Croquet

How to play croquet Croquet can be played by two or four or six players. The object of the game is to hit your ball(s) through the course of six hoops in the right sequence in each direction and finish by hitting them against the centre peg. The side which completes the course first with both balls wins. Each side has two balls, blue and black versus red and yellow. In singles play each player has two balls. In doubles the partners on each side must each play only their own ball. The game starts with all four balls being played on to the court in the first four turns from anywhere along either baulk line. Turns alternate throughout the game. Either, but only one, of the side�s balls may be used in a turn. Initially a turn is only one stroke, unless in that stroke the striker�s ball scores it�s next hoop, or hits another ball. When a hoop is scored the striker has a CONTINUATION stroke. When another ball is hit the striker has made a ROQUET on that ball and is entitled to a further stroke. This stroke, the CROQUET stroke, is made after moving and placing the striker�s ball in contact with the roqueted ball. In the croquet stroke the striker must move or shake the croqueted ball. If the croquet stroke is made without committing 7 a foul stroke or causing the turn to end by sending a ball off the lawn (see below), the striker is then entitled to a CONTINUATION stroke. The turn ends if, in the croquet stroke, the croqueted ball is sent off the court, or the striker�s ball is sent off without first making another roquet or scoring a hoop point for itself. Note however that if the striker�s ball goes off the court after running a hoop the turn does not end. The ball is placed on the yard line and the striker plays his continuation shot. Similarly, when a ball is roqueted off the court it is replaced on the yard line and the croquet shot is played. (It doesn�t matter if the striker�s ball goes off the court because when it hits the other ball it becomes �in hand�). During a turn the striker may roquet, and take croquet from, each ball once, unless his ball scores another hoop, when he may make a further roquet and croquet on each ball. Thus a �break� may continue for a number of strokes.