PART 1. GAME OVERVIEW 
1. The game can be played by 2,
3, 4, 5, or 6 players.
2. The game is designed to be played
with 6 balls or 4 balls. The game can be played between 2 sides
or as individual (cut- throat) play where each player is playing
for him/herself with no partner.
3. Wickets may be up to twice the
diameter of balls.
4. All terrain; close cropped grass
is best.
5. Wicket clips are useful but optional.
6. The standard double diamond rectangular
court may be adjusted to fit the size and shape of the space available.
In ideal situations, use the nine wicket court diagram
which shows a 50' x 1OO' court with boundaries. Marked boundaries
are optional.
7. A game usually requires from
one to two hours to play to its conclusion, that is, until one
of the two sides has "staked out" by striking the "finishing
stake" with each ball on a team.
8. In games with time limits, the
winner is determined by counting points ( see rule 10 below) to
see which side has progressed the farthest around the court at
the moment time has expired.
9. Each wicket made in the proper
order and stake hit count as one point.
10. Each ball in a game can score
16 points for its side, 14 wicket point and 2 stake points. In
the 6 ball game there are 48 points that can be scored by each
side (3 balls to a team). In the 4 ball game there are 32 points
that can be scored by each side (2 balls to a team).
PART 2. THE TEAMS
11. When playing with 6 balls the
order of play is blue, red black, yellow, green and orange. When
playing with 4 balls the order of play is blue, red, black and
yellow.
12. In team play with 6 balls, one
side plays blue/black/green while the other plays red/yellow/orange.
13. In team play with 4 balls one
side plays blue/black while the other plays red/yellow.
14. In singles, one person plays
all the balls of one side. It is recommended that the four ball
version be used in singles. Blue and black oppose red and yellow.
15. In doubles, two players per
side, each playing one ball. It is recommended that the four ball
version be used in doubles as in singles.
16. In triples, three players per
side, each playing one ball. It is recommended that the six ball
version be used.
17. In individual (cutthroat) play
each player is playing for him/herself with no partner. It is
recommended that the 6 ball version be used in individual play.
18. In games for two, four or six
people, players play in regular sequence playing the correct ball
in rotation. If there are three or 5 players, two players on one
side and one or three on the other, the side with two players
play in sequence with their balls playing in correct rotation,
the other side can play in the following manner; on a side with
one player that player plays two balls, on a side with two players
the players alternate play on one ball.
PART 3. COMMENCING PLAY
19. A coin toss is used to determine
which side gets to go first.
20. Each of the balls is brought
into play in the first six sums, beginning 36" directly in
front of the "starting stake".
PART 4. THE TURN
21. In a six ball game the order
of play is blue, red, black, yellow, green, then orange.
22. In a four ball game the order
of play is blue, red, black, and yellow.
23. At the conclusion of a turn
in which a wicket or stake point is scored, the wicket clip of
the color corresponding to the ball should be placed on the next
wicket or stake to be scored by that ball.
24. If your set does not include
wicket clips you may use colored clothespins.
PART 5. BONUS STROKES
25. There are two ways to earn bonus
strokes;
1) Scoring a wicket or hitting the
"turning stake" gives you one bonus stroke.
2) Roqueting (hitting) a ball with
the strikers ball gives you two bonus strokes.
26. All wicket or stake bonus strokes
must be played from where the ball lies after the point is made.
27. After roqueting (hitting) a
ball a player has four options:
1) Take the two bonus strokes from
where the players ball has come to rest.
2) With "ball in hand"
place the players ball one mallet head's length away from the
other ball in any direction and then take two bonus strokes.
3) With "ball in hand"
place the players ball in contact with the struck ball (where
it has come to rest) then strike the player's ball so as to send
both balls in the desired direction. This is called a croquet
shot. The striker then has one bonus stroke remaining.
4) With "ball in hand"
place the players ball in contact with the struck ball (where
it has come to rest) and placing the player's foot on his own
ball so as to render it immobile, strike the player's own ball
so as to send the other ball off in the desired direction while
the player's ball remains where it is. The player then has one
more bonus stroke remaining. If the players ball moves from under
the foot there is no penalty and the bonus stroke is taken.
28. Each ball may be roqueted (hit)
for bonus strokes only once in a turn, unless the striker scores
a wicket or strikes the turning stake, in which case the balls
may be roqueted again for bonus strokes.
29. Bonus strokes may not be accumulated.
Only the last earned bonus strokes may be played. The exception
to this rule occurs if you score both wickets at the starting
and turning stakes.
30. Roqueting a ball a second time
in a turn with not yet having scored a wicket point is not considered
a fault. You do not receive, however, additional bonus strokes
as a result of the second roquet. Play proceeds from where the
balls came to rest.
31. If another player (partner or
opponent) puts your ball through its proper wicket or into the
turning stake, your side gets the point but no bonus stroke.
32. If a player roquets (hits) more
than one ball in a stroke it will get bonus strokes from the first
ball roqueted with the other balls remaining where they came to
rest.
33. Playing the game with "Deadness"
is optional. See Part 10. DEADNESS for specifics.
PART 6. ROVER BALLS 
34. Rovers are balls which have
completed all of the course except for striking the finishing
stake.
35. Rovers may be staked out, that
is, driven into the finishing stake with any legal stroke by any
player at any point in the game.
36. Rovers can only roquet (hit)
the other balls once in a turn to receive bonus strokes.
37. The purpose of the rover is
to help his/her partner and to hinder the opponents.
38. A rover can only score a point
by "staking out" at the finishing stake and is then
removed from the game.
PART 7. BOUNDARIES AND
OUT-OF-BOUNDS BALLS
39. String or painted boundaries
for the nine wicket court shown in the attached illustration are
not essential. Natural boundaries such as trees or bushes can
be used.
40. Boundaries designated by string
or other means should be at least 6' beyond the outer wickets.
See diagram.
41. A ball sent out of bounds should
be placed on the boundary margin one mallet length (36 inches)
inside the boundary line at the point of exit. If the player has
a second bonus shot he/she then plays it. There is no penalty
for going out of bounds.
42. All balls that come to rest
within the boundary margin (closer than one mallet length to the
boundary) are immediately replaced on the boundary margin, with
the one exception of the players ball being still in play on a
bonus stroke.
PART 8. FAULTS AND PENALTIES
43. You must strike the ball squarely
with the face of the mallet only.
44. The mallet may not hit another
ball when striking the ball you are playing.
45. The mallet may not hit the wicket
or stake to cause your ball to move.
46. If a fault is committed, as
in the above, all balls are replaced and the turn ends.
47. Unless there is a referee the
word of the player should be taken in disputes.
48. If a ball is played out of turn
it is not a fault. The ball(s) are replaced and the proper ball
plays.
PART 9. DEADNESS (OPTIONAL)
49. A ball is "dead" on
another ball when it roquets it during a turn. You do not become
"alive" and able to roquet that ball again until you
have been through a wicket in proper sequence or hit the fuming
stake. A rover ball may become "alive" by going through
any wicket in any direction, but may still only roquet (hit) the
other balls once per turn. This option allows for more complex
strategy.
