A game of both skill and strategy, carrom combines pool and chess in a fascinating and addictive manner. It’s great for building hand-eye coordination, and it’s truly fun for all ages. If you haven’t played, the rules are like games you almost certainly know. The queen is placed in the center of the board, surrounded by six carrom men (the “pawns” in this strategy game) in alternating fashion. Twelve more men surround that circle, also in alternating order. From there, as in chess, white moves first, using the large “striker” piece to knock as many like-colored pieces into the corner pockets as possible. If white misses, it’s black’s turn, much as in a game of 8-ball. Each sunken piece wins you a point, and at any time, players can choose to sink the queen and gain three points—but they must pocket one of their own pieces with their next shot or the red monarch returns to the board. When one side’s pieces are all cleared, the game ends and the points are tallied. Crafted from sturdy hand-painted pinewood, the board features an Eastern-inspired design and measures a compact 26” x 26”. Four felt-lined swivel corner pockets make retrieving eliminated pieces a snap. Includes 20 1 1/10” carrom men (10 black and 10 natural wood), along with 2 red queens (one spare) and one 1 ½” striker. Flick the pieces with your finger, as is customary in the game’s native India, or use the included cue sticks for a more billiards-like game. If carrom is new to you, we’re comfortable saying this is your family’s next favorite board game.
