Mad Hatter Derby Croquet Play Rules

The goal of the game - the first player to strike their ball through all of the wickets in the prescribed order and hit both stakes wins.

The order of play - determined by drawing colors at random from the game referee at the beginning of the game.

How to start - each player begins their first turn by placing their ball in a line between the starting stake and the first wicket no closer than one mallet head length from the wicket.

When a player is taking a turn they are called the striker.  A legal strike is with either end of the mallet head.  On their turn the striker gets to strike their ball one time unless additional shots are accrued as explained further below.

Round - A Round is all players getting one turn as the striker, in color order.

Wickets - as each player passes through (or “gains”) a wicket one continuation stroke is earned per wicket. To be considered through the wicket, slide a mallet handle down along the back of the wicket, if it touches the ball it is not through. Gaining a wicket clears any additional continuation strokes from striking other players' balls.

Hitting another player’s ball (aka roquet): After a striker has hit (roqueted) another ball, there are 4 options available.

  1. Take 2 continuation strokes from where the striker's ball came to rest (unless out of bounds per below) or,

  2. Place the striker's ball up to 1 mallet head length away from the roqueted ball in any direction (not though a wicket) and take 2 continuation strokes or,

  3. Place the striker's ball in contact with the roqueted ball and displace that ball further (typically in the same direction as the next strike) and then proceed with one additional continuation stroke or,

  4. Follow the last option with the striker placing their foot or hand on their ball and taking "croquet" followed by one continuation stroke.  This is done to inconvenience the roqueted player at the expense of one of the striker’s shots as their ball won’t move.

    Dead balls - after hitting another player’s ball, that ball becomes “dead” to the striking player.   Once dead, the striker gains no benefit from hitting that ball.  Balls remain dead until the striking player gains their next wicket.

    Note -if the striker hits more than one ball the first live ball is roqueted. Struck balls take their next turn from wherever their ball ended up, unless out of bounds per below, but will gain any wicket their ball traveled through (without receiving a bonus stroke) provided it is the next wicket they needed in order. 

Hitting the turning stake - once a player’s ball hits the turning stake, they may move their ball using the “How to start” opening placement rule and proceed with their turn headed back through the double wickets with one continuation stroke Any extras from roqueting or passing double wickets is lost.  If a player is dead on a ball, hitting the turning stake does NOT reset this like gaining a wicket does.

A striker never accumulates more than 2 continuation strokes and unless they pass through multiple wickets with a single stroke, gaining a wicket always resets it to 1.

Examples - 

A player hits another player, and with the first continuation hits a third player’s ball that isn’t dead, they do not get 2 additional strokes, leaving them with 3, they reset their continuation strokes and proceed with the original set of 4 options on the second hit ball.

A player hits another player and the striker’s ball then gains a wicket, they play on with one continuation.

The striker hits through a wicket and the ball continues on to roqueted another player, the extra stroke from the wicket is lost and the player continues with the roqueted options on the ball.

A player hits the turning stake and another player’s ball that isn’t dead either before or after the stake.  The roqueted is ignored and the player plays on using the turning stake rules.

Out of Bounds -  a ball is out of bounds when it rolls completely past a boundary line or is sent past a boundary line. It must be returned in bounds one mallet head length from the boundary line where it rolled out before play resumes. No penalty is incurred.

Going out of turn - this usually causes a player to forfeit each of their next two turns, the one they took early, and the next time it would be their turn as a penalty.  If the referees determine there has been no harm caused because players whose turns were delayed are on a different part of the course, it is possible to let the offender off with only a stern chiding.

Winner - the winner of the game is the player who hits the starting / ending stake first.  For the first round of the tournament the second player to complete the course will also advance and the game will continue until this is determined.  In order to have an alternate player for the semi-final round, a third place player will be determined by the referees at the conclusion of the complete round in which a second place player is determined.  In the semi-final round, only the first place player will advance to the final.

Time - In order to properly manage the tournament, games are allotted an approximate 40 minute time limit.  If a game is going long and has become an impediment to the flow of the event, the referees may be required to determine the finishers based on player positions on the course after a full round.