Crokinole discs are the little discs that you flick towards the hole in the center of your crokinole board, called the “20” hole. It’s worth 20 points every time you land your disc in the middle. Interestingly enough, the little discs come in various shapes and sizes and in this article we will break down these crokinole disc accessories for you and answer some frequently asked questions so you will have all the information you need to buy the right discs for your board.

What makes a good crokinole disc?

Good crokinole discs are made of hard maple and they are turned and cut so correctly that they should be perfectly flat on both sides. They should be painted if they are colored and finished as well. Without a finish, the paint will chip off quickly. Pichnotte discs are often concave on one side and flat on the other. This makes them easy to grip. Pichnotte discs also can come with holes right in the middle. They are used on Pichnotte boards and American-style carrom boards too. Crokinole discs on the other hand, are to be flat on both sides for optimal performance.

How heavy is a Crokinole Disc?

A set of crokinole discs weighs 135 grams while each disc would weigh about 5 grams.

What crokinole disc size should you buy?

Typically, a crokinole disc should fit in the center hole of your board with a little bit of wiggle room. They should not be “tight” with no wiggle room. Otherwise this would make it to difficult to score middles. So based on the size of the center hole, here are the different disc sizes available:

Large Tournament Style Discs:

• For boards with a 20″ hole that is 1 3/8″ (3.5cm) and a playing surface of 26″ in diameter or more

• Typically these work for large round boards or large octagon with a 26” inch playing surface but always use the center hole size as the ultimate guide

• Large Tournament Style Discs are 1 1/4″ diameter x 3/8″ thick (3.2 cm wide x 0.9 cm thick)

 Small Traditional Style Discs:

• For boards with a 20″ hole that is 1 1/4″ (3.2 cm)

• Typically these work for octagonal boards with a playing surface up to 24″ in diameter but always use the center hole size as the ultimate guide

• Discs are 1 1/8″ diameter x 3/8″ thick (2.9 cm wide x 0.9 cm thick)

Mini Size Discs:

• For boards with a 20″ hole that is 1 1/4″ (3.2cm) and a playing surface of 22-24″

• 1 3/32″ diameter x 13/32″ thick (2.8 cm wide x 1 cm thick)

How many discs do you need for one crokinole board?

Traditionally, all you need is 24 discs for one crokinole board. If you are playing with a single opponent, then you each play with 12 discs. So you would need one set as pictured below:

If you had 4 people playing then you could split each half set into 6 and play as partners. So the person sitting opposite would be your partner with 6 discs and you would play with 6 discs as well of the same color. The the other team would do the same, sitting opposite each other and playing with 6 discs each. That is traditionally how crokinole is played.

Another option, which is not played as often, is to each play your own color – every person for themselves type of game. In this case, you would purchase a set like the image below:

Where can you buy a quality set of crokinole discs from?

You need to be selective when it comes to getting crokinole discs. There are retail discs out there that are poorly shaped or do not come finished so the paint wears off easily or gets chipped. One supplier that we’ve partnered with is Crokinole Canada. From what we’ve reviewed, their discs are made in the USA of hard maple, are fully painted / stained and finished properly. They are flat on both sides and slide very well.

The post How to Choose the Right Size Crokinole Discs for your Board appeared first on Recreation Insider.

The Baltic Bircher from Crokinole Canada is nearly tournament size with 25.5 inches of playing surface and is hand made in Canada from birch and cherry. Given it’s large size this board is perfect for families who are new to the game and want a real wood crokinole board set. 

This crokinole board features a very smooth surface along with latex covered brass screws. The ditch is stained a darker red burgundy (a touch lighter in color than the photo portrays). 

The point numbers on this board are large in size and helpful for beginners learning how to score a crokinole round. Also, the height of the playing surface is 3/8ths of an inch which ensures the discs that are knocked into the ditch remain in the ditch and don’t come back on the play surface.

The board also has a large checker / chess board on the back. While this board isn’t round or completely tournament specification, it will do the job for any family wanting a great game for home play.

Pros

Pros

• Real wood, Canadian hand made crokinole board
• Very smooth surface
• Point numbers and checkers / chess board as well
• Aesthetically pleasing cherry rails and burgundy stained ditch
• Large playing area for spacious gaming

Cons

Cons

• Not a tournament size board but perfect for families anyways

Buy it on Amazon

The post The Baltic Bircher Crokinole Board Review appeared first on Recreation Insider.

If you’ve never heard of crokinole, you’re not alone. The game may have been around for over a century, but it’s fairly underrated. Yet if you love playing games like carom, shuffleboard, or pitchnut, you’ll love this dexterity-based board game. We bring you a buyer’s guide of crokinole boards and provide some reviews of crokinole boards that we think are worth purchasing.

Intro to Crokinole

The crokinole game involves two teams of players taking turns to shoot checker-sized discs across a circular playing surface called the crokinole board. This board is approximately 25 inches or 660 mm in diameter and typically made of polished wood or laminate. There are three concentric rings on this board with point values increasing as you move in closer to the center.

Players will “shoot” the disc by flicking it with a finger, although some people even use small cue sticks for this. If there are any opponent discs on the board, players must aim to make contact. If they fail, they “foul” and have their disc removed from the board. If they moved any of their team’s discs during a “foul” shot, those get removed as well.

If there aren’t any opponent discs on the board, the player needs to shoot for the center of the board. This shot disc should make it to the 15-point guarded ring line either completely or partially, although it’s also acceptable if it only touches the line. After each team plays all 12 of their pieces, you count their score and calculate the difference between the two teams’ scores. This difference is the point that the higher-scoring team gains for that round, and the game continues until they reach a winning score.

Crokinole Buying Guide

When it comes to purchasing a crokinole board, you’re looking for a few things:

1. Quality of Craftsmanship
2. Size of the Crokinole Board
3. Accessories

Quality of Craftsmanship

Quite frankly, most crokinole boards are pretty expensive since it’s a wood-crafted board game that is made by different types of wood. You’re looking for a board that is finely crafted, ideally aesthetically pleasing given the price and has a solid finish so that things don’t move around too slow.

Size of the Crokinole Board

Regulation sized crokinole boards are 26 inches of playing surface, however not all boards are made like this. Some are smaller and some are larger, so it’s important to take that into consideration, especially if you’re looking to play a bit more competitively.

Accessories

Finally, most crokinole boards will come with a variety of accessories, the discs obviously being the most important. Some crokinole boards will offer a bit more, such as additional pieces for checkers or a drawstring bag for the discs. You just need to make sure you buy something that has everything you’re looking for beyond just the board itself, otherwise you might be purchasing more accessories after shelling out a few hundred dollars for the board.

Best Crokinole Boards to Try

Now that you know how the game works, you might want to give it a try. Even those who are already familiar with the game may want to know which boards they should invest in. Let’s take a look at some of the best crokinole boards you should check out.

1. Gameland 26.8″ Crokinole Tournament Checker Board Game Table Top

With a 26-inch playing surface, this board from Gameland may not have the regulation size board dimensions but it’s an excellent choice for casual players. It doesn’t cost as much as high-end crokinole boards, yet it still has a smooth, premium finish.

What We Like

Made of birch plywood, this crokinhole board from Gameland has a high-end finish with a moderate price tag. This makes it an excellent investment even for beginners, especially since it has a backing board that doubles up as a checkerboard. So you get two board games for the price of one.

The playing surface has a polished wax coating that lets your discs move freely across the board, ensuring fluid gameplay. Even in terms of durability, this board meets expectations and will last for years with proper maintenance.

Other Considerations

The main issue with this option is that the board dimensions do not meet regulation size standards, making it unsuitable for professional tournaments.

Pros

• Premium finish
• Durable
• Fluid gameplay
• Moderately-priced

Cons

• Non-regulation size

Available on Amazon

2. The Gold Standard – Traditional Size Crokinole Board Game Set

This hand made Crokinole board from Crokinole Canada and sold on Etsy has multiple uses. Play Crokinole on one side of the board or chess and checkers on the other side. This is a traditional size Crokinole board with 24 inches of playing surface. The craftsmanship of the board is impeccable. It is made of birch and ash. It comes with all of the accessories you need to play.

What We Like

This is a finely crafted board that should last you for quite some time. In addition, it comes with 26 traditional size discs instead of the normal 24, so you have a few you can spare to lose. There’s a drawstring bag that holds all of your pieces that are all traditionally sized at 2.9 cm wide x 1 cm thick. On the back of this board is a chess and checkers game board that is 8×8 in size. This board also comes with instructions in English and French on how to play in case you don’t know how to play.

Other Considerations

Not the most expensive board but more expensive than some of the others listed here. You get however a real wood, finely crafted crokinole board.

Pros

• Beautifully hand made, real wood crokinole board
• Comes with two alternate games
• Comes with extra playing discs and sliding powder

Cons

• Moderately priced because of the real wood it uses unlike cheaper boards
• Not regulation size but perfect for families just wanting to have fun

Available on Amazon Available on Etsy

3. Crokinole Deluxe 3 in 1

For those who need a pocket-friendly alternative to the first two options, this 3-in-1 crokinole board from Kroeger makes a great pick. With a 22-inch playing surface, it doesn’t meet the requirements of a regulation size crokinole board. However, it only costs half as much as the first option so it’s an excellent choice for beginners and casual players alike.

What We Like

The low price is the biggest highlight of this crokinole board. Yet even with an affordable price tag, you won’t be sacrificing quality . This board is made of solid maple wood and will provide you with decent performance and durability.

On top of this, you can even use this board to play other games like checkers and backgammon. It comes complete with 30 wooden playing discs along with backgammon dice to play these games.

Other Considerations

As you can expect from something within this price range, the board construction could do with a bit of improvement. The edges are prone to coming off because the glue doesn’t hold them together that well. In addition, the board isn’t regulation size so professionals might want to consider other options.

Pros

• Affordable
• Decently-made
• Comes with two alternate games

Cons

• Non-regulation size
• Edges are prone to coming off.

Available on Amazon

4. Tournament Size Crokinole Board by Heritage Products

For professional crokinole players, Heritage Woodwork has an exquisite tournament size board that will prepare you for your next tournament. As you can expect from high-end crokinole boards, this will set you back a couple of hundred dollars but it’s well worth the price considering the build quality and performance.

What We Like

With a 26 inches playing surface, this crokinole board meets the NCA board dimension standards and is perfect for tournament use and professional play. It has a smooth finish and a perfectly flat playing surface that allows fluid gameplay. It even comes with 13 black and white crokinole discs, so you have an extra piece in case you lose one.

Other Considerations

Good things come with a price, and this crokinole board is no exception. It’s a bit pricey, which may be a big concern for those who are just getting started with the game.

Pros

• Regulation size board
• Sturdy build
• Fluid gameplay

Cons

• Pricey

Available on Amazon

5. Tracey Red Tournament Board Crokinole Set

This super fast red tournament crokinole board built by Tracey and from Crokinole Canada is handcrafted to meet the NCA standards. It’s comparable to the Royal Red listed below – whether it’s build quality, performance, or price point. The only difference is this board is the fastest on the market and comes with an eye-catching red finished gutter.

What We Like

Besides the attractive red finished gutter, this crokinole board has a lot to offer. The playing surface is made of premium maple to ensure a sturdy build that will last for years, which makes it a perfect investment piece. The smooth finish provides consistent speed and fluid gameplay – something that every professional crokinole player looks for.

This crokinole board comes with 13 black and 13 natural wood playing discs, so you have an extra piece in case you ever lose one.

Other Considerations

Like with all the other high-end crokinole boards on our list, this one is slightly pricey. It might not be a good choice for beginners and casual players looking for an entry-level board for casual play. The Gold Standard board listed above would fit that bill.

Pros

• Regulation size board
• Sturdy build
• Fluid gameplay
• Attractive red finished gutter

Cons

• Pricey

Available on Amazon

6. Real Hardwood Tournament Size Crokinole Board by Cape Fear Board Co.

Among the high-end options, this tournament-size board from Cape Fear Board Co. gets our vote. With a 26 inches playing surface made of maple, this is as good as it gets for professional crokinole players.  The board is handcrafted in the USA and comes with 12 pieces each of black and white crokinole discs and a drawstring bag to hold all the pieces together.

What We Like

This crokinole board boasts of a buttery smooth playing surface that allows fluid gameplay and sends your crokinole discs flying across the board. With a real hardboard frame and maple playing surface, this is one of the sturdiest and most well-made crokinole boards on our list. Plus, its playing surface is tournament size, which makes it an excellent investment for professional players.

Other Considerations

The price is one of the biggest considerations that might hold you back from getting this board, especially if you’re new to the game. Other than that, there aren’t any major problems with this board.

Pros

• Exceptional craftsmanship
• Regulation size board
• Handmade in the USA
• Real hardwood frame and maple surface
• Sturdy build
• Fluid gameplay

Cons

• Pricey

Available on Amazon

7. The Royal Red Crokinole Board

The Royal Red crokinole board by Crokinole Canada is an amazing Crokinole Board. Unlike a cheaper octagon board, this one has a roomie playing surface of 26 inches so it meets the NCA standards for board dimensions. This board is an excellent entry-level option for those who are wanting a tournament board for slightly less money than a Tracey Board.

What We Like

Made in Canada, this crokinole board from Crokinole Canada has a very good build quality that exceeds most crokinole boards on the market. This is a tournament board so if cost is your biggest concern and you’re just getting started you may want to look at The Gold Standard or Baltic Bircher from Crokinole Canada.

Pros

• Slightly less pricey than a Tracey Board
• Decently-made
• Looks amazing

Cons

• It may be too pricey for entry level players or begginers
• It is a *very* fast tournament board but is not quite as slick as a Tracey

Available on Amazon

8. BrownCastle Crokinole Tournament Size Board

The BrownCastle Crokinole Board is an exceptional board with a hardwood laminate overlay and is water resistant. It’s a great set for beginners with a little bit of customization too.

What We Like

What’s really great (and not so great) about this Crokinole manufacturer is that you can buy discs in different colors but of course, by buying the different colored discs, you’ll have to pay slightly more for an already pricey board.

This board has a nice carrying case that’s incredibly durable and easy to transport the board from destination to destination, so you can play the game anywhere.

The board quality is definitely noteworthy and it’s a very beautiful all around board.

Pros

• Beautiful, durable board
• Carrying case
• Discs are nicely crafted

Cons

• Overall pretty pricey board
• Need to purchase discs

Buy it on Amazon

Bottom Line

The best crokinole boards come with a higher price tag, which might hold you back from getting one. However, they also boast sturdy builds and premium materials, so they make for good investments that’ll last for years down the line. Even if price is a major concern, you still have a few budget board options that beginners and casual players can enjoy.

The post Best Crokinole Board Recommendations and Buying Guide appeared first on Recreation Insider.