Instructions for a Croquet Game

Set up

• 1

  Find a large open space approximately 100 feet long by 50 feet wide.

• 2

  Place a wicket in the center of the field facing vertically and a stake at each end facing the center wicket.

• 3

  Place one wicket approximately six feet in front of each stake facing toward the wicket in the middle. Place a second wicket approximately 12 feet in front of each stake facing toward the middle. This should create a line: stake, wicket, wicket, center wicket, wicket, wicket, stake.

• 4

  Start at the center wicket and walk approximately 16 feet vertically then 20 feet horizontally and place another wicket. Return to the center wicket and repeat three times in all directions so that the four remaining wickets create a square in the center of the field.

• 5

  Flip a coin to determine which player or team goes first. Players typically play on two teams and play commences in the following order, based on the players' mallet and ball color: blue, red, black, yellow, green and orange. Teams typically divide by color: blue, black and green form team one and red, yellow and orange form team two.

Game Play

• 6

  Place a ball halfway between the bottom stake and the first wicket and try to hit the ball through both wickets.

• 7

  Play continues with each player taking turns hitting his ball between the wickets in the following order: bottom stake, bottom two wickets, left bottom wicket, center wicket, left top wicket, two top wickets, stake, then back in the other direction top two wickets, top right wicket, center wicket, bottom right wicket and then the two bottom wickets to the stake.

• 8

  Score points by hitting the ball in between the wickets and hitting the stakes. The five wickets forming the straight line are each worth two points, while the four wickets creating the square are each worth one point. Hitting the two stakes earns a point each for a grand total of 16 points.

• 9

  Earn bonus strokes every time a ball passes through a wicket, hits a stake, or roquets, meaning hits another player's ball. Players must use bonus strokes each turn. If a player roquets he earns two bonus strokes. Use bonus strokes each turn.

• 10

  Use roquet bonus strokes in the following ways: place the ball a mallet's stroke from the hit ball and hit your ball twice; place a ball next to the hit ball and hit your ball twice while attempting to knock the other player's ball out of the way, or place the ball next to the hit ball and step on your ball so as to only knock the other player's ball out of the way. Roquet only once per turn.

• 11

  Accumulate points to win the game; the team with the highest number of points wins the game.