Carrom Player's Guide on Carrom Coach Arun Deshpande

Chapter 1 — Foreword & Basics

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Arun’s foreword to the guide, the aim of carrom, and the fundamentals — force, sitting position, footwork, height, and the four grips.

Forward

I wrote my first book in Marathi and was published by Majestic Publication in January 1982. Thanks to Late Mr. Keshavrao Kothavale for giving me opening. I translated the book in English by some additions in it and was published again by Majestic Publication, this time by Mr. Ashok Kothavale who took a risk because this was his first publication in English. Thanks a million to him for giving me platform not only in the other states in India but also in many carrom loving countries. I thought there is nothing to write more on this subject as I tried to include everything in this book. My wife Anjali was after me for many years asking me to write another book. I shifted my carrom career from playing to coaching and then I learned the intricacies of the game by solving other players’ problems. I started to enjoy carrom problems of many players may it be a problem of nails of the fingers or a grip or any position on the carrom board. I thank all my students who indirectly helped me writing this book by giving me their problems. I sincerely thank Banks sports board, State Carrom Association, All India Carrom Federation and Carrom Federations of Switzerland, Germany, Italy, France, UK, Maldives and SriLanka Who gave me opportunities of coaching which helped me to gather lot of material through difficulties of the players. I discussed many subjects in details with my wife Anjali on carrom and she suggested many topics which inspired me to write this book. It took many years to write this book. I hope all the players throughout the globe will like this book and their comments will definitely inspire me to write more on my beloved game.

Chapter 2 — Physics, Geometry, Mathematics

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Why carrom is a game of physics, geometry, and mathematics — how to think about angles, force, and rebounds.

Science Behind the Game

The game of carrom is complete. Three subjects are involved in it:

Physics

All about force. Every stroke requires a different force — from a soft touch when coin, striker, and pocket line up, to a hard hit when the geometry works against you.

Geometry

The angles you must know to play the strokes. Each stroke is a theorem; know the theorems and you can handle any position on the board.

Chapter 3 — Strokes

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The main strokes of carrom, walked through one by one with photos.

STROKES

I have discussed all basic strokes and some advanced strokes in my earlier book, “Carrom Skill And Technique " here I am giving you some more strokes.

In the diagram 9 white coin has no access in the front pocket. Many of you will try to make a defense by removing any of the black coin trying to bring it to the base frame but in this effort you will pass the turn to the opponent and you never know what move the opponent will make and perhaps you may lose the board. You can cut your white coin in to the left or right base pocket by cut as shown in the diagram.

Chapter 4 — Behaviour

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Behaviour with the umpire, spectators, opponents; the role of luck and punctuality at the table.

DICIPLINE

Behaviour

Punctuality BEHAVIOR

Behavior of a player is very important.

Behavior with umpire

I have seen some players talking very rudely with umpires thereby spoiling relation with them. I really don’t understand why players misbehave with umpires? What do they gain? Sometimes players feel that they know rules in a better way than umpire and therefore they argue. I tell you, in no other game the facility of calling chief referee can be availed of by any player as is availed in this game. If you are not satisfied with umpire’s decision you can call chief referee. Even if chief referee’s decision also goes against you then you have a right to play on their protest by paying protest fees and lodging a protest in writing, quoting the incident and the rule. Such a facility is not available in any other sport if such a protection is given to you why should you argue with the umpire? On the other hand if you behave nicely with the umpire, he/she will have a respect for you. I have seen Suhas Kambli, five times national champion from Mumbai behaving with the umpire in such a way that every umpire was eager to refer his match. We had never any problem with any umpire even sometimes he was a good friend of our opponents. In tournaments held in Maharashtra I had requested many times friends of my opponents to refer matches in spite of knowing that they were well-wishers of my opponents. I never faced any problem with any one of them. If you have good intentions nothing wrong will happen to you. In olden days the organizers of the tournament used to level the boards before the match. I sat on my match in Madras (Chennai) and immediately realized that our board was not properly leveled. I asked our umpire to give me packing for leveling the board but the umpire was reluctant to give packing saying that the board was already leveled. My opponent also agreed for leveling

Chapter 5 — Concentration, Observation, and the Board

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Concentration and observation as skills; the factors of the playing surface — board level, smoothness, frame bounce, pocket behaviour, coin properties.

QUALITIES REQUIRED FOR A PLAYER TO BECOME CHAMPION

I have discussed the qualities required for a player to become champion in my last book “carrom Technique and skill”.

Here I am going to discuss few more qualities and trying to give more material for the qualities already discussed.

Concentration

What is concentration? Concentration is

Chapter 6 — Offence, Defence, and Killer's Instinct

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

When to play offence and when defence; knowing your strong and weak points; the killer’s instinct that closes games.

PLANNING

Perfect planning makes a player perfect. Immediately after the break you must take a look at the position of coins on the carrom board and should decide from where to start and how you should proceed. Carrom is a game of planning and not only the game of pocketing coins. There are many players who are better in pocketing coins than the champions; stil1 they can’t beat champions only because of their poor planning. You should start playing in such a way that when you lose turn of play, then you should always get a favourable position. You should always take an advantage of every coin on the carrom board to improve your position. When I had been to European countries and I played in some of the clubs, I received an appreciation from the members of those clubs. In their speeches they described me as doctor of carrom, professor of carrom, mathematician of carrom and so on. But the remark I liked most was that of one member who in his speech said that they were using one striker whereas I was using three strikers.

Chapter 7 — Mental Fitness

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Sleep, deep breathing, chanting, and mental practice — training the mind alongside the hand.

PHYSICAL FITNESS

In any game physical fitness is absolutely essential. The game of carrom is no exception for it. When a player plays major tournaments he/she has to play four to five matches of duration of half an hour to more than three hours depending upon the opponent. Playing for such a long time gives strain to every part of his body involved in this game. I suggest following yoga exercises for the parts of the body involved in this game.

Chapter 8 — Emotions, Diet, and Attitude

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Handling fear and anxiety, controlling emotions, decision making, diet, and the attitudes that separate winners from losers.

PSYCHOLOGY

Fear

I have read that psychology dictionaries define fear as a negative emotional state, the result of a reaction to the perception, assessment and consciousness of defeat. Sometimes players can also develop a negative attitude toward performing and themselves. The effects of fear are tension, helplessness,

Self-control.

There can also be some physical changes like rapid breathing, palpitations, turning red or pale, sweating or chills stomach aches or shaking.