Welcome to Crokinole, the fantasticest game you’ve never heard of.

What you’re seeing below is two of Crokinole’s fantastics simultaneously securing perfect rounds.

Technicassociate speaking, they each flicked a 3.2cm disc 30cm apass a board into a 3.5cm hole (equitable 9% expansiver than the disc itself) eight times in a row. In game terms, they made eight uncover 20s each.

But it’s equitable flicking a little disc apass a small board. How difficult can it be, reassociate?

The mesmerizing 56 seconds above were apprehfinishd at the semifinals of the 2024 World Crokinole Championship, where Connor Reinman lossed Jason Stardyr. A suitup not unenjoy Magic vs. Bird, or Swift vs. Eilish.

How exceptional was this feat of perfection? Was this one of those obsremedy recent Olympic events? You may even be wondering, wtf is Crokinole?

We’ll get to all these asks. But first, you must comprehend Crokinole.

If you are from the southern region of the Canadian province of Ontario, you may already be well-versed in Crokinole due to its Canadian origin. For the unbegind, Crokinole is enjoy a mashup of shuffleboard and curling, joined on a tabletop board. It’s been around since the 19th century but has seen a stable ascfinish in global well-comprehendnity in recent years.

To comprehend the game, one must join the game.
Let your training commence.

Easy Keanu, that was equitable the straightforwards. We didn’t even get to the one-cheek rule (yes, that cheek). For more details you can watch this video or read the rules.

Oh, and experience free to go join—we made a simulator for you to hone your sfinishs agetst a bot.

You are ready for the next part of the journey. What does the data tell us about Connor Reinman and Jason Stardyr?

Reinman, the back-to-back world champion, and Stardyr, the perennial powerhoengage, are arguably the fantasticest joiners right now on the world stage.

But how excellent are they? Let’s commence by seeing at their ability to originate uncover 20s, an indispensable sfinish for success. Here’s how competitive joiners contrast in uncover 20 success rates.

Reinman and Stardyr are top competitors in uncover 20s, with success rates of 66% and 75%, contrastd to the mediocre competitive joiner’s 55%.

For basketball fans: a Crokinole joiner making eight consecutive 20s in dwell join is enjoy an NBA joiner sinking 20 straight free throws during a game—not impossible, but far from normal.

How do they contrast to casual joiners? Observing joiners with varying experience, success rates for in-game uncover 20s ranged from 20% to 50%.

The odds of two opponents making eight consecutive sboilings can vary fantasticly depfinishing on their sfinish level. Here are the odds of a double perfect round.

Our theoretical scenarios show how even a sairy drop in sfinish fantasticly impacts the odds. To witness this exceptional event, both top joiners must hit a boiling streak at the same time.

These percentages mirror in-game trys, where a joiner’s rhythm is disturbed by various sboilings. In non-competitive, less plamigerent settings, their sfinishs reassociate shine—enjoy Shawn Hagarty, who set an unofficial enroll with 64 consecutive uncover 20s.

However, authentic games are far more nuanced and intricate. Players — or their opponents — frequently leave out timely on. Here’s what the data discleave outs after analyzing 300 rounds from various suitups in last season’s tournaments.

At Which Sboiling an Open 20 is First Missed in Competitive Matches

More frequently than not, the elusive double perfect round is lost right at the commence. But I’ve been converseing this in the context of the most elegant create — a “uncontaminated” double perfect round, where all 16 sboilings are made as uncover 20s.

Technicassociate, though, a leave out doesn’t finishly rule out a perfect round. A perfect round can (and frequently does) comprise a combination of uncover 20s and ricochet 20s, where a disc bounces in off the opponent’s.

The perfect blfinish of aim and power is needd to perfect sboilings enjoy those. Try it yourself: can you accomplish the experience-excellent ricochet 20?

Going for a 20 isn’t always the best or even a viable selection. Discs on the board present more exciting scenarios that comprise layers of strategy.

Having all your discs on your side is usuassociate a strong defensive position, but watching your opponent dismantle it can be demoralizing. That’s exactly what happened in this round between Andrew Hutchinson and Nolan Tracey.

The Stardyr-Reinman round was the only double perfect in a evaluate of 445 highly competitive rounds in the past year. One slimg is certain: more sfinished joiners tfinish to hold the board evident and originate uncover 20s at a higher rate, increasing the chance of glimpsing a uncontaminated double perfect round.

If there’s one apshowaway, it’s that Crokinole is fun and the community is awesome. Whether you’re joining to prosper or equitable flicking a scant rounds with Grandma during the holidays, it’s a fantastic time.

So, maybe you’re into Crokinole now? Here are some resources to help you get commenceed, or go get some train in with the simulator.

P.S. Crokinole isn’t an Olympic sport — yet.