How to Play Crokinole Board Game? | Rules, Scoring, and Shot Basics

For the full breakdown, see our best Crokinole Board guide.

Crokinole looks like a mash-up of shuffleboard and marbles, but it’s simpler than it appears once you learn the contact rule. You flick discs from your corner of a round, elevated board toward scoring rings and a 20-point center hole. The game rewards careful aim and a steady finger — no special strength or equipment needed. Below is the standard tournament-style setup used by most players, with the exact scoring and turn order you need to start your first match.

Before you set up, know this: rule variants exist. Some casual sets use fewer discs or different target scores. This guide follows the common tournament format of 100 points and 12 discs per side, which most published rule sheets reference.

What You Need to Start Playing Crokinole

Crokinole is played on a circular wooden board with concentric scoring rings and a center hole. Most boards also have small pegs around the 15-point ring that act as obstacles. The game comes with discs — usually 12 per side in tournament play — and the players bring their own flicking finger.

• Players: 2 (singles) or 4 (doubles/teams), with partners sitting opposite each other.
• Discs: 12 per player in singles; 12 per team in doubles, shared between partners.
• Board: Place it on a stable, level table. Once the game starts, the board does not move.
• Extras: Some rule sets use board powder or wax to help discs glide. Only use the treatment your board manufacturer recommends.

The board itself rarely needs upkeep beyond occasional surface care. A level table matters most — a slight tilt makes the discs drift and ruins fair play.

How Do You Score Points in Crokinole?

Each disc’s final resting spot determines its points: the center hole is worth 20, the inner ring 15, the middle ring 10, and the outer ring 5. Discs touching a line usually score the lower value, though some house rules send them to the gutter instead.

Scoring uses cancellation, which keeps the game tight. The side with the higher total takes the difference as their round score. The match continues until one side reaches the target — most commonly 100 points.

Because the scoring is netted, a single lucky 20-point shot rarely decides a match. Consistent mid-ring placement beats occasional center holes.

The Turn Order and the Crucial Contact Rule

Players alternate one shot at a time, moving clockwise around the board. The starting player is chosen randomly or by agreement. On your turn, you set one disc flat on the shooting line in your assigned quadrant — at least part of the disc must be on or touching that line — and flick it with one finger. Pushing the disc is illegal.

Here’s the rule that defines crokinole and confuses beginners: if any opponent disc is already on the board, your shot must contact an opponent disc, either directly or by hitting another disc that then strikes it. A shot that fails this contact rule is a foul — your disc is removed from play. The Spruce Crafts’ complete crokinole rules explain this contact requirement in full, and it’s the single most common mistake new players make.

When no opponent discs remain on the board, you have an open-board shot. Many rulesets require this shot to land in the 15-point ring or better to stay valid. This is your chance to aim for the center hole without worrying about contact.

It keeps the game honest and prevents players from leaning in for a better angle.

Crokinole Setup and Play: Step by Step

Getting a game going takes less than a minute once you know the flow. Here’s the full sequence from empty board to scoring:

1. Set the board on a stable, level surface. Confirm it doesn’t wobble before anyone shoots.
2. Give each side their discs. In singles, each player gets 12. In doubles, each team shares 12.
3. Seat partners opposite each other. Decide who starts, then take turns in clockwise order.
4. On your turn, place one disc flat on or touching your quadrant’s shooting line.
5. Flick the disc with one finger. If an opponent disc is on the board, your shot must make contact with it.
6. If your shot is invalid, that disc leaves the board and takes no part in scoring.
7. After all discs are played, remove any 20s if your ruleset banks them as safe, then total the remaining rings for each side.
8. Apply cancellation scoring — the higher side takes the difference — and start the next round.
9. Continue until one side hits the target score, commonly 100 points.

The contact rule is the heart of strategy. A well-placed shot can knock an opponent’s high-scoring disc out of the 15-ring while your own disc settles into it. Defensive shots that nudge an opponent’s disc from 10 points to the gutter are just as valuable as offensive ones.

For doubles play, partners coordinate shots. The first partner might set up a scoring disc while the second follows with a defensive knock. Communication and positioning matter as much as flicking accuracy.

If you’re shopping for your first board, the board’s quality directly affects how the game plays. A cheap board with a rough surface frustrates every shot; a well-made one makes discs glide predictably.

Common Mistakes New Players Make

• Pushing instead of flicking. The disc must leave your finger with a clean snap. A push is a foul under most rulesets.
• Ignoring the contact rule. If an opponent disc is on the board, you must hit it. Aiming for the center hole while ignoring a sitting opponent disc is a wasted shot.
• Starting the disc off the line. Your disc must be flat on or touching the shooting line within your quadrant.
• Moving the board or standing up. The one-cheek rule keeps play fair. The board stays put the entire game.

Line calls cause the most arguments. When a disc lands exactly on a ring line, most rulesets score it at the lower value. Some house rules send it to the gutter instead. Decide which line rule you’re using before the first round — it saves a disagreement later. Masters Traditional Games’ crokinole rules page details several scoring variations if your group wants to compare formats.