Carrom

Carrom is a fun game from India.

You play it on a square board. You use a heavy striker to hit small discs. These discs are called carrom men.

There are white discs and black discs. There is also one red queen. The queen is a very special piece. You must hit a disc of your own color after the queen. This is how you cover the queen.

People play this game with friends and family. It is a great way to have fun together.

Carrom is a fun game from India.

It is played on a square board made of plywood. The board has a pocket in each corner. Players use a heavy piece called a striker. They use it to flick small wooden discs. These discs are called carrom men.

A set has nine white discs and nine black discs. There is also one red disc called the queen. The queen is the most valuable piece. To keep the queen, you must also pocket one of your own discs. This is called covering the queen.

Players use fine powder on the board. This helps the pieces slide easily.

You can play with your finger or even your thumb. This is called thumbing. Many people play in clubs or cafes. Families also play it at social gatherings. Large groups play in many countries. There are even official clubs in the UK and Japan. People play for fun or in big contests. It is a great way to bring people together.

Carrom is a fun tabletop game that started in India.

It is a game of skill where players try to knock small discs into corner pockets. Many people play this game in cafes or social clubs. It is also a favorite for families to play together at home. The name likely comes from a word meaning to strike and rebound. This describes how the pieces bounce around the board. People love it because it brings them together for friendly competition.

To play, you need a square board made of plywood. Each corner has a pocket with a net underneath. The game uses 19 small discs called carrom men. There are 9 white ones and 9 black ones. There is also one special red disc called the queen.

A larger, heavier piece called a striker is used to hit the discs. Players use fine powder on the board to help everything slide. This powder can be made from vegetable starch. You use your fingers to flick the striker across the smooth surface.

Carrom has a long history in South Asia. In the early 1900s, people held competitions in different Indian states. Serious tournaments began in Sri Lanka around 1935. By 1958, both India and Sri Lanka had official clubs. These clubs gave out prizes to the best players. One very old carrom board has a surface made of glass. It is kept in a palace in Patiala, India. This shows how much people have valued the game for a long time.

Many different countries now have official carrom groups. The International Carrom Federation (ICF) was formed in 1988 in Chennai, India. They make the official rules for the whole world. In 1991, the UKCF was started in London to help players in the UK. The German Carrom Federation began in 1986 to support players there. Japan also has a federation that started in 1997. Even in the United States and Canada, people play and keep track of player rankings.

Playing carrom is a bit like playing pool or billiards. You have to think about angles and how pieces might block you. The queen is the most important piece to pocket. If you get the queen, you must also pocket one of your own colors right after. This is called "covering the queen." If you miss, the queen goes back to the center. The game is all about careful aiming and quick thinking. It is a wonderful way to practice focus and skill.

Carrom is a precision tabletop game of Indian origin.

It is a game of skill where players use a heavy disc to strike smaller pieces into corner pockets. This style of play is very similar to billiards or pool. The name likely comes from the word "carom," which means to strike and rebound. Players must master angles and rebounds to succeed. Today, carrom is a popular social activity in many parts of the world. It is played by families at home and by professionals in clubs and cafés.

The game is played on a square plywood board. Each of the four corners has a pocket. These pockets have a net underneath to hold the pieces. The playing surface must be smooth to allow the pieces to glide. To make this happen, players use a fine-grained powder. Boric acid is a common choice for this powder. In the UK, some players use a special starch powder with specific electrostatic properties. This powder reduces friction so the pieces slide easily.

A standard carrom set contains 19 pieces. These include 9 white carrom men and 9 black carrom men. There is also one special red piece known as the queen.

These small discs are made of wood or plastic. They have a smooth surface and a rounded edge. According to International Carrom Federation (ICF) rules, they must be between 3.02 cm and 3.18 cm in diameter. They also weigh between 5.0 and 5.5 grams. To move these pieces, players use a larger, heavier disc called a striker. The striker typically weighs 15 grams and has a 4.1 cm diameter.

Before the match begins, players must decide who goes first. This is done through a process called "the toss" or "calling the carrom men." An umpire hides one black piece in one hand and one white piece in the other. The players guess which color is in which hand. The winner of the toss gets to make the opening break. The player who takes the first shot plays the white pieces. Their opponent then plays the black pieces. If a player cannot score, they lose their turn.

The queen is the most valuable piece in the game. It is placed in the center circle during setup. Pocketing the queen adds 3 points to a player's score. However, pocketing the queen requires a special move called "covering." After a player pockets the queen, they must pocket one of their own colored pieces on the next shot. If they fail to do this, the queen is returned to the center of the board. If a player pockets the queen and their own piece in a single strike, the queen is automatically covered. This requires great accuracy and control.

Carrom has a deep history that spans many decades. The game originated in India, where even a glass-surfaced board is kept in a palace in Patiala. By the early 20th century, state-level competitions were held across India. Serious tournaments began in Sri Lanka around 1935. By 1958, both India and Sri Lanka had official federations. The International Carrom Federation (ICF) was formed in 1988 in Chennai, India. The ICF codified the formal rules for the Indian version of the game that same year. Other nations have since formed their own groups, such as the German Carrom Federation in 1986 and the Japan Carrom Federation in 1997.

Many rules exist to ensure fair play and maintain the challenge. For example, sinking the striker is a foul that results in a penalty. This penalty is usually 10 points. Players must also be careful not to touch the diagonal lines on the board. If a player pockets an opponent's piece, they lose their turn. The game is highly competitive and can involve complex strategies. Players must consider how to obstruct their opponent's pieces while clearing their own. This combination of physics and strategy makes carrom a globally respected sport.