Carpetball is a recreational game

Game

A game is structured playing, usually undertaken for enjoyment and sometimes used as an educational tool. Games are distinct from work, which is usually carried out for remuneration, and from art, which is more often an expression of aesthetic or ideological elements...

 that involves attempting to knock all of your opponent's balls into their end of the carpetball table before they knock all of your balls into your end. It is often found at camps and in youth facilities.

Table

A carpetball table is a 10 ft (4 m) long tray approximately 2.5 ft (1 m) wide and 3 ft (1 m) off of the ground, these dimensions do not have to be exact; carpetball tables of different dimensions may be made. It is covered with fabric or indoor/outdoor carpet (hence the name) and has a shallow pocket running the entire width of either end. The end pockets are deep enough for a standard pool ball and should be broad enough that most balls will drop in, but not so broad that a ball moving with great force will not ricochet off.

Balls

Carpetball is played using standard pool balls. The cue ball is used similar to conventional pool. While carpetball may be played with five balls on a side, games with only three or four balls on a side are not uncommon. This generally occurs when balls have been lost.

Rules

The following rules are generally accepted and consistent:

• Balls may be arranged in any position within arm's reach of your end.
• Win by knocking all of your opponent's balls into their tray.
• When all of a player's balls are knocked in, the player gets a last roll ("mercy shot").
• If a ball goes into the tray and then bounces out, it is still in play.
• If any of the player's balls are hit in a way that they cross the halfway mark, then that ball is considered a dead ball, and is put in the player's pocket.
• Opponent has the first shot
• In the event of a tie, start over with only one ball. Add a ball with each tie, and eventually continue the rotation.

There are two common variations for the setup and rotation of players:

• One end of the table is where the current winner plays, and the other end is where the opponent plays. Starting at the latter is one line of challengers waiting to play. If the winner loses the match, they move to the back of the line and the opponent moves to the winner's end. The first challenger in line competes against the new winner. -OR-
• Challengers wait in two lines at either end of the table on opposite sides. If a player loses, the challenger at the beginning of the line at that end replaces them.

Rules on how to deal with run-away balls have significant regional variations. These rules are important for safety reasons to discourage wild throws.

• Knocking a ball out of the table...
  • forfeits the game. -OR-
  • allows the opponent to replace the ball anywhere as a penalty. -OR-
  • forces the thrower to take down one of their own balls. -OR-
  • if it is the cue ball, the opponent replaces ALL their balls. -OR-
  • no penalty will be given at all
• Knocking a player's ball into the opponent's tray...
  • forfeits the game. -OR-
  • is treated as if the opponent had knocked it in (i.e. it is out of play).

Strategy

Pattern of initial ball placement is the primary strategy decision in carpetball. The most common initial setups are 1) half of the balls on each side of your end, 2) all balls in a row straight up the middle, and 3) one ball on each side of the table with the rest down the middle. There are many variations on these schemes.

For better players, there is also some strategy in the decision of which of the opponent's balls to target first. Depending on the opponent's board setup, it may be beneficial to disrupt certain balls before others.

External links

• National Carpetball Association
• Carpetball.net
• Carpetball table plans (provided by a hobbyist)