How To Play - "Two-Ball Match-Play Croquet" Rules

A game which gets people playing something like Association Croquet in minutes with minimal coaching.

1. 

   Games are between two players, who have one ball each: Several games can take place on a court at one time; if another game gets in the way, wait or temporarily remove the obstructing ball.
2. The winner of a coin toss chooses to go first or second, the other player chooses the ball colours. When first played into the game, each ball is played from either A‑baulk or B‑baulk (see diagram), which is one yard (approximately a mallet’s length) from the boundary.
3. The objective is to score (run) more hoops than your opponent. Once a hoop has been scored, play moves to the next hoop; hence, the game is best of 13 points (the last point is for hitting the peg) or first to 7.
4. Hoops are run in the order and direction shown on the diagram (the blue- and red-topped hoops define the court’s orientation). If a ball gets stuck in a hoop, it may complete scoring the point in another turn. You can score points for the other ball by knocking (peeling) it through the hoop.
5. At the start of each turn, you have one stroke.
   1. If you score the relevant hoop, you gain an extra (continuation) stroke, which is played from wherever your ball came to rest after scoring the point. This is as if you are starting your turn again, although you are now for the next hoop.
   2. If you hit (roquet) the other ball you gain two further strokes.
      1. In the first stroke, place your ball in contact with the other ball and play a stroke. In this (croquet) stroke, both balls must move and stay on the court; otherwise, your turn ends.
      2. In the second (continuation) stroke, you play your ball from where it came to rest after the croquet stroke.
      3. Having roqueted a ball, you may not do so again during that turn unless you first run your hoop.
   3. Through a combination of these two methods, it is possible to construct a break in which many points are scored in a turn
6. Any ball that goes out of court (i.e. crosses the boundary) is replaced one yard (approximately a mallet’s length) in from the boundary.
7. Faults. If you commit any of the following errors, your turn ends and your opponent has a choice of whether to leave the balls where they ended up, or having them replaced.
   1. Hitting your ball more than once in a stroke
   2. Any contact with a ball other than your ball during a stroke
   3. Hitting your ball other than with a face of the mallet
   4. Any shot that damages the court