Official Poison Croquet Rules

Objective

Become Poison by completing the course.
Eliminate all opponents.

Players, Teams & Ball Order

Player Count

A match may include 2 to 6 players.

Ball Control

A player may participate in one of the following configurations:

Individual (One Ball): The player controls a single ball.
Two‑Ball Format: The player controls two balls and alternates between them as they appear in the ball order.
Team/Doubles Format: Two players jointly control two balls.

Standard Ball Order

Blue → Red → Black → Yellow → Green → Orange (Only the balls in use for the selected format are placed into rotation.)

Match Formats

Individual (One Ball per Player)

Used primarily for 3–6 player matches.

Each player controls one ball.
Turns proceed in the standard ball order.
Play continues until all but one ball is eliminated. The player whose ball survives (the longest) wins!

This format represents the traditional, most common style of group play.

Two‑Ball (Competitive / 1v1 / 1v1v1)

Used primarily for 1v1 league play and 2–3 player matches.

Each player controls two balls.
The players alternates between their balls as they appear in the ball order.
Standard four‑ball sequence for 1v1 play: Blue (P1 Ball 1) → Red (P2 Ball 1) → Black (P1 Ball 2) → Yellow (P2 Ball 2) Then repeat.
Standard six-ball sequence for 1v1v1 play: Blue (P1 Ball 1) → Red (P2 Ball 1) → Black (P3 Ball 1) → Yellow (P1 Ball 2) → Green (P2 Ball 2) → Orange (P3 Ball 2)
Then repeat.
Play continues until all but one player’s balls are eliminated. The player whose ball survives (the longest) wins!

This format increases strategic options and generally results in faster play.

Poison

A player becomes Poison under the following conditions:

Two‑Ball Format: A player’s balls become Poison when their second ball completes the course and strikes the finishing stake.
Individual Format: A player’s ball becomes Poison immediately upon completing the course and striking the finishing stake.

If one of a player’s balls is eliminated before becoming Poison:

The remaining ball becomes Poison upon completing the course,
Or immediately, if it had already completed the course.

Standard Course Layout

Please see the diagram at the bottom of this page.

The standard course contains:

Nine wickets between two stakes.
Two wickets are positioned in front of each stake. Wicket #1 is placed between 2 – 5 feet in front of the Finishing Stake. Wicket #2 is placed 1 – 3 feet in front of Wicket #1. Wicket #7 and Wicket #6, respectively, are similarly placed on the other side of the course in front of the Turn Stake.
One center wicket is placed approximately midway between the two stakes.
Two wickets are positioned on the right side of the course, with one on each side of the center wicket.
Two wickets are positioned on the left side of the course, with one on each side of the center wicket.
Exact distances may vary based on available playing space, terrain, competition level, and desired game length. Shorter layouts generally produce faster games.

Organizers may modify course dimensions and layouts as needed.

Your Turn

Take your shot.
Take any bonus shots earned.
Your turn ends when no bonus shots remain.

Plan your turn and be ready to hit your ball.

Starting the Game. On a player’s first shot, place the ball one mallet-head length behind Wicket #1 and strike it through Wicket #1. On that first shot only, the player may take a mulligan and start again. If a player fails to clear both opening wickets during their first turn, remove their ball from play until the player’s next turn, when it is played again from the starting position.

Running Wickets

Wickets must be completed in the correct order and direction.
A wicket counts only if the ball fully passes through the wicket and comes to rest completely clear of it.
If any portion of the ball remains on the non-through side, the wicket has not been completed.

Bonus Shots

Wicket Bonus — One (1) Shot

A non-poison ball that passes through a wicket in the proper order and direction earns one (1) bonus shot.

Previously accumulated bonus shots are forfeited when a player strikes their ball through a wicket.
Any dead balls become live again.
If a ball clears multiple wickets in order on a single shot, the player receives one (1) bonus shot for each wicket.

Roquet Bonus — Two (2) Shots

A non-poison ball that legally strikes another live ball earns two (2) bonus shots:

Croquet Shot (Shot 1) – The striker may place the ball touching the struck ball, then play the shot so that one or both balls move. At least one ball must move or the shot is a fault or mishit.
Alternative Shot 1 – Instead of placing the ball touching the struck ball, the striker may play from where the ball came to rest or move it anywhere within one mallet-head length of the struck ball and play from there.
Continuation Shot (Shot 2) – After Shot 1, the striker plays again from where their ball comes to rest.

The struck ball then becomes “dead” to the striker. The striker must complete another wicket before earning bonus shots again for striking that same ball.

Wicket + Roquet Combination Rule

If a single shot both completes a wicket and strikes one or more balls on the far side of that wicket, the player earns the wicket bonus plus the roquet bonus for each ball struck.

This applies regardless of whether contact occurred before or after the striker ball passed fully through the wicket.

Stake Bonus — One (1) Shot

A non-poison ball that strikes the stake in order earns one bonus shot. All other bonus shots are forfeited. Striking the stake does not change the dead-ball status of opponent balls.

Poison Ball Bonus

A Poison ball earns only one bonus shot after striking another ball and can never have more than one bonus shot.

Example: If a Poison ball strikes two opponent balls on the same shot, both opponent balls are eliminated, and the Poison ball receives one bonus shot. If it strikes another ball on the next shot, it earns one new bonus shot.

Teammates / Second Balls

A player’s second ball or teammate’s ball is treated the same as an opponent’s ball for bonus-shot purposes.

Dead Ball Rule

A player may earn bonus shots from a particular ball only once before completing their next wicket.

After a successful hit, that ball becomes “dead” to the striker until the striker completes their next wicket.
Hitting a dead ball does not award bonus shots.

Clearing Deadness

Completing a wicket clears all accumulated dead-ball status.

Croquet Shot Placement

After striking another ball, the striker may:

Play from where their ball stopped, or
Place their ball anywhere within one mallet-head length of the struck ball, including directly against it.

Out-of-Bounds Option

If the striker’s ball went out of bounds during the shot, the striker may instead:
Place the ball one mallet-head length in bounds from where it exited, consuming one remaining bonus shot if applicable.

Minimum Ball Movement

Intentional shots must move the striker’s ball at least one full rotation.
Accidental mis-hits traveling less than one full rotation may be replayed without penalty.
Tiny “tap” shots intended only to stall play are prohibited.

No Foot Shots

Players may not hold, trap, or stabilize a ball with a foot, hand, or object while shooting.
Push-style foot shots and similar techniques are prohibited.
The striker’s ball must remain free to move naturally when struck.

Poison Ball Rules

Becoming Poison

A ball becomes Poison after completing the full course and striking the finishing stake.

Poison Ball Abilities

Any ball struck by a Poison Ball is immediately eliminated and removed from play.

Poison Ball Restrictions

After eliminating another ball, a Poison Ball must play from where it comes to rest.
A Poison Ball may not use mallet-head placement after an elimination.

Attacking Poison Balls

Non-poison balls receive normal roquet bonuses for striking Poison Balls.
Players may intentionally eliminate a Poison Ball by causing it to:
pass through any wicket, or
strike any stake.

Poison Ball Elimination

A Poison ball is immediately eliminated if it:

passes through any wicket, or
strikes any stake, or
is struck by another poison ball.

Balls struck by a Poison ball are eliminated even if the Poison ball is eliminated on the same shot, provided the Poison ball struck the other ball(s) prior to being eliminated.

EXAMPLE: The Blue ball hits the Poison Red ball and receives two (2) shots (“Roquet Bonus”). With the 1st bonus shot, Blue places his ball against the Red ball and hits a CROQUET shot that causes the Poison Red ball to travel across the course where it hits the Black ball, deflects through a wicket and finally hits the Yellow ball. The Black ball is immediately eliminated when struck by the Poison Red ball. The Poison Red ball is eliminated when it passes through the wicket and has no effect when it subsequently hits the yellow ball. The Yellow ball lives and may be returned to where it was struck by the Red ball, since the Red ball was no longer in play when it the Yellow ball.

All-Poison Endgame

Once all remaining balls are Poison Balls:

Players must make reasonable efforts to engage opposing balls.
Retreating or intentional stalling is prohibited.
Officials may require replayed shots or assess penalties for obvious avoidance tactics.

Examples

Hitting away from opponents may be treated as retreating and can result in the ball being returned to its original position and loss of turn. Hitting the ball less than one full rotation may be treated as stalling and must be replayed from the ball’s new position. A second stalling violation results in a severe penalty: loss of the player’s next turn.

Out-of-Bounds

When a ball leaves the field of play:

The ball is returned one mallet-head length in bounds from the point where it exited.

Penalty

If bonus shots remained, one remaining bonus shot is forfeited.
If no bonus shots remained, no additional penalty applies.

Simultaneous Out-of-Bounds Roquet

If a striker legally strikes another ball and one or both balls travel out of bounds during the same shot:

The struck ball is returned first.
The striker may then either:
Return their own ball inbounds normally, or
Place their ball within one mallet-head length of the returned struck ball if bonus shots were earned prior to going out of bounds.

Obstacle Relief

Balls may be moved up to one mallet-head length away from:

Fixed obstacles,
Walls,
Fences,
or boundary markers.

Mis-Hits, Pushes & Double-Taps

Mis-Hits

If an accidental mishit causes the ball to travel less than one full rotation:
the shot does not count,
no penalty applies,
and the shot may be replayed, with the ball being returned to its original position if any advantage was gained by the mishit.

An accidental mishit is different from simply hitting the ball more softly than intended.

Illegal Shots

Push shots, trapping, shoveling, or double-contact strikes are illegal.
A legal shot must consist of one clean strike.

Penalty

Balls are restored as closely as possible.
The offending player loses their turn.
No bonus shots are awarded.

Dangerous Play & Safety

Waist-Level Rule

Players may not raise the mallet head above waist height while striking.
Excessive baseball-style swings are prohibited.

Penalty

Balls are restored as closely as possible.
The offending player loses their turn.
An official warning is issued.

Second Violation

A second dangerous-play violation during the same match results in elimination.

Players are personally responsible for injuries or property damage caused by reckless or intentional misconduct.

Pace of Play

Players should generally play within 30 seconds.
Repeated delays may result in:
loss of bonus shots,
forfeiture of turn,
or other penalties at organizer discretion.

Sportsmanship

Players are expected to:

Play honestly.
Respect rulings.
Maintain pace of play.
Compete aggressively but fairly.
Avoid abusive or threatening behavior.
Help maintain a fun, family-friendly competitive environment.

Physical intimidation or dangerous conduct may result in immediate removal from play.

Optional Tournament Rules

Organizers may optionally implement:

Time limits.
Single-elimination brackets.
Team leagues.
Handicap systems.
Referee review authority.
Alternate course layouts.
Local house rules.

Event organizers retain final authority on unresolved disputes and interpretations.

Common House Rules

The rules above are intended to create consistency and reduce in-match disputes, but some games use variations preferred by the host (“house rules”). Common examples include:

Foot-Sends Permitted – On the first of the two bonus shots earned for striking another ball, the striker may place their ball anywhere within one mallet-head length of the struck ball, including directly against it. With the balls touching, the striker may place a foot on their own ball to try to keep it still while striking it, sending the other ball elsewhere on the course.
Out-of-Bounds Penalty – If a player hits a ball out of bounds, it remains there until that player’s next turn. On that next turn, the player brings the ball back in bounds one mallet-head length from where it exited, and the turn then ends.
No Penalty Restart – If a player fails to send their opening shot through the first pair of wickets, they may immediately restart. They may continue restarting until they clear those two wickets on the opening shot.