Rules Governing Time Limited Games in Association Croquet

by Robert Moss

The away team decides time limits before the game starts.

Someone, preferably an independent person, should be detailed to call time accurately and clearly.

1.  When time is called, the person in play continues until the end of his turn and then his opponent has one further turn. Game ends (but see below) or:

2.  When time is called, if no-one is in play at that point because one player has completed his turn and his opponent has not yet started his turn, each player gets one further turn and then game ends (but see below).

The problem arises when time is called and it is debatable whether the person in play has ended his turn or not.  The CA ruling for exactly this situation says that in this case, the turn ends at the point of striking the ball if the ball then fails to make a roquet or score a hoop. Therefore, if the player strikes the ball, time is called and the ball fails to make a roquet or score a hoop, his turn ended before time was called (2 above applies) BUT if that ball does go on to make a roquet or run a hoop-in-order, it is not the final stroke of his turn and he completes his turn (1 above applies).

No bisque or half bisque can be played in either of these further turns (called the extension period).

Croquet does not permit a draw so if, after this extension period, the score is level, the game continues until the next point has been made.  During this further period of play, bisques and half-bisques may be played.

If Wharrad Turns are to be used (normally 12 each), time is reduced (normally by one hour) by the team captains’ agreement.

When Wharrad Turns are employed, the normal timed ending applies first except that bisques and half-bisques can be played in this extension period and throughout the Wharrad Turns. If, at the end of Wharrad Turns, the score is still level, play continues until one more hoop is scored (this is often informally called The Golden Hoop).

Taking a bisque or half-bisque during Wharrad Turns does not count as one of the turns but is as an extra turn.

See The Laws of Association Croquet.  Law T2