THE GAME - Rules and Scoring
OFFICIAL CROKINOLE RULES
**All participants are encouraged to read these rules carefully.

Playing Guidelines
The object of the game is to shoot your disc attempting to knock your opponent’s disc into the ditch or into a lower scoring position.

Discs are to be shot only with a finger unless participating in a game designated for use of cues. No finger guards may be used. During a shot only the shooting hand and associated arm can come into contact with the board or table. Players can not intentionally move the board, table or chair in an attempt to gain an unfair advantage.

Contestants must initiate all their shots from between their quadrant lines and touching the outer ring. A disc may exceed the quadrant line of the contestant but must remain touching the contestant’s quadrant line.

A shooting disc cannot be placed on the board until it is your turn. All shots must be initiated from a flat position. Once your hand is in a shooting position and the disc leaves your finger or cue, a shot is judged to have taken place. Play progresses clockwise around the board.

A disc that at any time leaves the perimeter of the raised playing surface is deemed to be officially out of bounds and must remain in the ditch until the end of the round.

A disc that stops on the playing surface and is touching the outer line is deemed out of play and must immediately be placed in the ditch.

Neither the board nor the chair of any player may be moved while the game is in progress. This includes no tipping of the chair. When a player is shooting, at least one portion of the posterior (the “one cheek rule”) must be in contact with his/her chair. At no time may any part of the body, except the feet, touch the floor. No other means of support is allowed while taking a shot.

Starting To Play
Players take turns attempting valid shots, shooting one disc per turn, proceeding clockwise around the board. After each turn 20‘s sunk will be removed and placed in a designated area visible to all players for scoring at the end of the round. A round ends when all players have shot the designated number of discs. First shot for each subsequent round will alternate between players/teams.

Before shooting a player must wait until all motion of the discs from the previous turn has ceased.

Your non-played discs are to be kept outside of the board on the corner of the table.

At the end of the round the value of the discs on the board, including 20’s, are totalled before any discs may be moved. ( See Scoring)

A Valid Shot
If any opposing discs are in play at least one of the shooter’s discs must strike an opposing disc, either directly or in combination, by bumping one of his/her discs already in play into an opposing disc.

If there are no opposing discs in play then a player’s shot must “play to the middle”. This means at the end of this shot at least one of the player’s discs involved in the shot must be at least touching the 15 line or remain inside the 15 circle. This would include a 20 in the centre hole. This can be achieved by a direct shot or in combination with discs already in play.

If a valid shot is not made then the shooter’s disc and all the other discs of the same colour that were struck, including any 20's, shall be removed from play.

Damage Rule
An out-of-bounds disc that re-enters the playing surface must be removed from play. Any discs on the playing surface that were moved by the re-entering disc will remain in their new position and any 20’s made will count.

The Spinning Disc Rule
If a disc touches or crosses the outer line but does not leave the raised playing surface and returns under its own momentum to end up inside the outer line, it will be considered still in play.

Rules For Tournament Play
Players in the “cue” category must supply their own cue designed for crokinole and must shoot a disc only with their cue.

Only tournament organizers will apply quality granular shuffleboard wax. Wax will be placed in the ditch area so that players can rub their disc in the wax prior to shooting, if they desire. Contestants are not allowed to apply lubricants of any type to the board. Absolutely no other lubricant will be allowed.

Contestants are not allowed to be coached by anyone in any way while a match is in progress. If coaching occurs the offending party will be warned and, if they persist, the contestant receiving the coaching may be disqualified. (Doubles players are allowed to talk to their partner during the game). Game time limits must still be observed.

Careless or deliberate contravention of the rules may result in the forfeiture of a round or a game and possible disqualification from the tournament. If any unusual situation not covered in these rules occurs, the head referee will make a ruling after reviewing it with players involved. In all cases the decision of the referee will be final.

Strict timing for the games must be observed. A buzzer will be used to begin and end play. If some discs have not been shot when the ending buzzer sounds they will remain non played. However, if a player or team has had one less shot, they will be allowed to take one last shot immediately after the buzzer to even out number of shots taken. The round will be scored by the discs on the board at that time. The opposing player and referees will monitor players delaying the game.


SCORING

The value of a disc flat in the centre hole is 20; inside the pegs is 15; outside the pegs is 10; and the outer circle is 5.

A disc touching the line of a dividing circle is counted at a lower value.

After all discs have been shot, players / teams add up the value of all of their discs, including 20‘s. The player / team with the higher points is the winner of the round.

The player / team with the higher score after a round shall receive two points. If the round is tied, each player / team shall receive one point. Zero points for a loss.

A “game” shall consist of 4 rounds, other than where exceptions are made for Tournaments Championships. The number of games in a “match” is normally 10. However, this can vary in tournament play.

Tournament Scoring Information
All tournament games will use a point-scoring system. For any round where no discs are shot before time expires, both teams will record a zero for that round.

The following breakdown will be used in the various categories:
Competitive and Recreational Doubles
6 discs each per round X 4 rounds = 1 game
Cue Doubles
5 discs each per round X 4 rounds = 1 game
Adult and Recreational Singles
8 discs each per round X 4 rounds = 1 game
Cue Singles
6 discs each per round X 4 rounds = 1 game
Junior and Intermediate
6 discs each per round X 4 rounds = 1 game

A championship match will be played best two out of three games in order to establish a winner. If after 4 rounds (a game) the player’s scores are tied, a 5th round will be played as a winner has to be determined in these games.

Players will mark their own Scorecards during play, recording the number of points and 20's scored each round. After four rounds (a game) have been played, players will total their scores, and hand their scorecard to their opponents for validation. The opponent reviews the scorecard to ensure it's correct and records their ID number and initials before moving to the next game.

Scorecard must be completed legibly in ink. Any corrections made on your score card must be initialled by a referee.

Scorecards that are missing full name, ID #’s, category name or are not legible, may be voided at the scoring table.


Tie-Breaking Procedure
In the preliminary rounds:
The player with the higher number of 20’s in the match will place higher. If there still is a tie, a Shoot-Out will be conducted. (see Shoot-Out rule below)

In a round-robin playoff:
Step 1: The Head-To-Head tie-breaking procedure will be used. (see Head-To-Head rule below)
Step 2: If the score is still tied after the Head-To-Head, the player with the higher number of 20’s scored in games amongst tied players will place higher.
Step 3: If the score is still tied, the player with the higher number of 20’s scored in all games of that round-robin playoff will place higher.
Step 4: If a tie still exists, a Shoot-Out will be conducted. (see Shoot-Out rule below)

Head-To-Head Tie Breaker
If two players are tied in total points.
Head to head means that only the scores between the two players during the round robin will be looked at. The player who won the game between the tied players will receive the higher position.

If more than two players are tied in total points.
Players add their points just from the games when they played the other players with whom they are tied. The players are then re- ranked with the person with the higher total points between all of the tied players being placed higher, those with the second highest points placed second highest, etc.
If a tie is broken during Step 1, Step 2 or Step 3, but remaining ties still exist, they will be broken by returning to Step 1 to consider only players who remain tied.

Shoot-Out Procedure
All tied contestants will use 12 opportunities (6 each for doubles) to shoot for the “20” at the same board. Each disc will be removed from the board after each shot and recorded as a “20” if successful. All attempted shots will count as an opportunity even if they don’t reach or remain in the 15 circle. Top scorer(s) after all shots are taken will advance. If still tied, repeat Shoot-out from the beginning.


© 2024 World Crokinole Championship™, Tavistock, Ontario, Canada