Game review - Croquet

Mechanics: dexterity, outdoor play
Game difficulty: Easy
Duration of the game: 45 min
Number of players: 2-6
Best number of players: 4-6
Language: should be known only if you happen to speak profanity on very crooked beats.

While it is still the summer season and a large part of free time is spent outdoors, I can't help but look at the best outdoor game currently available on the Latvian market. It is the legendary and always loved in our family - croquet. I will note that croquet also has very exciting official rules, but it already needs a much more professional set, a perfect lawn, and since I have been playing croquet since the days when the rules spread like songs, with the help of word of mouth, I will describe the game that I play, respect and love.

Topic:
We hit balls around the garden with wooden sticks, the theme depends on whether we play croquet with friends in Jāņi or Pēteri, everything else is a pure sports game. Croquet is themed the same as volleyball or soccer.

Components:

They depend on the set you buy. Croquet can be bought for both EUR 20 and EUR 250, but in general it consists of 6 wooden sticks, 6 heavy balls, a goal and 2 stakes at the end points of the game. To begin with, I advise you not to overdo it by finding an expensive croquet, I myself have a croquet that can be purchased at the Brain Games store for 54 EUR and it is of very good quality (https://www.brain-games.lv/products/krikets-ara-spele). I would definitely recommend looking at a croquet set that has 6 sticks as well as balls that are not made of wood, because they will wear out very quickly.

Mechanics:
According to the official rules, players fight for each wicket and collect points, but for a garden party, the rules where players start from one peg and try to knock the ball through 10 wickets as quickly as possible will suffice. Kicking the ball through the goal gives you an extra shot. We also play by the rules that touching another ball gives you an extra two strokes, which makes the game much more strategic and also offers a fair catch mechanism to try and catch the lead. One of the funniest rules is croquet, which allows you to put the ball next to each other, put your foot on your ball and hit it with all your strength so that the opponent's ball ends up in the bushes. While often managing to stick your thumb out, other times the move pays off. The most interesting way to play croquet is in pairs, where you play 3 vs. 3 and each team controls 2 balls. This creates even more strategic judgments and positioning. Also, it is interesting to play in pairs when two people take turns hitting one ball each - my wife and I are a great team here and we can synchronize very well with separate hitting styles.

Multiplayer:
Multiplayer depends on the imagination of the players and how differently they can arrange the field. In principle, it is unlimited, because croquet next to sharp rose bushes, on the lawn or next to the path along which the balls roll will be a completely different game.

Rating:
There's something magical about croquet, it's a game I can recommend to anyone. If I have a clumsy friend, I can pair them up with experts. Young and old, regardless of board game experience, enjoy playing it. It's a game I look forward to every summer when I can pull it out of the closet and set it up in my fields. Definitely recommend to everyone. Rating 9 out of 10.

You can buy the game at Brain Games stores on the 1st floor of Rīga Plaza or at K. Barona Street 55.

Author: Kristaps Auzāns

Pictures from Internet resources.