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Rules of the Game Croquet

Croquet is a classic game dating back to the 1300s. It is believed to have originated in France with the name "paille-maille," or ball-mallet, and soon spread to Scotland and England. This simple ball and mallet game was considered excellent practice for golf. Though croquet evolved as a competitive sport, it is frequently played for casual recreation. Today, croquet is enjoyed in backyards across the United States as a fun summer pastime.

Game Play
- Croquet can be played by two, four or six players. The colors of the balls determine the order of play. The order of play is blue, red, black, yellow, green and orange. Blue, black and green are on one team while red, yellow and orange are on the other. A coin toss is used to determine which team will play first.
Objective and Scoring
- The object of a game is to move the croquet balls through the wickets in the correct order and direction, striking the stake at each end of the course as the game progresses. A point is scored for each wicket the ball passes through and each stake that it hits. To properly score a wicket, the ball must pass through the wicket completely. A ball that comes to rest inside the wicket does not earn a point. If a player's ball passes through a wicket or strikes a stake after another player's ball hits it, the player who owns that ball will earn the corresponding point. She won't earn a bonus shot since the point was not scored on her turn. One shot is allowed per turn unless a bonus shot is earned.
Bonus Shots
- Players can acquire bonus shots in a number of ways. If the striker ball hits the turning stake or scores a wicket, the player earns one bonus shot. If the ball scores two wickets at the starting or turning stakes, the player earns two bonus shots. In either instance, the ball must be played from the position where it came to rest. Bonus shots can also be earned by hitting another player's ball, known as roquetting. A roquet earns two bonus strokes, the first of which can be played in a variety of ways. The player can take his shot from where the striker ball came to a rest. He can also move the ball to a distance either a mallet head away from or in direct contact with the second ball that was hit. If the striker ball is played from a position in contact with the ball that was hit, the player has the option of placing his foot on the striker ball so that the strike only moves the other ball. The second bonus shot earned from a roquet must be taken from where the striker ball comes a rest. A player cannot earn more than two bonus shots in one turn.

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