scores 10 points for its owner and must be forced out of the hole by the opponent before the opponent can shoot at a pegged ring.
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If a player’s Shooting Ring lands in the center hole, the player loses their turn and removes it for further play.
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A round is completed when all of the rings of one player or team have landed in the “Ditch.” Rings on the board then are scored as follows: a ring over the peg counts 20; a ring inside the small center circle 10; a ring in the next larger circle, 5; and a ring in the largest circle, 3.
How to Win: 100 points wins the game.
Circle Scores
Equipment: 12 green rings, 12 red rings. Played on the Crokinole side of the board.
Object of the Game: To bank your rings off any side board and land them inside the center pegged circle for a score.
How to Play Circle Scores
- Each player, if two are playing, starts with 12 rings of a color, and alternately shoots one at a time, banking the rings against any side board in an attempt to land them inside the center or pegged circle.
- If a bank shot is not achieved, the ring is placed in the “Ditch” area. Each ring remains where it comes to rest unless it is placed in the “Ditch.”
- If an opponent’s ring lies in the circle it is proper to attempt to force it out with a bank shot.
How to Win: A ring inside the pegged circle counts 5. If a ring should land in the center hold it counts 10. Total of 50 points wins the game.
Center Out
Equipment: One green ring, 2 white Shooting Rings. Played on the Crokinole side of the board.
Object of the Game: To dislodge the ring in the center hole by a bank shot.
How to Play Center Out
- Place a green ring in the hole in the center of the board. Each player uses a Shooting Ring and has a turn to dislodge the ring from the hole with a bank shot only.
- The Shooting Ring is picked up by the shooter after each shot. The center ring when dislodged is replaced for the next shot.
- If the center ring is dislodged from the hole and comes to rest in the small pegged circle area, count 2 points. If it comes to rest in the next larger circle, count 3 points. If it comes to rest in the largest circle area, count 5 points. A ring dislodged and coming to rest outside the circle area counts as 10 points.
How to Win: Total of 50 points wins the game.
Force Out
Equipment: 8 red rings, 8 green rings, 2 white Shooting Rings. Played on the Crokinole side of the board.
Object of the Game: To force your opponent’s rings out of the scoring circle and out of play, at the same time attempting to keep your rings inside the scoring circle area.
How to Play Force Out
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Each player places 8 rings of one color inside the small circle, with the 16 rings being mixed so that rings of one color will not be bunched.
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The first player shoots their Shooting Ring from any point on the line of the larger outer circle on their side of the board, and attempts to force an opponent’s ring out of the circle area. A force-out of an opponent’s ring allows the player to shoot again from the starting line. Forced-out rings are removed from the board.
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If a player fails to force-out their opponent’s ring the player loses their turn and removes their Shooting Ring from play. their opponent resumes play from their side of the board, using their own Shooting Ring.
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A player’s own ring when forced out of the scoring circle area is out of play and removed from the board. A ring knocked into the center hole is scored as 5 points for the player to whom the ring belongs and the ring is removed from the board. If a Shooting Ring is landed in the center hole or outside the playing circle or off the board, the player loses their turn and one opponent’s out-of-play ring is replaced inside the small center circle.
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A round is completed when all the rings of one player have been forced out of the scoring circle area. A score of 5 is given to each of the rings remaining in the scoring circle.
How to Win: Total of 50 points wins the game.
Fast Play Force Out
This is a variation of Force Out. The game is the same except one Shooting Ring only is used and play after the first shot is made from wherever the Shooting Ring lies.
Ring Pegs
Equipment: 8 green rings, 1 white Shooting Ring. Played on the Crokinole side of the board.
Object of the Game: To shoot a Shooting Ring between and through the circle of pegged rings from a point on the base line midway between the pockets.
How to Play Ring Pegs
- Place 8 rings over the pegs on the Crokinole side of the board.
- The first player places the Shooting Ring outside the large outer circle midway between the pockets and attempts to shoot the ring through and outside the pegged circle.
- A successful shot counts one point. Each player has 5 shots.
How to Win: The player with the highest score at the end of three rounds wins the game.
Crown Castle
Equipment: 6 red rings, 6 green rings, 1 ten pin. Played on the Crokinole side of the board.
Object of the Game: To land your rings in the high score circle areas and displace your opponent’s rings from these areas. The center or pegged circle area counts 5 points; the next larger circle area 3 points; the largest circle area 1 point.
How to Play Crown Castle
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Place a ten pin in the hole in the center of the board. Each player plays with 6 rings of a color, and from a position on opposite sides of the board.
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The first player shoots one of their rings and attempts to have it rest in the center circle area without knocking down the pin. The next player takes a shot and tries to land their ring in the center circle or to knock out their opponent’s ring from the circle.
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If the pin is knocked down, whether on a direct hit or a carrom hit, the shooter forfeits the ring the player shot and the pin is reset.
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Each player plays one ring at a time, alternating with their opponent.
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A ring knocked completely out of the outer circle is removed from the board.
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After each player has played their six shots, points are scored on the basis of 5 points for rings in the center circle area; 3 in mid circle area; and 1 for the outer circle.
How to Win: Total of 50 points wins the 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 Scores
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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.
Spin to Center
Object of the Game: To spin a top from the outer circle line so that it will come to rest in the inner pegged circle in two spins. Played on the Crokinole side of the board.
How to Play Spin to Center
- Each player spins a top from their side of the board in the area between the outer and mid circle lines.
- If the top comes to rest in the inside pegged circle in one spin, 3 points are scored.
- A player has two spins to reach the inner circle and if successful in two spins, one point is scored.
- If the top comes to rest outside the pegged circle after the first spin, the second spin is made from the area where the top has been resting.
How to Win: Two spins constitute a turn. Highest score in three turns determines the winner.
Escape
Object of the Game: To spin three tops inside a circle of pins and escape outside the circle. Played on the Crokinole side of the board.
How to Play Escape
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Place 8 pins around the inside circle, one each between the Crokinole pegs. Place a ring in the center hole to act as a bumper.
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Each player spins three tops one after the other and attempts to have them come to rest outside the circle. A top escaping the circle without knocking down a pin scores three points. If a top escapes the circle by knocking down a pin, one point is scored.
How to Win: Each player has three turns, alternating, and the highest score at the end of the three turns wins.
Break-In
Object of the Game: To spin a top from the outer circle line and have it come to rest within the center pegged circle guarded by 4 ten pins. Played on the Crokinole side of the board.
How to Play Break-In
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Place 4 ten pins on the inner circle line at the point of line intersections.
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The first player spins three tops, one at a time, from a point outside the outer circle, and tries to have them come to rest inside the inner pegged circle.
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A top coming to rest inside the center hole counts 5 points; inside the center circle area 3 points.
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If a pin is knocked down it is set up again when the top has come to rest.
How to Win: Highest score at the completion of three turns by each player determines the winner.
Spin Count
Object of the Game: To spin tops so they will come to rest in high scoring areas. Played on the Crokinole side of the board.
How to Play Spin Count
- A player spins three tops, one at a time, from the border line near the rim of the board.
- A top coming to rest in the center hole counts 5; in the center circle area 3; in the mid circle area 2; and in the large circle area 1. No count for tops resting outside the outer circle area.
How to Win: Highest score at the end of three turns for each player wins the game.
Center Spin Count
This is a variation of Spin Count. It is the same except that the tops are spun inside the center circle and all are spun in rapid succession. Same scoring as in Spin Count.
Twenty-One
Equipment: One die. Played on the Crokinole side of the board.
Object of the Game: To roll one die as many times as necessary to roll a total of 21.
How to Play Twenty-One
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A player continuously rolls a die and totals the number of each throw until the player reaches 21. If the player exceeds 21, the player has “bust.” The player may choose to approach as close to a total of 21 as the player feels is safe and turn the die to their opponent. If the opponent totals 21 or a number closer to 21 than the first player the player wins the round. Three rounds wins the game.
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Each player rolls the die in the direction of the center hole on the board from a point near one of the pockets. If the die lands in the hole it is considered wild and the player can call any number the player desires. Landing in the hole is important as a player’s score mounts close to 21.
Rendezvous
Equipment: Pair of dice, one green and one red ring, two white rings. Played on the Crokinole side of the board.
Object of the Game: To start from different points on the outer circle and try to rendezvous, meet one another, through the rolling of the dice.
How to Play Rendezvous
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Using the outer circle as the circle face of a clock each player places their ring on any “hour spot,” representing the player’s designated point of rendezvous.
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The first player rolls the dice and moves the disk clockwise from their rendezvous point in accordance with the total minutes registered by the dice. For example, if an 8 is rolled on the dice, the player moves their ring ten minutes (to the closest five minutes).
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Each player has a turn rolling the dice.
How to Win: The player whose roll of the dice allows him to move on the spot occupied by their opponent’s ring wins the game.
Between the Rings
Equipment: 12 rings, any color; one white shooting Ring, one black Shooting Ring. Played on the Crokinole side of the board.
Object of the Game: To make your Shooting Ring go around the circles in between the rings and land in the center hole with a higher total of points than your opponent.
How to Play Between the Rings
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Place the 12 rings at each of the four intersecting points on the 3 circles on the Crokinole side of the board. Starting at any point outside the outer circle, midway between 2 pockets, the first player shoots their color Shooting Ring between the outside and center positioned rings without striking a ring. The player continues to play clockwise shooting between the rings until the player has completed the circle. The player then continues shooting clockwise between the inside and center circle of rings until the player has completed that circle. the player next shoots to land their ring in the center hole to complete their play.
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A player continues shooting until the player fails to pass between 2 rings or hits a ring. If an opponent’s Shooting Ring obstructs their passage, a player can hit their opponent as often as necessary to clear the way. However, if in hitting the opponent’s ring the player also strikes a spot ring the player loses their turn.
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Each shot between the rings on the outer circle way counts one point; each shot between the rings on the inner circle way counts 2 points. Landing the ring in the center hole on the first attempt counts 3, second attempt 2, third attempt one
- When a Shooting Ring hits a spot ring the player loses one point and their turn. The spot ring is replaced on the spot. Each player shoots their Shooting Ring from where it lies.
How to Win: Player scoring the highest total in reaching the center hole wins the game.
