Rules Of Striker In Carrom: Meaning, How To Play, Tips And More

Table of content:

• What is the striker?
• General rules of striker in carrom game
• Rules of striker in carrom game and dues
• How to play the carrom board game?
• When can you get a due regarding striker in carrom game?
• Pocketing coins along with the queen in carrom

Carrom is a popular indoor tabletop game in India, often played at social events with family or with friends. Carrom is generally played by two or four people.

The carrom board game has pieces-

• 9 white pieces
• 9 black pieces
• 1 red queen
• Striker

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What Is The Striker?

The striker is used to hit the other carrom coins and the queen across the board to the pockets. The carrom striker is smooth and round and can be made of any material except Ivory or metal. Generally, it is made of hard plastic. The striker is the heaviest of the carrom coins and weighs about 15 grams.

In each round, the players attempt to use the striker to knock these pieces into the board's pockets.

How do you hit a carrom striker?

• Rest your hand on the board with the base of your palm facing up.
  Keep your thumb long on the board.
• Bend your fingers and let the tips rest on the board as if you had a ball in the palm of your hand.
• Place your index finger on the board immediately in the middle of the edge of the striker, touching the striker with your fingernail if possible.
• Apply downward pressure on the tip of your index finger.
• Build forward pressure and swing the index finger forward, which will propel the striker.

General Rules Of Striker In Carrom Game

In this section, we will explain the general rules of striker in carrom game.

• The striker shall be struck (flicked) with the fingers and not pushed.
• You can make the stroke with the finger with or without the support of other fingers.
• You can also use your thumb for both front and backshot.

Why not read our article at GetMega to learn how to use your thumb to strike a coin in carrom board game.

In the next section, we will explain the rules of striker in carrom game at different points of the game.

During breaking

Breaking is the first shot of the carrom board game. After winning the toss, the first player has to take the first shot with the striker to break the circle in the middle.

• Even if the striker slightly touches any coins, the break is made
• While breaking if you play an improper stroke or pockets the striker without touching any of the coins, you will lose your turn. However, there will not be any penalty.

During the game

• While playing, if the striker rests on any coin, then you have to remove the striker without disturbing the coins.
• While removing the striker, if the coin (including the Queen ) is balanced at the edge of the pocket and falls into the pocket, then it will be considered pocketed.
• If any coin rests on the striker, then you have to remove the striker by lifting the coin. You have to replace the coin in the original position to the extent possible.
• If the striker is balanced at the edge of the pocket and while removing the striker, if it falls into the pocket, then it will be considered as pocketed. The player has to incur a due.

Rules Of Striker In Carrom Game And Dues

Due usually means pocketing the striker with or without coins. ‘Due’ is a penalty term, when the player commits a foul and has to give up a coin for placing in the center. The coin given up is called the ‘Due’ coin.

A foul, regarding a striker, happens in the following situations:

• Pocketing the Striker
• You have incorrectly positioned the striker before taking a shot

A foul is more serious than a due. The coin given up in case of a foul is called a ‘penalty’ coin.

How to play the carrom board game?

You can learn how to play carrom board by watching this.

When Can You Get A Due Regarding Striker In Carrom Game?

Now you have learned the basic rules of striker in carrom game. In this section, we will explain the situations regarding the striker where you might incur a due.

In the first section we will cover the situations of pocketing the striker with or without a coin. We will cover the situations of pocketing the striker along with the queen in the next section

Pocketing the striker

• If you pocket the striker only, your turn shall be lost. Also one of your coins will be taken out as due in carrom by your opponent for placing.
• If this happens due to an improper stroke, then you will lose your turn. Two of your coins will be taken out as ‘penalty’ by the opponent for placing.

Pocketing striker and your coin

• If you pocket the Striker along with your own coin, you have to return the coin pocketed. You also have to place 1 more due coin in the centre. This placing will be done by you. However, you don't lose your turn
• If this happens due to an improper strike, then you have to give the coins pocketed along with 1 due coin and 1 Penalty coin and you also lose your turn.

Pocketing striker and your opponent’s coin

• If you pocket the Striker along with your opponent’s coin, then you get to keep the coin. You have to place 1 due coin and shall lose your turn. So, the number of coins remains the same.
• If the above happens by an improper stroke, the coin pocketed will be yours. But the due coin taken out is called penalty. You will lose your turn.

Pocketing striker, your coin and opponent’s coin

If you pocket the Striker , your coin and opponent’s coin then you have to return your own coins pocketed. Also you have to give a due coin but you can continue your turn. You don't have to return your opponent’s coins.

Pocketing Coins Along With The Queen In Carrom

This section deals with the situation if you by chance pocket the striker and the queen with/without other coins.

First we will cover situations where the coin you have pocketed is not your or your opponent’s last coin.

• Pocketing the queen, your coin and the striker together

If you pocketed these coins by a proper stroke then the queen and the coin so pocketed shall be taken out for placing. You can continue with your turn however, there will be a due.

But if you pocket the queen, your coin and the striker together by an improper stroke, then you have 2 penalties and 2 of your coins will be due. The queen and the coin so pocketed shall be taken out for placing and you will lose your turn.

• Pocketing the striker while covering the queen

While trying to cover the queen, if you pocket only the striker by a proper stroke, then the queen shall be taken out and placed back. You will also lose 1 coin which shall be placed by your opponent and you will lose your turn.
However, in case of an improper stroke, you will lose 2 coins. Similar to above, the queen shall be taken out for placing and you will lose your turn.

The next section deals with carrom rules for striker in situations of last coin. Click here to download the GetMega Carrom app now, and start playing the carrom board game with your friends and family!

• Pocketing your own last coin along with striker when the queen is on the board

When you pocket your last coin along with the striker but the queen is still on the carrom board then you will lose by 3 points (1 point if the opponent’s score is 22 or above)

In case of an improper stroke, the opponent can demand two additional points.

• Pocketing opponent’s last coin, your own coin, the queen and the striker

If you pocket your opponent’s last coin, your own coin, the queen and the striker then you will lose by 3 points. (1 point when the score of the opponent is 22 or more). The opponent can demand 1 additional point for the striker.

He can demand 2 additional points for the striker if the stroke was improper.

• Pocketing opponent’s last coin, your own coin and the striker but the queen was covered earlier
• If you had earlier covered the red coin -

In such a case, you will lose only one point. You opponent can demand 1 additional point for the striker (2 points if it is a an improper stroke)

• If your opponent had earlier covered the red coin

In such a case, you will lose 3 points. You opponent can demand 1 additional point for the striker (2 points if it is an improper stroke)

• Pocketing your opponent’s last coin and the striker but the queen is on the board

Then you will lose the round by the number of your coins on the board along with the value of the queen. If the score is 22 or above, only the number of coins will be deducted.

The opponent can demand 1 additional point for the striker. He can demand 2 additional points for the striker if the stroke was improper.

With this, the rules for striker in carrom game come to an end. Now you know why the striker is so important in the carrom board game.

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