Crokinole Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Contents
• Object
• Board
• Flicking
• Rules of Play
• Novice Note
• Two-Player Game
• Three-Player Game
• Four-Player Game
• Scoring

Contents

• 12 Natural Disks
• 12 Black Disks
• 2 Scoring Pegs
• 1 Set of 8 Wooden Posts
• Crokinole Board

Object

To score the most points by driving an opponent’s disk(s) into the ditch or into a lower scoring ring.

Board

The Crokinole board consists of a 26-inch playing surface encircled by a 2-inch ditch. The playing surface is divided into equal quadrants, each quadrant marking the shooting area for one player.

The board is also divided into four rings and a central hole. The central hole is worth 20 points. The inner ring, surrounding the 20-point hole, is enclosed by 8 posts and is worth 15 points. The middle scoring ring is worth 10 points, and the final scoring ring is worth 5 points. The outer ring located between the shooting line and the edge of the playing surface is worth 0 points.

Flicking

A Crokinole disk is shot by bracing the end of the middle or index finger against the thumb and snapping it against the disk to drive it across the playing surface. Once the flicking finger has moved the disk, the shot has taken place, even if the disk has only moved a fraction.

Rules of Play

1. Unshot disks should not be held in players’ hands, but remain on the table in full view of all participants.
2. All shots must be taken with the disk lying flat and touching the starting line within a player’s assigned quadrant. A shot may be placed on the quadrant line itself, but no more than halfway over.
3. Only the shooter’s shooting hand may touch the board during a shot. No other player may touch the board, and no disk may be placed on the board until it is time to shoot it.
4. One Cheek Rule: The shooter must remain seated with at least one posterior “cheek” in contact with the chair. Players’ chairs may not be moved until the end of the round.
5. If the board contains no opposing disks, the shooter may attempt to land a disk in the center. If a disk does not land #at in the 20-point hole, it must come to rest inside or touching the 15-point circle. The player may opt to shoot for the center directly, or shoot to knock another disk or disks into or touching the 15-point circle, possibly landing one disk in the 20-point hole. If no disks come to rest in the specified area, all disks contacted are removed to the ditch until the end of the round.
6. If there are opposing disks on the playing surface, the shooter may attempt to strike an opponent’s piece directly, or aim to knock a friendly disk into an opponent’s disk. If no opposing disk is contacted, the shooter’s disk is removed from the board, along with all friendly disks it touched.
7. Any disk which settles flat in the 20-point hole is removed from the board and placed near the score box to be added to the owner’s total in the scoring phase, even if the owner is the shooter’s opponent.
8. Should a disk leave the playing surface, it is considered out of bounds and placed in the ditch. Should a disk ricochet back onto the playing surface, disturbing other disks, the offending disk is removed into the ditch and all disks disturbed after the ricochet are replaced to their original positions as agreed by the players.
9. Once all disks have been shot, no disk may be moved until the round is scored and recorded.

Novice Note

Crokinole is a game of skill which takes time to master. It is recommended to relax shooting rules for novices, as agreed in advance by all players. Allowing a novice to reshoot a few disks could reduce frustration, making the game more enjoyable and competitive.

Two-Player Game

Each player receives 12 disks. The first player shoots one disk, followed by the second player who shoots one disk, taking turns back and forth until all disks have been shot. “First Player” switches every round until the end of the game.

Three-Player Game

Option One: Play two versus one. Two players divide one set of disks, 6 each, and play as partners on opposite quadrants. The third player receives 12 disks, shooting one disk every other turn, always shooting from a single quadrant. Score the same as a two- or four-player/ partnership game.

Option Two: Using a third set of 12 disks purchased separately, each player plays alone and no opponent’s disk is considered friendly. Score using the Match-Play Rule: The player with the highest score gets 2 points, while the second highest gets 1 point, and the third player receives 0 points. If two players tie for first, they each receive 1 point while the third player receives 0 points. Should the second highest score be a tie, both players receive 0 points. Play to 8 points.

Four-Player Game

Players choose partners who will sit across the board from each other, each partner receiving 6 disks. Play progresses clockwise from first player, each player shooting only one disk per turn. “First Player” rotates clockwise to the next participant at the beginning of each new round in that game.

Scoring

1. Counting by fives, each player/partnership keeps score on the scoring lid, using the peg as a marker. In a Match-Point game which is only played to 8 points, simply count by ones.
2. A disk coming to rest flat in the center hole is immediately removed from the board and placed near the score box to be reserved for the owner’s total at the end of the round. If the shooter should have encountered an opposing disk and did not do so, the center hole shot is removed to the ditch, receiving a 0, along with any disks it touched. If a disk is knocked into the 20-point hole by an opponent’s disk, the owner receives the points.
3. Any disk touching a dividing circle is calculated at the lower value at the end of the round. For example: A disk that comes to rest on or touching the line separating the 15 and the 10 scoring circles is worth 10 points. Additionally, any disc that comes to rest touching the starting line is immediately removed to the ditch.
4. The inmost circle is valued at 15 points. The middle scoring circle is worth 10 points, and the outer scoring circle is worth 5 points. The outer lip beyond the starting line is worth 0 points.
5. At the end of each round players/partnerships add up their scores, subtracting the lower score from the winning score. Only the difference between the higher and lower scores is added to the score of the winning player/partnership, with the second place player/partnership scoring 0 for that round. In the event of a tie, neither player/partnership adds to their scores for that round.
6. Play to 100 points. Should there be a tie, play one final determining round.
7. To score a three player game, see Three-Player Option.

Optional Match-Play Rule (Commonly used at tournaments): The player/partnership with the higher score receives 2 points. In the event of a tie, each player/partnership scores 1 point. Play to 8 points. Should players/partnerships tie, play one final determining round.