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Carrom Game Board

Ranked #12,205 in Hobbies, Games & Toys, #172,196 overall | Donates to Squidoo Charity Fund, Humane Society of the United States

As children in the 1950's, everyone played Carroms.

Almost 50 years later, I still have regrets that I could never beat my mom at this game. She was good! Now I think that it's time to bring the game back into our house. We are raising our grandson and hopefully, many years later, he will have regrets that he could never beat me. That's not likely, he is more like his great-grandmother than he is me and I am afraid that she will live on through him.

BTW, my mother never used the sticks. She always used her index finger to shoot. Poor little me, with the sensitive index finger, had to use the stick which is probably why I could never beat her.

How to play carroms

Tournament Rules

Carrom tournaments started in 1960. The board they are playing on here is a tournament board and not the one that we all played on when we were kids.
How To Play Carroms
by Howcast | video info

38 ratings | 27,180 views
curated content from YouTube

The Carrom board is more than just one game

There are more than 100 games that can be played on this board. The product description lists only a very few. The product, made in the USA, is sturdy and will last a very long time.

The Carrom game is highlighted here but the board comes with the pieces for many other games.
Carrom Game Board Large

Carrom Game Board Large

Amazon Price: $33.04 (as of 05/30/2012)Buy Now

201D thick playing surface with coated paper graphics and wood grain design
Two-sided board plays 100+ games including Checkers, Carroms, Crokinole and Billiards
Includes 44 playing pieces, two cue sticks, number discs and full instruction booklet
Hand-tied corner nets
No assembly required
Solid 0.75" thick wood frame
THIS PRODUCT IS NOT A TOY! It is not intended for use by children under 13 years old.

Did you know there were tournaments?

Carrom fever is a four-minute promotional video made at the US Open International Carrom Tournament in 1996. Featuring a rare white slam by A. Maria Irudayam, the video includes interviews with founding members of the International Carrom Federation and a great overview of South Asia's favorite game.
Carrom Fever
by carrom1 | video info

20 ratings | 32,167 views
curated content from YouTube

If you are lucky, you can find the wooden board on eBay

We played on a wooden board. Sometimes, they pop up on eBay. I don't know if the surface makes that much difference but I certainly prefer the older materials.
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Don't you think that your family should have this game?

Carrom equipment

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I am reading in the comments that many people have never played Carroms

As familiar as I am with this game, I am finding that many have never heard of it. I played it in the 1950's and 1960's in Southern California. So this is my informal, unscientific poll.

I am surprised that there are those who haven't played Carroms so please tell me where you live. Not the street address but at least the state and/or country. I find it amazing that something that everyone in Southern California played is unknown to so many people.

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More about the American Carrom game

Carrom Board Game
American Carrom is a derivative game attributed to American Sunday school teacher Henry Haskell. American Carrom differs from Carrom in the board construction, particularly the size of the board and the size of the pockets. American Carrom is often played with a cue, and the board is patterned with checkers, chess or other board motifs, allowing a variety of other games to be played. Many American Carrom boards also double as Crokinole boards.
The Carrom Company History
The company website has a whole page on the history of the board that we are familiar with. Just a bit is shared here but if you're interested, there is quite a timeline. The story's beginning sound a little like the story in the Music Man.

In the last quarter of the 19th century Henry Haskell, a Sunday School teacher, viewed with alarm the growing number of boys who loafed around pool rooms. (Ironically, the company would eventually manufacture pool tables.) Haskell had an inventive mind and he concentrated his thought on supplying a game which would appeal to these boys and supply wholesome enjoyment. Soon after, Haskell patented and introduced the U.S. Carrom game board. Produced at Ludington Novelty Works (Ludington, MI) of which he was part owner.

Do you win at Carroms?

  • LyricalVenus Oct 29, 2011 @ 10:46 pm | delete
    Wow, never played but looks fun! Great lens.
  • vallain Oct 29, 2011 @ 2:20 pm | delete
    I must have had a deprived childhood, as we never had this game. Looks like fun. We played monopoly, sorry and chinese checkers.
  • Caxton International Oct 3, 2011 @ 2:39 am | delete
    Nice article of Carrom Equipment with good information. As for more information related to Carrom Equipment, visit : http://www.caxton.in/carrom-equipment.html
  • candy47 Jul 8, 2011 @ 8:27 pm | delete
    I played Carroms decades ago! Thanks for the memories!!
  • Blessedmombygrace Feb 7, 2011 @ 9:37 am | delete
    I loved to paly Carroms as a kid. This lens brought back so many wonderful memories. I think my parents still have our original board, I'll have to ask for it.
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