Rules of American Croquet

PART 6. SHOTS

6.1 Continuation Shots

a) The striker has a continuation shot when:

1. the striker ball scores a wicket point, or
2. after a croquet shot,

unless the turn ends because of a fault or any ball goes out of bounds.

b) When a ball other than the striker ball is caused to score a wicket point, no continuation shot is earned.

c) Continuation shots are not cumulative. If a striker ball:

1. scores a wicket and then hits another ball in the same shot, the striker earns a continuation shot for scoring the wicket and has not roqueted the ball hit;
2. makes a roquet during a croquet shot, the striker ball is ball in hand (rule 6.2) and takes croquet (rule 6.4);
3. scores a wicket during a croquet shot, the striker ball earns a single continuation shot as a result of scoring the wicket; or
4. scores two wickets in the same shot, the striker ball earns a continuation shot for only the last wicket.

6.2 Roquet Shots

a) If a striker ball hits another ball on which it is alive, either directly or after glancing off a wicket or stake, it has roqueted that ball (exception: rule 6.3). The striker becomes “ball in hand” at the conclusion of the shot and shall take croquet (rule 6.4), except that the striker shall not be entitled to take croquet if:

1. the striker commits a fault (rules 11.2-11.5),
2. the roqueted ball goes out of bounds or causes another ball to go out of bounds, or
3. the striker ball and the roqueted ball have not yet scored the #1 wicket.

b) The striker ball remains a ball in play until the conclusion of a roquet shot, or until it goes out of bounds. After a roquet occurs, the striker ball may cause any other ball to move, either by a direct hit, with no penalty for hitting a dead ball, or a cannon. The striker becomes responsible for the other ball’s position. A ball that is hit or cannoned by the striker ball after a roquet:

1. is not considered to have been roqueted,
2. retains its new position,
3. is placed in bounds, without penalty to the striker, if it goes out of bounds or is within nine inches of the boundary (see rule 8.3), and
4. is credited with any wicket or stake points that it scored during the shot.

c) If the striker ball roquets two balls simultaneously, the striker shall choose the ball that is deemed to have been roqueted. The other ball is deemed to have been hit by the striker ball after the roquet.

d) After the striker ball makes a roquet, it cannot subsequently in the same shot score for itself the stake or a wicket, other than the #1 wicket.

e) If, at the beginning of a turn, the striker ball is in contact with another ball, it is not ball in hand and may roquet or shoot away from the other ball. If the striker ball is alive on the other ball and chooses to shoot away, no deadness is incurred, and any movement of the object ball will be considered incidental. If the striker ball is dead on the other ball, it must shoot away or rule 11.3 (hitting a dead ball) applies. There is an exception if the striker is trying to score a wicket and the ball it is dead on is lying beyond (not encroaching) the wicket (rule 4.6). In this case the striker may shoot into the dead ball without error if the wicket is made without any other fault occurring.

f) If the striker roquets a ball out of bounds or the roqueted ball causes another ball to go out of bounds, the turn ends and the striker incurs no deadness, with balls replaced in bounds as required by rule 8.3.

6.3 Wicket and Roquet

a) If a striker ball scores a wicket and in the same shot hits any ball lying beyond the non-playing side of the wicket (not intruding into the jaws), it is not a roquet. The striker earns a continuation shot for scoring the wicket, unless the striker committed a fault or any ball went out of bounds (rule 6.1a(1)).

b) If a striker ball attempts to score a wicket and fails, and during the same shot hits a ball the striker ball is alive on, the ball has been roqueted and the striker shall take croquet from it.

6.4 Croquet Shots

a) To take croquet, the striker ball shall be placed on the ground in contact at any point with the roqueted ball, but not in contact with any other ball.

b) Before a croquet shot, the striker may touch or steady the roqueted ball and may further apply such pressure by hand or foot, but not by mallet, as is reasonably necessary to make it hold its position.

c) Before a croquet shot the striker shall not move any ball but his own intentionally, however if another ball is moved unintentionally the striker shall replace the ball without penalty.

d) In the croquet shot, the striker must shoot into the croqueted ball. The croqueted ball must visibly move or shake. Failure to move the croqueted ball is a fault, the balls are replaced and it is end of turn (rule 12.2a).

e) If, during a croquet shot, the striker ball hits a ball it is alive on, it is a roquet (rule 6.2) and the striker must take croquet from the roqueted ball.

f) After the croquet shot, the striker is entitled to a continuation shot unless:

1. the striker’s turn ends because of a fault (rules 11.2-11.5), or
2. the striker has made a roquet in the croquet shot and is required to take croquet from the roqueted ball.

g) The striker may not place a foot or hand on the striker ball to play the croquet shot.

6.5 Ball in Hand

a) Any player may handle any ball that is replaceable after contact, or may return any striker ball, which has just made a roquet, to that striker without penalty

b) In doubles, a player may place a ball for a partner’s croquet shot to save time.