ESL Game: Carom

This game is similar to the Indian game “Carom”. If you don’t know Carom, think of the
billiards game 8-ball but you flick checker pieces with your fingers instead of hitting billiard balls with a stick.

To set-up place and equal amount of red and black counters (checkers or Chinese chess pieces) on a table in a circle, then place the main flicker-piece in the middle.

To play, students should practice the main classes ESL content, then take turns flicking the “white” flicker-piece. There are two teams, Black and Red. Team-Black would try to knock red pieces off the table and vice-versa.

Award three-points for knocking one of the oppositions pieces off the table (Eg. Red-Team knocks off a black piece).

Award three points to the oppositions team if one team knocks the wrong colour off the table (if Red-Team hits a red piece off for example).

Subtract one point if the flicker piece goes off the table (similar in 8-ball to knocking the white ball in a hole), and then replace the main flicker-piece in the middle again.

Note that a no one can flick a coloured piece directly, the main flicker piece is the “hitter” and it must be flicked first.

This isn’t all that easy for children at first so they should get three flicks (or “chances”) per turn. Please noted that the game is best suited for ages 6+, since younger children can’t flick well with their fingers yet.