Indoor Croquet

Laws of Doubles Indoor Speed Short Croquet (Soham variant)

This is a timed version of Short Croquet (see the Laws of Short Croquet). Those laws and the laws of handicap doubles play apply, subject to the following modifications:

1. Handicaps. Each side is entitled to a number of bisques, or is required to make a number of mandatory peels as given in the schedule of Bisques and Mandatory Peels below.

If both sides are entitled to bisques they receive the appropriate number as in full bisque handicap play. No bisques may be used by a side once they have run out of time.

In addition, each side containing a -2 or better handicap player shall have 10% (2.5 minutes for a 25 minute game) deducted from its time allowance regardless of the total handicap

2. A player may not peel the partner's ball through more than two hoops.

Mandatory Peels. Either ball of a side may be peeled by its partner ball to count as a mandatory peel. When the number of mandatory peels outstanding is equal to the number of hoop points remaining to be scored by the side no point can be scored by running a hoop.

If an opponent's ball is peeled and the number of that side's mandatory peels is equal to the number of points remaining to be scored, then that side's outstanding mandatory peels are reduced by one for each peel made on his ball.

3. Pegging Out. Law 38 applies. If an adversary's rover ball is pegged out when that side has mandatory peels outstanding, all those peels are cancelled.
4. Wiring Lift. Law 13 applies as in normal Association Croquet (i.e. wired from all balls, not just partner ball)
5. Each game will be allocated a specific time (50 mins) and each team has half that time (25 mins less any time adjustments due to handicaps). The clock for the team in play will be stopped when the striker and partner have quit the carpet at the end of the tum, having replaced all balls and clips in their legal positions and all balls have come to rest. The opponents' clock will be switched on at the same time. If an opponent comes on to the carpet before the team has left the carpet then the opponents' clock will be started and the strikers' will be stopped. There is an exception to this rule whereby any player using a wheelchair their opponents turns will function as above but for the wheelchair user their clock will only start when they strike the first ball of a turn and will finish when the last ball hit comes to stop with the clock being paused to allow time for them to access and exit the court.
6. Expiry of Time. When Time is called the striker has, in that tum, one more shot, which may be a croquet, but with no continuation stroke. This condition applies to the second side as well as the first. For all subsequent turns of the first side to run out of time, only single ball shots are allowed (no roquets, no croquets). Hoop and peg points may be scored and lifts claimed. The striker's ball may score a hoop or peg point after ricocheting off another ball (since the striking of the other ball is not a roquet). A time limit of 20 seconds is placed on these single ball shots.
7. If the score is level when both sides have run out of time the result is a draw.
8. Baulks. A and B baulks extend from comers I and 3, not to the centre-line but to a point on the North/South boundary level with the centre of hoops I and 3 respectively.
9. Stopping the Clocks. Timekeepers should stop the clocks only at the striker's request if the striker has to wait for a double-banked game, if a referee is called on, until he has adjudicated, or is ready for the stroke to be played. Whilst clocks are stopped, players must not discuss tactics with a partner or adjust the position of balls. If this occurs, clocks may be started.
10. Winning Criteria
11. A Win point is defined as 1 for a win, ½ for a draw and 0 for a loss
12. A Win Within Time is defined as a win in which both balls are pegged out either before both teams' time has expired or in the single shot allowed immediately after time has been called.
13. The winner is the team with the highest number of Win points.
14. If all teams in the tie have played one another the result is decided on whom beat who.
15. If there is still a tie, then the winner is the team with the highest number of wins within time.
16. If the above cannot resolve the tie then total net points scored by each team in the tie is used
17. If still a tie, then a Hemming Tie Break is used.
18. Advanced play. peels penalties from the handicap system still apply but no time penalties.