Tournament Rules

1 SETUP

Arrange all 19 carrom-men: 9 white, 9 black and 1 red Queen in the center circle.
The Queen is in the middle, six pieces surround and touch the Queen and neighboring pieces, and the remaining twelve form the outer circle with colors alternating.
Orient the arrangement to the Queen so one inner white and one outer white form a straight line toward the first player's side.
Tournament-provided board, coins, striker and powder must be used. Personal strikers/accessories are not permitted.

2 CHOOSING THE FIRST PLAYER

The referee hides a carrom-man in one hand and a player guesses which hand. A correct guess allows the player to take the first break as White, or choose Black and give the opening shot to the opponent.

3 GAMEPLAY & SHOOTING

The striker must touch both shooting lines on the baseline.
At the center circle, the striker must fully cover the circle or not touch it at all; never place it diagonally across the arrow line.
Players shoot their own carrom-men into the pockets.
A legal pocket of your own piece earns another turn.

4 QUEEN RULES

You may pocket the Queen any time after your first own piece, but before your last.
The Queen must be covered immediately by pocketing one of your own pieces on the same next strike; otherwise the Queen returns to the center.
Once the Queen is covered, the first team to clear all of its own pieces wins the board.

5 FOULS & PENALTIES

Opponent's coin pocketed: lose the turn. If it is the opponent's last coin needed to cover the Queen, you lose the board. Opponent gets 5 Queen points + 1 point per one of your coins remaining.
Finish without the Queen: if you pocket all your own coins without taking and covering the Queen, you lose the board. Opponent gets 5 Queen points + 1 point per one of their own coins remaining.
Loser covered the Queen: if a team covers the Queen but later loses because the opponent finishes first, neither side gets the 5 Queen points. Winner gets only 1 point per losing-side coin remaining.
Striker pocketed — FOUL: lose the turn. If you already pocketed an own coin, return one own coin to the center circle. If none is available, no coin penalty applies.
Thumb strike: not allowed.
Back stroke: not allowed; only forward shots and legal rebounds.
Opponent's coin contact: allowed only as a genuine combination involving your own coin.
Hitting an opponent's coin only to move, block, hide or disadvantage it is a foul.
Diagonal / arrow / baseline: no direct strike on a coin in the restricted diagonal/arrow area or at/below/behind your striker baseline. Use a legal rebound.

6 GAME TIMING RULES

Maximum game time: 25 minutes.
20-minute warning: referee announces a 5-minute warning.
25-minute limit: play stops; most coins pocketed wins.
12-second shot rule: play the striker within 12 seconds of your turn or lose the turn.
The referee monitors all timings; referee ruling is final.

7 TIE-BREAKER — DOUBLES COIN RACE

Clear the board and place one White and one Black coin at equal positions. Teams play from where the coin stops; no repositioning. Partners alternate. First team to pocket its coin wins. If both teams pocket on the first attempt, reset and restart.

8 PLAYER SEATING & CHAIR MOVEMENT

Stay in your designated seat. Minor comfort adjustments are allowed if they do not disturb the opponent or board. Significant movement, intentional disturbance, or using chair movement for advantage is not permitted. The referee may require a player to return to the original seat.

9 REFEREE & TOURNAMENT AUTHORITY

Any tournament-specific instructions announced by the organizers before play apply to all matches. The referee's decision is final in match disputes and in the application of these tournament rules.

RULES & GUIDELINES