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ASPECTS OF THE GAME

Introduction

There are many aspects of the game that deserve to be covered in greater detail than is possible here. In order to do justice to this section, there follows a list of links to subjects that are excellently covered in Ian Plummer's Oxford Croquet website.

Section 1 - For the Complete Beginner:

For beginners to players with handicaps of around 16 (see Handicap Play below)

Simplified Association Croquet Rules	This is a Short Summary of the Laws of Association Rules Croquet
Aiming in Croquet Strokes - Not Half the Angle!	How to line up balls in a croquet stroke and the type of stroke to play.

Section 2 - Miscellaneous Beginners' Material on Tactics:

Handicap Play	What is Handicap Play and How Handicaps Work
Handicap Ability Table	A Lighthearted Indication of the Abilities of Players with Various Handicaps
Handicapping	A Guide by the Croquet Association
Principles of Handicapping	A Guide written by Bill Lamb in 1996
Variations in Handicap Play	Geoffey Cuttle Discusses Handicap Play
Variable Base Handicap Play	A System which Speeds up Handicap Play
Croquet Etiquette	A Guide for New Players at Club Fixtures and Tournaments
Which Ball to Hit?	What to Bear in Mind when Deciding which Ball to Shoot at
*How Not* To Play Croquet**	'Aunt Emma' Non-Tactics. What to Avoid
Croquet Technique	John Riches' Coaching booklets: this one covers the analysis of basic strokes.
Recognition of Errors	John Riches' Coaching booklets: this one covers the common errors in basic strokes.

Section 3 - Intermediate Level Coaching:

For handicaps of around 14 down to around 6

Intermediate 1	The Four-Ball Break
Intermediate 2	The Three-Ball Break
Intermediate 2a	Modified Three-Ball Break Pioneer Positions
Intermediate 3	Changing Pivot in a Four-Ball Break
Intermediate 4	The Start of the Game
Intermediate 5	Openings
Intermediate 6	Leaves and Ball Positions
Intermediate 7	Getting Balls into Play
Intermediate 8	Special Shots
Intermediate 9	Using Bisques
Intermediate 10	Tactics Against Better Players
Intermediate 11	Giving Bisques
Intermediate 12	Wiring
Intermediate 13	Pegging Out
Intermediate 14	Advanced Play
Intermediate 15	The Triple Peel

Lessons in Tactics	John Riches' Coaching booklets: this one covers intermediate to advanced tactics
Practice Routines	Suggestions for practice routines aimed at players with a handicap of 12 or below.
Retro-Synthetic Break Building	Planning Six Strokes Ahead!
Getting Boundary Balls into Play	Illustrations of how to Dig Balls off Boundaries and Build a Break
Running Angled Hoops	Dave Kibble describes how it is done
Cannons	Simple Recipes For Arranging Balls For Cannons
Cannons For Beginners	More Details On Arranging Cannons - By Allen Parker
Sweep Shots	How to Play a Special Shot when your Back Swing is Hindered
Silver Gilt Coaching Principles	Course notes accompanying the Silver Gilt Coaching Course
The Mental Approach	John Riches' Coaching booklets: sports psychology applied to croquet
Stop Shot Techniques	Different methods of playing the stroke including hitting off-centre

Section 4 - Advanced Level Material:

Peeling Including The Triple Peel	Details of the Various Forms of Peeling and What can go Wrong
The Triple Peel - Peeling Opportunities	When the Peels of a Triple Peel may be done Easily
Croquet Leaves	Diagrams of the OSL, NSL, Diagonal Spread, etc.
The Super-Shot Opening	Robert Fulford's Analysis
The Sextuple Peel	One Method to Achieve the Six Peels
1-Back Leaves	Robert Fulford's Analysis of Leaves for the Sextuple
Popping	Peeling the Opponent to get a Stronger Leave
Duffer's Tice, Anti-Duffer's Tice, the Dream Leave and the Tea Lady	A couple of openings, a leave and a shot used in Advance Play which have special names.
A Sextuple Match	An example of the tactics and play preceding a sextuple
Options after peeling 4-back going to hoop 6	Leading players offer their advice on continuing the triple peel.
Beating Better Players	Pete Trimmer on how to slay World Champions
Completing the Sextuple	Experts discuss their methods of executing a Sextuple

Page last updated on 30th January 2006
Any comments or information to info@bowdoncroquet.co.uk.