Croquet Part 3

A ball moved under the foot in croqueting, but not flinching, is accidentally displaced.

34. _If a ball accidentally displaced make a step on the round, the step is valid unless the ball be replaced._

In the same case the position is good if it pa.s.s under the arch of a bridge from the front.

35. _If a ball in motion be interrupted by one of the players, it may rest at the point of interruption, or be carried to the most distant part of the arena in the direction in which it was moving, at the option of the enemy of the player causing the interruption._

If a croqueted ball is interrupted, the croquet may be repeated.

36. _A player may decline any point made by himself, and play precisely as if the point had not been made._

Of course if no other point is made on the same blow the tour is finished. The application of the principle is connected with double points. If a single roquet is declined, the effect is the same as if the croquet and continuance of tour were declined; but if a step on the round is declined, it remains the proper step and must be made again, and the tour ceases. If the player wishes to adopt this course he must signify that he declines the run or toll, or he will be presumed to have declined continuance of tour merely. Striking out is not a point, and of course cannot be declined.

CASE.--A ball pa.s.ses through its bridge and recoils under the arch. Can the player decline the run, leaving the ball in position? No. If it ran the bridge, it pa.s.ses under the arch in the wrong direction in recoiling. So also if the bridge declined is the second of two consecutive ones run, or a single blow--a case more likely to occur, as continuance of tour is then retained by virtue of the first run.

37. _If a player decline one of two points made on the same blow, he may continue his tour by virtue of the other._

He should signify which one he intends to decline; and unless he does so, either by words or by the course of play, he may be presumed not to have declined either.

38. _A step on the round made and declined must be made again, and when made const.i.tutes a point._

For instance, a ball makes roquet upon another ball, and accidentally glances through its own bridge. If it should be in position after croqueting, it may prefer to decline the run and make it again. It must be remembered that it is not in position if placed under the arch to croquet, and that the roquet must have been legitimate at the time of contact, otherwise the run is the only point made, for the right to re-roquet cannot be antedated.

CASE.--A ball makes roquet and runs a bridge at the same shot. After croqueting, he attempts to run the bridge and fails. Can he adopt the previous run? No. The attempt to run the bridge shows that he elected to decline the bridge. If he wishes to play in the direction of the bridge without declining he should signify his election, and then an accidental run will not const.i.tute a point. If he plays in another direction, the bridge is not declined unless he so signify. He has the option at the time, but must make his choice at once; and if he says nothing before he plays, he is committed to that alternative which his play seems naturally to indicate.

39. _A step on the round made by a ball through concussion, croquet, or roquet-croquet from another ball, cannot be declined, and the next step becomes proper._

40. _A step on the round made by flinch, accident, or misplay, is valid or not at the option of the enemy of the party in fault, who must make their decision at once._

In case of accident or displace through a misplaying ball, it depends upon whether the ball is left or replaced. In case of the misplayer's ball, or a flinching ball, the option is with the enemy. In the cases of Rule 39 there is no option, and in Rule 36 it rests with the player himself.

41. _If a ball makes two successive steps on the round with one blow of the mallet, and does not decline the latter, it may take ground up to a standard mallet's length before continuing its tour._

The first step cannot be declined from the nature of the case; the second may, but then there is no ground for the premium. The second point will be declined if it is possible to make very good position for the second bridge by roquet, or to glance off from the stake to advantage. If the mallet's length allows a ball to take ground on the reverse side of its proper bridge this will not count as a run, nor will the ball be in position if placed under the arch. Up to a mallet's length of course includes everything less.

42. _A step on the round is not declined if it be made the ground for continuance of tour, re-roquet, or taking ground under the last two rules, and in such case it cannot be made again._

CASE.--A having already roqueted B's ball, can he decline the run? If he does the hit is no roquet, and no point has been made.

CASE.--A runs a bridge and roquets a ball. The two b.a.l.l.s rest in such relative positions that A can roquet the same ball back through the bridge. Can he, after doing this, re-run the bridge? Not on that tour; for if he continues his tour, the second hit must have been a roquet; the roquet on the first blow must have been declined; therefore the bridge could not have been declined. Or, if the bridge was declined, the first hit was a roquet and the second no point; therefore his tour is at an end.

43. _A roquet made and declined may be made again during the same tour, although the right to re-roquet has not been acquired, and when so made it const.i.tutes a point._

The first hit was not a roquet if really declined. (See Rule 45.) A ball may be hit and moved by concussion before a roquet as well as after one.

Thus if a step on the round and a roquet be made on the same blow, the player may at once croquet the roqueted ball, or roquet it again immediately or after other roquets. Not croqueting the ball is evidence enough of having declined, as there could never be any advantage in declining the croquet and not the roquet, if it can properly be declined.

44. _A ball making ricochet--that is, roqueting several b.a.l.l.s on the same blow--may croquet them all in the order of the roquets._

Any one of the roquets may be declined and made again after croqueting the other b.a.l.l.s in their proper order. Not croqueting is sufficient evidence of declining; but if none are croqueted, and the ball is not moved to the side of any one, the player must declare which he means to decline. As soon as a step on the round is made, it no longer makes any difference whether a roquet was declined or not.

CASE.--A ball makes roquet on two b.a.l.l.s simultaneously. Can it croquet them both? Yes, and the player should have the option of either order.

45. _A roquet is not declined if it is made the ground for continuance of tour, croquet, or playing from the side of the roqueted ball; and in such case the same ball cannot be roqueted again during the same tour until the right to re-roquet has been acquired._

46. _A ball running the last bridge by a direct blow of the mallet must be carried to the spot and played from thence as a rover, unless it strike out on the same blow._

The ball in this last case pa.s.ses over the spot, and thus of itself complies with the condition and becomes a rover, after which it may strike out. Hence, also, if it does strike out, the bridge cannot be declined so as to save the ball.

CASE.--A ball runs the last bridge and roquets a ball on the same blow.

Can it croquet? Not unless the bridge is declined, otherwise it must be placed on the spot immediately.

47. _A ball running the last bridge otherwise than by a direct blow of the mallet becomes a rover, but must be played from its final position like any other ball._

48. _A rover having no bridges to run can never re-roquet._

A rover can make no more points than the number of b.a.l.l.s in the game, and can have but one more blow.

49. _A rover, but no other ball, may roquet-croquet a roqueted ball instead of croqueting it._

If the player, however, elect to use the foot, and his ball flinch, he must suffer the penalty. If in flinching the rover strike the starting stake, he is out if the enemy so decide.

50. _If a rover in roquet-croqueting hit another ball, it may accept or decline the roquet._

It is ent.i.tled to another blow after roquet-croquet at any rate; therefore the roquet is not necessary to give continuance of tour.

51. _A rover fails to roquet-croquet if the other ball is not moved, and the tour terminates unless another ball is roqueted on the same blow._

The blow not being a roquet-croquet, a point must be made to ent.i.tle to continuance of tour. A roquet-croquet is precisely like a roquet when the b.a.l.l.s are in contact. (See Rule 17 and remarks.)

52. _A rover is struck out whenever it touches the starting stake, except when in case of accident or misplay the enemy of the party in fault decide otherwise._

CHAPTER V.

HINTS TO BEGINNERS.

1. Leave your ball as far from your enemy and as near your friend as possible.

2. If you are in advance, help your friend; if you are behind, call upon him to help you.

3. Recollect that position directly under the arch of your proper bridge enables you to command all the field in front of it. You can run the bridge and leave your own ball near any other you wish to croquet, as the run gives you another shot. It is many times advantageous to decline making any stroke from such position, and wait until you see an opportunity to do execution among the enemy.

4. Take pains and exercise judgment on every stroke.

5. If you are a rover, leave yourself close to your friend. He can then croquet you towards the enemy who played last, whom you can afterwards demolish with impunity.