How to Play Crokinole: Rules and Beginner’s Guide

Updated August 2026

Crokinole is easy to learn, satisfying to master and ideal for players of almost any age. The objective is simple: flick your discs toward the center of the board while knocking your opponent’s discs into lower-scoring areas—or completely off the playing surface.

This beginner’s guide explains how to set up a Crokinole game, take a valid shot, score each round and avoid the most common rule mistakes.

What You Need to Play Crokinole

To play a standard game, you need:

• One Crokinole board
• Two sets of discs in contrasting colors
• Two players or four players divided into two teams
• A score sheet or another way to track points
• Optional Crokinole wax for an appropriately prepared playing surface

Browse Mayday Games Crokinole boards, discs and accessories if you need equipment for your game.

How Many Discs Does Each Player Get?

Two-player singles

Under commonly used tournament rules, each player begins with eight discs of one color. Players sit on opposite sides of the board and alternate turns.

Some traditional or casual two-player games use 12 discs per player. Both versions can be enjoyable, but players should agree on the number of discs and scoring format before beginning.

Four-player doubles

Players form two teams. Partners sit opposite each other and use the same disc color. Each player begins with six discs, and turns proceed clockwise around the board.

How to Set Up the Game

1. Place the board on a sturdy, level table.
2. Choose disc colors and give each player the correct number of discs.
3. Determine the initial playing order randomly.
4. Keep all unplayed discs outside the board until they are used.
5. Begin the first round with an empty playing surface.

The first shot alternates between players or teams in subsequent rounds. In a four-player game, the responsibility to start moves clockwise. It is not determined by who won the previous round.

How to Shoot a Crokinole Disc

Place the shooting disc flat and stationary within your assigned quadrant. It must touch the outer shooting line within that quadrant.

Use one or more fingers to flick the disc across the playing surface. Do not push or carry the disc forward with your finger.

Players must remain seated while shooting. At least part of the player’s posterior must remain in contact with the chair—the rule commonly known as the “One Cheek Rule.”

Do not move the board, table or chair to improve your angle. Before shooting, wait until all movement from the previous turn has completely stopped.

The Most Important Rule: Making a Valid Shot

The valid-shot rule is the part of Crokinole that causes the most confusion for beginners. What you must hit depends on whether an opposing disc is already on the board.

If an opposing disc is on the board

At least one of your discs must contact an opposing disc during the shot.

Your shooting disc may hit the opponent directly. You may also hit one of your own discs first, provided that one of your discs then contacts an opposing disc during the same shot.

If no opposing disc is on the board

You must “play to the middle.” At the end of the shot, at least one of your discs involved in the shot must be touching or inside the 15-point line. A successful 20 in the center hole also satisfies this requirement.

What Happens After an Invalid Shot?

If a player does not make a valid shot, remove the shooting disc and every same-color disc struck during that shot. This includes any 20s made as part of the invalid shot.

Opposing discs affected by the shot generally remain in their new positions.

This is more than a one-disc penalty, which is why checking whether an opponent has a disc on the board is so important before every shot.

What Happens When a Disc Lands in the Center Hole?

A disc that falls completely into the center hole and lies flat scores 20 points.

Remove the successful disc immediately and place it in a designated 20-point area that is visible to all players. It remains part of that player’s score for the round but is no longer available to be struck.

A disc that does not fall completely into the hole stays on the playing surface and is scored according to the zone where it finishes.

What Happens When a Disc Goes Out of Bounds?

A disc that leaves the perimeter of the raised playing surface is out of play and must remain in the ditch until the end of the round.

If an out-of-bounds disc strikes the backboard or another out-of-play disc and then returns to the playing surface, remove it. Any other discs it moved generally remain in their new positions, and valid 20s created by the collision may still count.

A special spinning-disc rule may apply if a disc touches or crosses the outer line but returns under its own momentum without striking anything other than the playing surface.

How Crokinole Scoring Works

After all designated discs have been shot, the round ends. Count the discs remaining on the board and include all valid 20s removed during the round.

How do you score a disc touching a line?

A disc touching a line separating two scoring zones receives the lower value.

For example, a disc touching the line between the 10-point and 5-point zones scores five points.

Official Tournament-Style Scoring

Under the commonly used World Crokinole Championship and National Crokinole Association format:

• A game consists of four rounds.
• The player or team with the higher disc total wins the round and receives two game points.
• If the round is tied, each player or team receives one game point.
• The player or team with the most game points after four rounds wins the game.

Tournament organizers may use additional match and tie-breaking procedures.

Optional 100-Point Casual Scoring

Many families use a traditional 100-point format instead.

In this format, subtract the lower disc total from the higher disc total after each round. Only the player or team with the higher total receives the difference.

Example: Blue scores 65 points and Red scores 45 points. Blue receives 20 game points for the round.

Continue playing rounds until one player or team reaches or exceeds 100 points.

Both scoring systems work, but do not combine them during the same game. Agree on the format before starting.

Example of a Beginner Round

1. Player A takes the opening shot. Because no opposing disc is on the board, the shot must play toward the middle.
2. Player B now has an opposing disc to target and must make contact with Player A’s disc.
3. Players continue alternating shots until all designated discs have been played.
4. Every successful 20 is removed and recorded immediately.
5. After the final shot, both sides total their discs and saved 20s.
6. The result is recorded using the scoring format selected before the game.

Four-Player Team Rules

In a four-player game, partners sit opposite each other and use the same disc color. Each player shoots six discs.

Turns proceed clockwise, so partners do not shoot consecutively. Partners may discuss general strategy, but each player must take their own legal shot from their seated position.

At the end of the round, combine the scores of both partners.

Common Beginner Mistakes

Forgetting to contact an opponent’s disc

If an opponent has a disc on the board, simply landing in a high-scoring zone is not enough. One of your discs must contact an opposing disc.

Leaving a 20 in the center hole

A successful 20 should be removed and recorded immediately. Leaving it in the hole can interfere with later shots.

Scoring a line at the higher value

A disc touching a scoring line receives the lower of the two adjacent values.

Returning an out-of-bounds disc

An out-of-play disc must remain in the ditch until the round ends.

Removing only the shooting disc after an invalid shot

The penalty can also include other same-color discs struck during the invalid shot, including any resulting 20s.

Moving before every disc stops

Wait for all discs to stop before removing 20s, clearing invalid discs or beginning the next turn.

Beginner Strategy Tips

• Control matters more than power. A smooth, accurate flick is usually more useful than a hard shot.
• Aim for 20s when the board is open. The center hole offers the highest single-disc value.
• Remove dangerous opposing discs. A successful takeout reduces your opponent’s score and can improve your position.
• Use angles. Rebounds from discs and center pegs can create shots that are not available in a straight line.
• Protect useful discs. A disc behind a peg may be more difficult for an opponent to remove.
• Keep the board clean. Dust and residue can make disc movement inconsistent.

For cleaning and storage advice, read our Crokinole board maintenance guide.

Crokinole Rules Quick Reference

Save this corrected quick-reference guide for game night. It summarizes tournament-style setup, valid shots, 20s, scoring and invalid-shot penalties.

Local clubs and tournament organizers may use additional rules or different match formats. For competitive play, always confirm the organizer’s current rules. This guide follows the commonly used principles published by the World Crokinole Championship and the National Crokinole Association.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can children play Crokinole?

Yes. The basic objective is easy to understand, although younger players may need practice controlling their flicking strength. Supervise children around small discs and other game components.

Can I shoot any opposing disc?

Yes. When one or more opposing discs are on the board, your shot must contact at least one of them. You do not have to target the disc closest to you.

Can I hit my own disc first?

Yes, provided one of your discs then contacts an opposing disc during the same shot.

Does touching the 15-point line count as playing to the middle?

Yes. When no opposing disc is present, at least one of your discs involved in the shot must finish touching or inside the 15-point line. A valid 20 also qualifies.

Do you have to reach exactly 100 points?

No. The 100-point format is an optional casual scoring system, and a player or team normally wins by reaching or exceeding 100. Tournament-style games use a different round-point system.

Can you play with three players?

Three-player variations exist, but the standard formats are two-player singles and four-player doubles. Agree on disc counts, turn order and scoring before using a three-player house rule.

Ready to Play?

The fastest way to learn Crokinole is to play a practice round. Concentrate on three rules at first:

1. Shoot from your assigned quadrant with the disc touching the outer shooting line.
2. Contact an opposing disc whenever one is present.
3. Remove and record every successful 20 immediately.

Once those rules feel natural, scoring, takeouts and rebound shots quickly become easier to understand.