Magnetic Carom Rules of Rani and Children

Use Basic Set 1: W2, R2, B2

Initial Coin Arrangement: Same as in standard carrom, using R2 (Rani) in the center, and W2 and B2 sticking to it on opposite sides.

The Challenge in the game

The initial arrangement has coins of both colours sticking to the queen. Neither side can pocket the triple directly! But if we break the pattern, without pocketing the queen, or our own colour, we give a separated triple to the opponent. Unless the triple is in a difficult position to pocket, we have made the game easy for the opponent. Think about it!

The Rules

  1. White begins the strike. Coins have to be pocketed as in carom, and the first person to pocket his/her coin and the queen (covered by a coin of his/her own colour) is the winner.

  2. Turn Retention is the same as in carom. The player retains the turn by pocketing coins of his/her own colour, or the queen. If no coin is pocketed, or a coin of the opponent is pocketed, the turn is given to the opponent. If the opponent does not have a coin of his colour, the game is ended, and points are given for the pocketed coins as in standard carom.

  3. Training sessions to learn are allowed (10 shots).

  4. Striker orientation and top/bottom can be changed during game by player.

  5. Coin orientation (which side is up) decided at beginning, cannot be changed afterwards, except by normal play.

  6. Coin or striker jumping out of the board causes the player to lose his/her turn.

  7. Striker going into pocket causes the player to lose the turn.

  8. Coins sticking to each other at same level (i.e. coins sticking to each other have the same height) cause no change in game.)

  9. Many interesting patterns can be made by having coins stick to each other’s sides, depending on the polarity of the magnets at the sides. These patterns can be formed at the beginning of the play or dynamically during the game itself. In this case,...
    1. Pocketing each coin individually wins the same points as in ordinary carom.

    2. Pocketing a whole pattern (by pocketing any one of its constituent coins, without breaking the pattern), wins the player, the sum of the points corresponding to all the constituent coins belonging to the player. All such constituent coins are removed from the board.
      1. The turn is retained if all constituent coins belong to the player who played the turn.

      2. If the constituent coins include one of the opponent, the opponent also get the points corresponding to his/her coins, and gets the turn.


    3. If the queen is included in the pattern, it has to be “covered” by another coin of the same player. In this case the turn is retained.

      If the queen is included but not covered in a pattern, then the opponent gets the points corresponding to the queen, and also the turn.s

    4. A lone pocketed queen can be covered by a coin of the same player in the next turn, either solely or in another pattern.

  10. If coins jump over and stick to each other making a tower, then they will be disengaged, and placed in the center of the board.

  11. If coins stick to each other and the striker, coins will be placed in the board center and the striker is given to whoever’s turn it should be in normal carom (same player if at least one coin has been pocketed, else the other player).