Association Croquet
|
The "purest" form of croquet. In Association Croquet the object of the game is to get both balls around a course of twelve hoops in a set order, and finish by hitting the centre peg, (which has given us the phrase "pegging out"). On your turn you have two options:
This second option is the key to the game. When you hit another ball, you pick your ball up and place it against the ball you've hit. You then play your ball again (called a croquet stroke). This means you can send both balls to different parts of the lawn. After the croquet stroke you have another free shot with which you can aim for another ball or run your hoop. You're allowed to hit (and then croquet) each of the other three balls on your turn. |
World Championship 2012 - Adelaide
Bamford v Fletcher |
By careful play you should be able to manoeuvre your ball in front of its hoop. If you do that and then run the hoop, you're allowed to hit all the other balls again. By using the other three balls you can then get your ball in front of its next hoop, etc, etc.
Good players can make 'breaks' as in snooker, sometimes running all twelve hoops in a single turn. But....if the player miscalculates and fails to run the hoop or hit another ball, their turn comes to an end, and their opponent has the chance to make the running himself.
This above description gives the essentials of the game; all other rules and modifications can be picked up easily in the course of play. Check the Oxford croquet site for more
Good players can make 'breaks' as in snooker, sometimes running all twelve hoops in a single turn. But....if the player miscalculates and fails to run the hoop or hit another ball, their turn comes to an end, and their opponent has the chance to make the running himself.
This above description gives the essentials of the game; all other rules and modifications can be picked up easily in the course of play. Check the Oxford croquet site for more
