Carrom turns a flick of the finger into real precision — a South Asian tabletop classic where lining up a shot matters just as much as your nerve to take it.
How to Play Carrom
Carrom is played on a smooth, flat square board with a pocket cut into each corner. At the center sits a stack of round wooden coins — traditionally nine light-colored coins and nine dark-colored coins for the two players, plus one red coin called the queen, all arranged in a circle. Each player also uses a heavier disc called a striker.
Players take turns flicking their striker with a finger from behind their edge of the board, aiming to knock their own colored coins into the corner pockets while avoiding fouls, like pocketing the striker itself. Pocketing the queen requires a follow-up: after potting the queen, a player must also pocket one of their own coins on that turn or the very next one to legally "cover" it and claim it — otherwise the queen goes back onto the board. The first player to pocket all of their own coins (and successfully cover the queen) wins the game.
The History of Carrom
Carrom's precise origin is unconfirmed, but the game is widely believed to have emerged on the Indian subcontinent sometime in the 18th century, likely evolving from earlier street and tabletop flicking games rather than being invented from scratch by any one person, despite persistent stories crediting a maharaja with its creation. What is documented is that carrom was played in royal households: a carrom board with an ornate glass playing surface, dating from that era, is still preserved in the palace of the Maharaja of Patiala, evidence that the game had elite patronage well before it became a mass pastime.
Carrom's popularity expanded dramatically among the wider public after World War I, spreading from royal courts into households across the Indian subcontinent and neighboring regions. In 1958, the All India Carrom Federation was established to formalize competitive rules and promote the game nationally. From South Asia, carrom traveled with trade and migration into the Middle East, Southeast Asia, East Africa, and the wider diaspora, and it's now played in dozens of countries around the world — a striking journey for a game whose exact inventor nobody can quite agree on. Carrom rounds out our classic board game lineup, and it plays especially well as a quick match with friends — see our guide on playing online with friends with no download for how challenge links work.
Why Play Carrom on RivalPit
- Free and no download. Carrom runs instantly in your browser.
- Real-time multiplayer. Challenge a friend with a link, or play a solid CPU opponent.
- Live chat and points. Talk trash mid-match, earn points by playing (never purchased).
- One of 100+ free games on RivalPit, with new games added every week.