What you need to start playing

• a carrom board;
• nine black coins;
• nine white coins;
• one red cin (the Queen);
• one striker;
• potato starch (for smooth running).

How do you play?

1. The players, or partners,sit opposite each other. Players must keep totheir seat throughout the game.
2. The coins must be arranged in the centre circle for the break as follows:
3. The player who breaks must pocket the white coins, the opponents the blacks.
4. All shots must be taken from the base lines and ater each shot the striker must be picked up and either replaced on the base lines or removed from the board. Before taking a shot the striker can be placed anywhere on the player's base lines as long as it is touching both lines. The end circles can be covered completely or not at all.
5. The striker must be hit by one finger holding the hand still, in both forward and backshots. It must not be pushed.
6. Players are allowed to hit any coins with their striker irrespecive of colour r osition 8ie. coinsbehind a player's base lines may be hit directly) but if they pocket by accident one of their opponent's coins - tough luck!
7. A player carries on playing as long as he pockets his own coins. If he makes a mistake, the turn goes to his opponent or the player on his right in doubles.
8. Once a player's first coin has been pocketed he has the right to try for the queen. Pocketing the queen earns a player 3 extra pointsif he wins the board, provided he has been able to cover the queen by pocketing one f his own coins with the subsequent stroke. If the queen is not covered, she must be placed in the red centre circle. The queen must be pocketed and covered by one of the two players BEFORE pocketing one's last coin.
9. The winner is the player (or couple) who pockets all his coins first. He will earn on point for each of his opponent's coin left on the board plus 3 (not 5!) points for the queen (unless it was pocketed and covered by the opponent, in which case no-one gets the 3 bonus points. Max points in one board - 12. Max points to end of game 25 (not 29!!)

Official Laws:

• Official Laws of Carrom