Croquet - Rules

The official rules of Garden Croquet are laid by the World Croquet Foundation. They permit some different variations and also include some tough challenges and make the game a bit more interesting and complex so that Croquet is seen as a serious game instead of some socializing time pass game.

Following are a list of rules to be kept in mind while playing Garden Croquet.

• The game starts by flipping a coin. The side which wins the toss decides which side is going to start the game and the other side decides the balls to be used.

• Each player gets one chance to hit the ball unless an extra shot is earned. Extra shot can be earned either by running a hoop or by hitting any of the other three balls.

• In the first four turns, the players have to bring all four balls into play, after which they have a choice to play any ball they wish to.

• The extra shots are not collective. Also only one extra shot can be earned from every ball till the next hoop is earned.

• There is no penalty if a ball goes out of the court.

• All the balls being played need to be passed through at least some part of the hoop.

• The players have to hit the ball with the face of the mallet without moving the other balls, hoops, or peg to make the shot.

• At the end of the game when a ball hits the peg, it is removed from play.

Though the rules of Garden Croquet seem complicated and too much to memorize, the game is easy to pick and these rules can be taken care of with no time as this game is great fun to play.