OBJECT OF THE GAME:
The object of the game is to race your opponent around the playing course and hit the finishing stake first. There
are always two sides or opponents. The red/yellow/orange balls play the blue/black/ green balls. 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6
players play the game. When the number of balls equals the number of players each player gets their own color
ball. When the number of balls does not equal the number of players, the players on that side alternate turns and
may play any one ball on their side in a turn. With two players, each of them plays all three balls on a side.
RULES TO PLAY:
1.
The sequence of colors on the starting stake determines the order in which players shall play. The top color
is first to play and so forth.
2.
The starting “tee” is half-way between the starting stake and the middle of the first wicket.
3.
The ball must be struck and not pushed, and always with the full face of the mallet.
4.
No ball can croquet or be croqueted until it passes through the first wicket.
5.
Every player has a right to an additional stroke after driving his ball through a wicket or hitting the turning
stake.
6.
Every player has a right to two additional strokes if the player’s ball strikes an opponent’s ball ( roquet).
7.
Players driving his ball through both the first and second or the sixth and seventh wickets are entitled to two
additional strokes.
8.
Bonus strokes may not be accumulated. Only the last two bonus strikes may be played.
9.
Every stroke counts no matter how slightly the ball moves.
10. If a player wholly misses the ball, it counts as a stroke and the turn ends, unless the player has a bonus
stroke.
11. In case a player plays out of turn, there is no penalty. Any ball moved during the out -of-turn play is replaced
to its position prior to the error. If the error is not discovered until later, only the last ball played out of turn is
replaced and the correct ball then proceeds.
12. If a member of the game plays with the wrong ball, the player must replace the ball without loss of a turn.
13. If your ball croquets an opponent’s ball and both balls pass through a wicket you earn two additional strokes
but not the wicket. If a bonus stroke is used to croquet, the wicket counts and only one additional stroke is
earned. [The croqueted ball (opponent’s) earns the wicket but is not allowed a bonus stroke.]
14. You may not roquet (hit) an opponent’s ball a second time until your ball has either: hit another ball, passed
through a wicket, or hit a stake.
15. The second bonus stroke after a roquet is an ordinary stroke played from where the striker ball comes to
rest.
16. A player roqueting a ball is not compelled to croquet it.
17. In case a ball is driven out of bounds, it must be placed one mallet head’s length from on the boundary
where it went out.
18. A ball has not passed the wicket if the handle of the mallet can touch the ball when laid across the back side
of the wicket.
19. If a roqueting ball touches one or more balls, it may croquet as many balls as it strikes, but this allows for
only two one additional stroke. If one of the several balls hit is croqueted, all of the balls must be croqueted.
TECHNICAL TERMS:
1.
Roquet
– to roquet a ball is to cause your ball, by a stroke of the mallet, to come in contact with another,
either directly or indirectly. By roqueting you get two additional bonus strokes.
2.
Croquet
– to strike one’s own ball when in contact with a roqueted ball, the player is allowed to put his foot
on his own ball and with his mallet, drive it against the other and send it in any direction.
3.
Roquet Croquet
– it is about the same as croquet. It is not necessary to put the foot upon the ball, but the
player may, by striking his ball, send both in any direction.
4.
Ricochet
– the act of roqueting two or more balls by one strike of the mallet.
5.
Rover
– Can be used in doubles and triples. When a ball has been through all of the wickets and before it
strikes the starting stake and the player prefers to continue to play, he makes his ball a rover to aid his own
side and drive the others back.
Game Rules
