Croquet - How to Play

Set Up 

1. The 2 Posts 72 feet apart.
2. Wicket #1 7 feet in front of the Starting Post.
3. Wicket #2 7 feet in front of #1
4. Wicket #3 14 feet to the right of and 1 foot in advance of #2.
5. Wicket #4 22 feet in advance of #2 and in direct line with #1 & #2 and the post.
6. Wickets #5,6,7,8,&9 at the same relative distances.
7. Wickets #1,2,4,6,&7 should be in line with the 2 Posts.
   Wickets #3,5,8,&9 are called the Wing Wickets.

Definitions 

• Croquet
  When a Player's ball is touching a Roqueted ball, the Player is allowed to put his hand or foot on his own ball and strike it with the mallet, sending the roqueted ball in any direction, leaving the Players ball stationary.
• Rover
  After completing the entire course, through wickets 1-9 and 2&1 again, if the player does not strike the Starting Post, he may make his ball a Rover and continue play.
• Roquet
  A ball is Roqueted if the Players ball comes in contact with it after the Player's ball is driven with the mallet. The Player is entitled to 2 additional strokes. Or, he may elect to Croquet or Roquet-Croquet the roqueted ball and only take 1 additional stoke.
• Roquet-Croquet
  The Player's ball is placed in contact with a roqueted ball and the Player strikes his ball with the mallet, driving both balls in any direction.

Rules 

1. Players start their tour by placing their ball 1/3 the way between the Starting Post and Wicket #1, when it is their turn.
2. To complete their TOUR, a player must get his/her ball through wickets #1,2,3,4,5,6,&7 , stike the Turning Post, and then return through wickets #7,6,8,4,9,2,&1 , in that order, to strike the Starting Post(unless the Player opts to be a ROVER).
3. The ball must always be struck with the full face of the mallet tip, never pushed.
4. A Players turn, or tour, lasts as long as it passes through a wicket, stikes another ball, or strikes a post.
5. A Player receives 1 additional shot for each wicket they pass through or post they stike , in the correct order.
6. The ball is played from where it comes to rest after striking a Post.
7. A Player receives 2 additional strokes for striking (roqueting) another ball. He may place his ball a mallet's head length from the other ball to take his 2 stokes. He also has the option of croqueting or roquet-croqueting the struck ball.
8. A stroke is counted if the ball moves AT ALL. Even if it returns to it's original position.
9. If a player plays out of turn, all balls are returned to their original position, and play continues as normal.
10. If the wrong ball is played, the offending player loses his turn, and the ball is returned to it's original position.
11. If a Player passes through a wicket after striking another ball, he must replay that wicket and follow the rules of roqueting.
12. A Player(except a rover) cannot roguet the same ball twice in a row unless it passs through a wicket, roquets another ball or strikes a post first.
13. If both the roqueted and the croqueted balls pass through the proper wicket on one stroke, only the croqueted ball gets the extra stroke.
14. If more than one ball is roqueted, play is taken from the first ball roqueted. Play off the other balls is permissible.
15. If a Rover ball strikes a post , it is eliminated from play,immediately. It cannot be roqueted-croqueted or croqueted once illiminated.
16. Opponents alternate turns in Partnership play.
17. If a ball goes out of bounds, it is replaced at the edge of the playing area, where it went off.
18. A ball is "bridged" , not through a wicket, if the ball touches the handle of the mallet when laid across the wicket on the side from which the ball was struck.
19. A player's mallet must not contact the wicket when striking a Bridged ball. The ball must be returned and the turn forfeited if the wicket is struck.
20. If a player strikes a bridged ball while passing through that wicket, it does not count as a roquet. The Player may then proceed to roquet the ball with his gained stroke
21. The Player or Team to finish their Tour first , WINS !