How to play crokinole

To play crokinole, place a disc on your shooting line, flick it toward the centre hole, and take turns until every disc is played. Your shot must hit an opponent disc if any are on the board. Discs score 20 in the hole, 15, 10 or 5 by ring, and the higher round total wins.

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Last updated: 22 October 2026

Crokinole is a tabletop flicking game for two or four players, played on a round wooden board about 26 inches (660 mm) in diameter. Here is a complete beginner path, with the controls for playing in Crokinole Club.

1. Set up. Two players sit across from each other, or four sit in two partnerships with partners opposite. Each side has its own colour of discs and shoots from its own quarter of the board. In Crokinole Club your seat is the bottom of the screen.
2. Place your disc. Put your disc on the shooting line inside your quarter, resting on the outer line. In Crokinole Club, drag the disc along your shooting line and let go.
3. Flick toward the centre. Flick the disc so it travels toward the centre hole, past or between the pegs. In Crokinole Club, pull back away from the target and release: the further you pull, the harder the flick.
4. Obey the must-hit rule. If an opponent disc is on the board, your disc must touch one, directly or through one of your own discs. If none is on the board, in tournament rules your disc or a disc it hits must finish touching or within the 15 ring. Otherwise it is a foul and your disc comes off.
5. Take turns until all discs are shot. Players alternate one disc at a time until every disc has been played. A disc that comes to rest in the 20 hole scores 20 and comes off the board.
6. Score the round and the match. Add up each side: 20 in the hole, 15 in the inner ring, 10 in the middle ring, 5 in the outer ring. A disc touching a line scores the lower value. Then add match points: in tournament scoring the round winner gets 2 and a tie gives each side 1, over four rounds.

What are the controls in Crokinole Club?

• Touch or mouse: drag your disc along the shooting line to place it, then pull back and release to flick. The aim line and a power meter show the shot while you pull.
• Without dragging: Settings has an option to show Angle and Power sliders with a Shoot button, for players who prefer not to drag.
• First time: the first match is a guided tutorial on the real board. The in-game How to Play (the question-mark button on the title screen) repeats the steps above.

What can I play?

• Career: 15 levels in five chapters against computer rivals, with up to three stars each. After level 15, Season 2 opens eight harder challenges.
• Quick Play: a quick duel (one round) or a four-round match against a computer rival, offline.
• Pass & Play: two or four people share one device.
• Online: play a friend in a room, or use Find Opponent. See playing crokinole online.

Which beginner tips help most?

• Softer is usually better than harder: a gentle flick stays near where you aim.
• Guards are discs left in front of the pegs to block the path to the centre; knock them out only when the shot is clear.
• When the board is empty, put your disc within the 15 ring so it is legal and in range for a 20 later.

Ready? Play Crokinole Club free in your browser, or read the FAQ.