Everything about Carrom

Carrom is an indoor sport which requires mental sharpness and concentration.

Thinking to play professionally? before that let us discuss certain basic aspects of the game.

What all you need, to start playing carrom?

• A carrom board
• Coin set
• Striker
• Carrom powder
• Carrom stand
• Chairs
• Lamps

How to choose a carrom board?

1.The board surface should be dead flat – Budget boards with thin plywood are less likely to offer a perfectly flat playing surface, and are more susceptible to warping over time. 

2.The playing surface should be smooth to feel, with no bumps or irregularities. The corner pockets should be well finished and round. 

3.Thicker frames offer better rebound and stability, and carrom boards with polished wood frames are usually better quality than those with black painted ones The latter are usually manufactured with cheaper quality wood with any irregularities filled and painted over. 

4.The carrom board should not wobble when placed horizontally, and there should not be any sharp edges or protruding nail or pin heads underneath.

One must understand the significant value of PLY while choosing the carrom. 

There are two alternatives in ply- Indian Ply & English Ply. The differences between the two are mentioned below-

Ply Thickness :-  

Another important factor while purchasing the best carrom is thickness of ply.  Higher the thickness, Higher the Power.

Thickness in domestic competition: 6 MM to 8 MM.

Professional Level: 18 MM to 24 MM.

Gambol provides a wide range of carrom boards with ply thickness ranging from.   6 MM to 36 MM.

Powder :-

ALWAYS use Boric Powder only.Teflon based “Disco” carrom powder is abrasive and can damage the board surface over time. NEVER use Disco Powder. Disco powder gives short term benefit by showing great results on ply. However, it affects the life cycle of ply and harms the ply in longer run.

Striker :-

Strikers should be perfectly round and smooth, with no visible irregularities or “manufacturing lines” underneath. It is advisable to buy separate strikers for each player, rather than passing on one striker across players.

CARING FOR YOUR CARROM BOARD

• Although carrom boards can be stored flat or vertically on their side, it is preferable to store the board flat (e.g. on the floor under the bed) to minimise the risk of warping.

• Avoid leaning your board against a heated radiator, as it can cause damage to the polished surface and even result in warping of the plywood.

• Use a soft dry cloth to clean the surface prior to each game session. Keep the surface well powdered in order to avoid damage to board surface due to abrasion.

• Avoid exposure to extreme temperatures (hot or cold) and moisture or dampness.

• Once in a while, after wiping off all the residual powder, spray the board’s surface with furniture polish such as Pledge, and wipe clean with a soft dry cloth.

• Keep the surface of strikers and carrom men free from grease and dust.

Rule for playing carrom

Career Pathway :-

Making a career in carrom starts right from the school days. There are various tournaments of age category mainly,

• U - 12 
• U - 14
• U - 18
• Youth Boys
• Youth Girls

Once, a player takes part in a district tournament then the player reaches one step closer to play for all India tournament. After playing for district, a player must finish amidst ranks 1 to 8 in the district level tournament, to play for the State level. Once a player plays in the state tournament and finishes in the rank slot of 1-8, then he/she would be eligible to represent his/her state in All India Tournaments.

Tournament Types :-

• State Senior Carrom Tournament
• State Junior Carrom Tournament 
• State Sub-junior Carrom Tournament 
• State Women’s Carrom Tournament
• State Women’s Veteran Tournament
• State Men’s Veteran Tournament

If a player secures any rank amongst 1 – 16 in All India Tournament then He/She would be eligible for a recruitment through sports quota.

Open district tournament takes place before Open State tournament and works as a selection process for the State tournament.

Few Misconception about carrom :-

• Zero pocket carrom: Such a game does not exist in real.
• Checking quality of ply by using the striker, i.e. counting the number of rebounds a striker takes after the stroke. A number of rebounds do not give any statement about the quality of Ply. 
• Strokes Restriction: there is no restriction in any stroke. A player can play any of the strokes by just following the rules of striker.
• Foul: you strike the opponent’s coin. It is considered as a foul in every household. However, that is a myth. You can strike opponent’s coin as well. YES, you read it right. It is a Valid stroke in the game of carrom. 

Top 5 Players in the World :-

1. Maria Irudayam
2. Chamil Cooray
3. S. Ilavazhagi
4. Rashmi Kumari
5. Nishantha Fernando

Looking to purchase a carrom board? 

• Synco carrom board
• Siscaa carrom board
• Stag carrom board
• Surco carrom board
• Precise carrom board

About the Author :-

Mr. Ashwin Panchal

• Veteran - All India Rank 9^th
• Veteran Champion – Ahmedabad.
• Men Single’s Runner Up.
• Veteran Champion – Gujarat.
• Carrom and TT Coach at Podar International School & Sanskardham school.
• Technical official at National Level TT championship for last 35 Years.