Basic Rules of Play
In the previous parts, we explored how Singles and Doubles formats shape the flow of a crokinole game, everything from seating positions to coaching rules to how the turn order rotates. Now it’s time to look at something every player cares about: scoring. Part 6 of the official NCA rules dives into how points are awarded on the board, how discs are judged, and what truly counts when determining a winner at the end of a round.
Let’s break it all down in a clear, friendly way, using the official National Crokinole Association rules as our guide.
NCA Rule 6: Scoring
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The Four Scoring Zones
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| Scoring Zones |
On a crokinole board, every region has a value:
Centre Hole = 20 points
The golden shot! Sink it cleanly, and your disc is instantly removed from the board and placed in your 20s holder.
15-Point Zone
The ring around the centre hole, inside the pegs.
10-Point Zone
The area outside the pegs.
5-Point Zone
The outermost playable area of the board.
These point values are your total at the end of the round, along with any 20s you’ve racked up along the way.
How Discs Earn (or Lose!) Points
1. A disc scores the lowest value of any region it touches.
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| How Discs Earn Points |
Summary or:
White’s score: 15 + 10 + 5 + 20 + 20 = 70 points.
Black’s score: 10 + 10 + 20 + 20 + 20 = 80 points.
The difference between the two players is ten points in favour of the black discs. Thus, black leads the round, ten to zero.
Here’s where people often get confused, so let’s keep it straightforward:
If it’s touching the line between the 10 and 5, it counts as 5.
If it’s touching the line between the 15 and 10, it counts as 10.
This rule keeps things clean and prevents arguments; the lines always reduce value.
2. Scoring a 20
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| 20 Points |
To score a 20, the disc must be completely inside the centre hole. Lying flat
If it’s leaning, wobbling, or sticking out even slightly? No 20. It is 15 points.
3. How do officials judge whether a disc is touching a line?
It’s not based on what the disc looks like from above.
Instead, the rule is based on the bottom edge of the disc.
If the underside of the disc crosses over a line, even a tiny bit, it counts as touching the line and drops to the lower point value.
This eliminates optical illusions caused by the disc’s curved sides.
Keeping Score at the End of a Round
At the end of every round:
All discs still on the board are counted according to the zones they rest in.
Each player or team adds their board points to their 20s.
Whoever has the higher total score for that round earns 2 points for the round.
A tie gives 1 point each. A loss gives 0 points.
Simple, clean, and strategic.
Conclusion
Scoring in crokinole may seem simple at first glance, but Part 6 of the rules shows just how much precision and detail the game truly demands. Every point depends on exact placement, clean shots, and an understanding of how the board’s zones work together. Whether you're sinking 20s, nudging discs into higher-value regions, or avoiding those line-touching point reductions, scoring adds depth and strategy to every round.
Coming Up Next…
With scoring now fully unpacked, it’s time to move on to one of the most important and most debated sections of the official rules: Shooting. In Part 7, we’ll explore what qualifies as a legal shot, how positioning works, what kind of contact is allowed, and the subtle techniques that keep competitive play fair and consistent. If you’ve ever wondered why certain shots are disqualified, or what you can and can’t touch during your turn, Part 7 will clear it all up. Stay tuned!
Source:
All rules in this article are taken from the NCA Rules (Feb 9, 2011). Download the full document at the
National Crokinole Association website
Join the Discussion: Have you played crokinole before? Share your experience in the comments below!
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