Croquet – The Traditional Back Yard Game
Although many people think croquet is a gentle game for
backyard picnics, it can be a fiercely competitive game of skill and strategy.
Croquet is based on simple concepts that can be enjoyed by people of all ages
and abilities. Croquet is believed to have originated in France in the 1300’s.
The name “croquet” appears to have come from a French physician who recommended
the game to his patients as a form of rehabilitative exercise. He gave the game
its name after the crooked stick used to hit the balls through the wickets.
Croquet gained tremendous popularity throughout the British Empire and rules
were formalized in 1868 in Wimbledon. Croquet became a popular, and sometimes
fiercely competitive, game. However, the emergence of tennis cut short the
popularity of croquet and most croquet fields throughout England became tennis
courts. Despite this, croquet remains popular at back yard gatherings because
of its roots, simple manner of play, and because people of all ages and skill
levels enjoy the game.
Croquet
is a very simple game. The field is made of nine wickets, or upside-down “u”
shaped stakes and two end stakes set up in a figure-8 shape. The object is for a player
to start at one stake and work his or her way through the wickets as pictured,
hit the stake at the opposite end, and work his or her way back until he or she
hits the original stake. Whichever player achieves this goal first, wins. Each
wicket passed through or stake hit scores 1 point. The winner will total 16
with each other player scoring somewhere under that.
The colors on the stakes and mallets determine playing
order. Players can agree on an order or, more often, use a coin toss to
determine order. Each hit is called a stroke; bonus strokes can be won by going
through the proper wicket, hitting a stake, or hitting another ball. Hitting
another ball is called roqueting. Single bonus strokes for the first two are
played from where the ball lies. For roqueting, a player is awarded two bonus
strokes and has several options on how to use them.
The player may choose to take his or her two bonus strokes
from where the ball lies. He or she may choose to place his or her own ball a
mallet head’s length away from the ball roqueted and take two strokes from
there. The third and fourth options have the player place his or her ball and
the ball roqueted side by side. From here the player may strike his or her own
ball causing both to move or he or she may place the foot on his or her ball
and hit it causing only the roqueted ball to move. In either case, he or she
still has the second bonus stroke to take as he or she chooses.
There are many other options and variations to croquet, but
no matter how you choose to play, the game is competitive, addictive, and fun
for people of all ages.
