BASICS –
Smack your croquet ball under the wickets in order and into the posts. Least amount of strokes possible.

AREA OF PLAY –
Croquet can be played anywhere – Park, Backyard, Alleyway; pretty much any open area. It is not recommended that you use this set indoors, but feel free to play wherever you like. Just stick to the “Basics” and only hit your croquet balls under the wickets and at the stakes. Do not swing the mallets at anything else or throw the balls at anything else.  Beware of others while playing.

CROQUET LAYOUT–
The standard 9-wicket croquet layout is pictured to the right.  However, you can place the 9 inner wickets in any locations you like.  Boundaries need to be established, out of bounds balls go back on the boundary.

CROQUET RULES PER THE DAY OF GAMES –
There are various ways to play Croquet and many ways to keep score. This is the Day of Games way. The rules below describe games played one team vs. another team (or 1 person vs. 1 person, up 6 people (or teams) playing at once).

a) Determine who goes first, second, third, etc.

b) Player 1places first ball in between first stake and first wicket, then begins the game.  Each player will start exactly the same way by placing the ball in between first stake and wicket and striking with mallet.

c) If the ball passes through both wickets, the player receives two bonus strokes. Generally, bonus strokes do not accumulate – only the last bonus strokes earned are allowed (the exception being the two wickets at the starting or turning stakes). Bonus strokes are awarded for going under a wicket, for striking a stake, or for hitting another ball (this is called roqueting and you get 2 extra strokes).

d) Roqueting – If a player roquets there are four options.
1) Take 2 bonus strokes from where the players ball lands.
2) Place the players ball a single mallet head’s length away from the ball hit and take 2 strokes.
3) Place ball  next to the ball hit. Then hit own ball so that it moves both balls.  Then take another shot.
4) Place own ball side by side with the struck ball. Then placing foot on own ball strike it so as to move the other ball without moving own.   Then take another shot.

e) A player can only roquet once per turn unless the player goes through a wicket or hits the turning stake.

f) If another moves another player’s ball through a wicket or causes it to hit a stake, the wicket or stake is scored, but no bonus strokes are awarded.

First team to go through all wickets and hit the final stake – wins!