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There are rules for when a player hits the wrong ball, or makes a fault during the strike of his/her own ball, or suffers any non-striking fault (e.g. being hit by a ball, or touching a ball). One way of summarising them is given below. However, more serious players are better off reading the full rules available on the Croquet Association website.
- Each turn consists of striking the correct ball (they must be played in order- blue, red, black, yellow or green, pink, brown, white) with the face of the mallet head and with no other part of the mallet, though an ‘edge' shot is forgiven if it is not critical. Accidentally touching your ball counts as a strike. When it is your turn you have to take it - you are not allowed to “pass”.
- When striking your ball be careful not to touch another ball with your mallet as this constitutes a “fault”. It is also a fault to hit your own ball more than once - a “double tap” - or to “crush” your ball into a hoop or the peg. Great care has to be taken to avoid these faults when your ball is close to an upright of a hoop and at an angle to the opening. It is usually a fault to ‘force' the ball through regardless. Beginners make this error commonly.
- If a fault is committed the turn ends, no points are scored, and the opponent can decide to take his/her turn from where the balls are, or to have them returned to where they were. The opponent then plays his/her ball in the normal sequence.
- Even if it's not your turn you must not touch any ball with anything, or let it touch you, or you will lose your next turn. So don't trip over a ball, and watch out for moving balls. They can move very fast! If you do touch a ball, the opponent can choose to leave it where it comes to rest, or to put it back where it was before, and your upcoming turn (or in doubles, your upcoming team turn) is forfeit. If you fault on your turn, it is this turn that is forfeit.
- If a singles player plays with a croquet ball that is theirs personally, but it is in the wrong sequence, then all is forgiven, balls return to where they were and play recommences as normal with the player whose turn it normally is.
- If a player plays with a croquet ball that is not theirs personally, or plays when it is not their side's turn (singles or doubles), then a full fault is committed. This is a really big error. The turn ends, no points are scored, and the opponent can decide to take his/her turn from where the balls are, or to have them returned to where they were. This opposing side then plays either of this side's croquet balls and the game continues in the new sequence.
- In the case of the scenario in (5) about to happen then players in the game should forestall the eventuality by warning the striker. In the case of the scenario in (6) about to happen the opposing side should not forestall (though in doubles the striker's partner will hopefully forestall)
- In the case of a player playing after a fault when the fault was not noticed by any player, the playing player has condoned the fault. If the same player faults during this strike then the judgment is on that fault (not the previous one which was condoned, or any that went before it).