Koxtons' 32-inch board with a 1.5-inch borderPhoto: Koxtons
A night-time game in MumbaiPhoto: Madhav Pai, CC BY 2.0
The starting ring, with the queen in the middlePhoto: Wikigva, CC BY-SA 3.0
Floor carrom in Tamil NaduPhoto: Ajay Tallam, CC BY-SA 2.0
Cut pockets and a 1.5-inch borderPhoto: Koxtons
Carrom at schoolPhoto: Mespillai, CC BY-SA 4.0
A summer afternoon gamePhoto: abhiriksh, CC BY-SA 3.0
Video

Traditional game

Carrom

Flick the striker, pocket your colour, then capture and cover the queen

2–4players · best with 2 or 4
15–60 minplaying time
8+recommended age
Learning curve
Easy2 / 5
EasyDemanding
Luck & skill
Pure skill, no luck
LuckSkill
Interaction
High
Set-up
About 2 min
Reading
None

The quick verdict

Full verdict ↓

Great for Families who want a skill game where a sharp ten-year-old can beat the grown-ups

Think twice if You have no room: a 32-inch board is about 81 cm square, weighs several kilos and needs a table, a stand or a clean patch of floor

How we rate it

Learning curve. The basic idea takes a minute to learn, but the queen, dues and scoring take a little more explaining. Playing well is a matter of practice and touch rather than rules.

Luck & skill. There are no dice or cards: every result comes from how well you aim and how hard you strike. A lucky rebound happens, but the better player wins almost every time.

Interaction. Every shot changes the board for your opponent. Good players block pockets, leave awkward positions and break up the other side's coins; in doubles, partners set each other up.

Set-up. Lay the board flat on a table, stand or clean floor, sprinkle a pinch of powder, and set the queen in the centre with the 18 coins in a ring around it. Between boards, re-forming the ring takes under a minute.

Reading. Nothing to read; scoring is counting the coins left on the board.

Learning curve: 1 = UNO or Connect 4; 3 = Catan; 5 = a heavy strategy game. These describe the experience, not an overall score.

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Is Carrom right for you?

Great if

  • Families who want a skill game where a sharp ten-year-old can beat the grown-ups
  • Four players in doubles, partners sitting opposite each other: the classic school-holiday and Diwali-break game
  • Housing-society clubhouses, offices and schools that want one board that everyone can share
  • Club players who want a full-size board at home for practice

Skip it if

  • You have no room: a 32-inch board is about 81 cm square, weighs several kilos and needs a table, a stand or a clean patch of floor
  • You want a game to carry on trips or play at a restaurant table
  • Your children are under about 7: a full-size board is a stretch for small arms, and a 20-inch board suits them better

How Carrom plays

Carrom grew up in India and the rest of South Asia, where it has been played in homes for generations; a glass carrom board from royal times is still kept in a palace in Patiala. By the 1930s there were city tournaments, the All India Carrom Federation was formed in Madras in 1956, and the International Carrom Federation was founded in Chennai in 1988. Today it is played everywhere from living-room floors and school common rooms to clubs and national championships.

  • Time to teach: about 10 minutes.
  • Reading and language: Nothing to read during play, and scoring is simple counting. Once someone has shown you the queen and the scoring, the game works in any language.
The starting ring, with the queen in the middle · Photo: Wikigva, CC BY-SA 3.0

Carrom Board Game Rules & Instructions | Learn How To Play Carrom Game · Mr.Animate

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A turn, step by step

  1. 1
    Place

    Put the striker on your baseline, between the two red circles, and flick it with a finger at the coins.

  2. 2
    Pocket

    Pocket a coin of your colour and you shoot again. Miss, and the turn passes; pocket the striker, and one of your coins goes back on the board as a due.

  3. 3
    Queen

    Once you have pocketed one of your own coins, you may go for the red queen. Cover it by pocketing another of your coins on the same or the next shot, or it returns to the centre.

  4. 4
    Win

    Clear all your coins first to win the board: 1 point for each opponent coin left, plus 3 if you covered the queen. First to 25 points, or ahead after 8 boards, wins.

Read the rulesLaws of Carrom · English
The full explanation: how a game of Carrom goes

To set up, place the red queen on the centre spot and arrange the 18 coins (9 white, 9 black) in a tight ring around it. In singles the two players sit opposite each other; in doubles four players sit on all four sides, with partners facing each other. After a toss, the player who breaks plays white. On your turn you place the striker on your own baseline, between the two red circles, and flick it with a finger (the official rules allow the thumb too) to hit the coins.

If you pocket one of your own coins, you shoot again; otherwise the turn passes. The queen can only be pocketed after you have pocketed at least one of your own coins, and you must then cover it by pocketing another of your coins on the same or the next shot, or it goes back to the centre. If the striker drops into a pocket, you owe a 'due': one of your pocketed coins goes back on the board. You also can't pocket your last coin while the queen is still out, and under the official laws doing so loses you the board.

The first side to pocket all its coins wins the board and scores 1 point for every opponent coin still on the board, plus 3 if it covered the queen. Under the official laws the queen's 3 points only count until you reach 21 points, a board is worth at most 12 points, and a game goes to 25 points or 8 boards. The federation's newer rules for junior groups shorten a game to 21 points or 6 boards. At home a single board takes about 5 to 15 minutes, and a full game to 25 points takes roughly half an hour to an hour.

Many families play 'point carrom' instead: anyone may pocket any coin, and each colour is worth points (one common version gives white 20, black 10 and the queen 50), which works for three players or for younger children. Other house rules are common too, such as letting the queen be pocketed at any time, so agree on the rules before the break. Use only a pinch of carrom powder, and wipe and re-powder the board when shots start to drag.

What's in the box

Cut pockets and a 1.5-inch border · Photo: Koxtons
  • 1Carrom board
    32 x 32 inches overall with a 1.5-inch Kikar hardwood border, a 6 mm plywood playing surface and cut pockets
  • 1Striker
    size and weight not stated
  • –Carrom coins
    a coin set in white, black and a red queen; the number isn't stated (a full set is 9 white, 9 black and 1 red)
  • –Carrom powder
    quantity not stated

From Koxtons' own page for this board (code KX-CBMS15), which lists a striker, carrom coins and carrom powder. Koxtons' page for its similar 32-inch 'Super Medium' board lists 1 striker, 1 coin set (white, black and red queen) and powder. Pocket nets and a stand are not listed; Koxtons sells a folding stand separately. The figures for a full coin set are from the federation's Laws of Carrom.

Where to buy

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How to pick a good setSize, pieces and the details worth checking.

Choosing a set

Carrom boards are made in India, and boards sold in Europe and North America are usually imported from India, so there is no reason to look abroad. Our Amazon.in button goes to Koxtons' 32-inch board with a 1.5-inch border, which Koxtons, a sports-goods maker in Meerut, says is made in India. It is a solid home and school board; serious club players usually move up to a board with a thicker surface and a 2- to 3-inch border.

Before you choose

  • Check what the size means: most listings give the overall size, border included. A 32-inch board with a 1.5-inch border has a playing area of about 29 inches (74 cm), the official size; 26- and 20-inch boards have much smaller playing areas.
  • Look at the plywood: official boards use at least 8 mm plywood. Thinner 4 to 6 mm boards are lighter and cheaper but more likely to warp, so look for bracing on the back and store the board flat, away from damp walls.
  • Check the border: a solid hardwood frame gives a lively rebound, and wider frames (2 to 3 inches; official frames are 6.35 to 7.6 cm) feel steadier. Polished wood is a better sign than thick black paint, which can hide filler.
  • Check the pockets and coins: pockets should be round and smooth with nets underneath (official pockets are 4.45 cm across). You need 9 white, 9 black and 1 red coin; stack them to check they are all the same size and evenly painted.
  • Check the striker and powder: an official striker is no more than 4.13 cm across and 15 g, smooth and perfectly round. Use fine boric-acid carrom powder; gritty 'disco' powders can wear the surface.
  • Look for safety marks and finish: toys for children under 14 sold in India must carry the ISI mark with a BIS licence (CM/L) number, so check the box, especially for a small board bought for children. Run a hand under the board for sharp edges or nail heads.

What reviewers and players say

Carrom is loved across India as a pure skill game that a whole family can share: children can beat adults once their aim improves, and doubles makes it a four-player game that fills a holiday afternoon. Buying guides and club players agree that the board matters most. A flat, smooth surface and a solid hardwood border make the striker glide and rebound, while thin, cheap boards warp and slow down. The other complaints are practical: a full-size board is big and heavy, it needs a table or a stand, and powder ends up everywhere.

What people love

  • All skill and no luck, so practice pays off and younger players can beat the grown-ups
  • Doubles turns it into a four-player game with partners sitting opposite each other
  • The click of the coins and the rebound off the border are part of the fun, and many adults remember long summer afternoons around a board
  • A well-made board lasts for years and suits everyone from children to club players

Common complaints

  • Cheap boards with thin plywood can warp, which makes the striker drag and the coins run off line
  • A full-size board is large and heavy, and it is hard to play well without a proper table or stand
  • Powder gets everywhere, and hard flicking can hurt the fingertips at first
Based on 5 reviews and discussions

Summarised in our own words from the sources above. We don't use Amazon reviews or ratings.

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Questions people ask about Carrom

Which carrom board size is best for home?

For teenagers and adults, a 32-inch board with a 1.5- or 2-inch border is the usual choice, because its playing area is close to the official 29 inches. A 26-inch board suits mixed family play in a smaller room, and a 20-inch board is a starter board for children under about 8.

What is the official size of a carrom board?

Under the federation's laws the playing surface is 73.5 to 74 cm square (about 29 inches), made of plywood at least 8 mm thick, inside a hardwood frame 6.35 to 7.6 cm wide. The pockets are 4.45 cm across, and the striker can be at most 4.13 cm across and 15 g.

How many points is the queen worth in carrom?

The queen is worth 3 points, but only to the side that covers it and also wins the board. Under the official laws the queen stops counting once you reach 22 points, and a single board can score at most 12 points.

Which powder should I use on a carrom board?

Use fine carrom powder, which is usually boric acid, and sprinkle only a pinch across the surface. Wipe the board and re-powder when shots start to drag; gritty or 'disco' powders can wear the surface over time.

What happens if the striker goes into a pocket?

That is a foul. You owe a 'due', which means one of your pocketed coins goes back on the board, and under the official laws you usually lose your turn as well. Under the federation's laws your opponent places the returned coin near the centre of the board.

Game facts

Publisher
Koxtons (Koxtons Sports Equipments Pvt. Ltd., Meerut)
In India
Koxtons Sports Equipments Pvt. Ltd. (Meerut, Uttar Pradesh)
Players
2–4
Language
No reading – Nothing to read during play, and scoring is simple counting. Once someone has shown you the queen and the scoring, the game works in any language.
Sources & photo creditsThe references behind this guide.

Facts on this page come from the publisher, the Indian maker or distributor, and the sources below. Photos are credited under each one.