Croquet – the game.

 

There are two games of croquet, Golf (GC) and Association (AC). They have different rules and tactics, but use the same court layout, balls and mallets. They have the same objective of getting balls through the hoops in a sequence andin both games the Red and Yellow balls play against Blue and Black. Games are played as either singles with two players each with 2 balls, or as doubles with four players each with 1 ball.

 

Golf Croquet: has simpler rules and is more interactive. Each turn is a single stroke with the balls played in the sequence: Blue, Red, Black, Yellow, then Blue again. The object is to pass through the hoops in a set order. Each hoop is a contest in its own right: the side whose ball first runs it get a point: then all balls immediately go on to try and run the next hoop in order. As soon as one side has got the agreed number of points, normally 7, the game is over. Success depends on accurate ball positioning and hoop running, as well as employing tactics to prevent your opponents from running hoops.

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Association Croquet: is like snooker in that a turn can consist of a number of successful strokes, in which several points (hoops) can be scored. The winner is the first side to get both its balls round the course of hoops finally hitting the peg in the centre of the lawn. Extra strokes are earned by causing the ball you are hitting with your mallet (called the strikers ball) either to run its next hoop, or hit another ball. The latter entitles the striker to two extra strokes: a ‘croquet’ stroke where the striker’s ball is picked up, placed in contact with the ball it hit and a positional shot then played. The striker is then entitled to a ‘continuation’ shot with his ball played from where it ends up. You’ll really need a demonstration to appreciate how the game is played.

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