THE LAWS OF ASSOCIATION CROQUET
Copyright © 1989 The Croquet Association
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PART 3 - Other Forms of Play - C. Handicap Singles Play
38. BISQUES
(a) DEFINITION. A bisque is an extra turn given
in handicap play and can only be played by the striker with the striker's ball of the
preceding turn. A half-bisque is a restricted extra turn in which no point can be scored for
any ball.
(b) NUMBER TO BE GIVEN. The number of
bisques to be given by the lower-handicapped player to the higher is the difference between
their handicaps. A bisque may not be split into two half-bisques.
(c) WHEN A BISQUE MAY BE PLAYED. The
player receiving a half-bisque or one or more bisques may play it or them at any time of
the game whatsoever subject to Law 50(c)(2) , and, if
receiving more than one, in succession. This law overrides Law 6
but reference in Law 28 to the first four turns of the
game does not include half-bisques or bisques.
(d) INDICATION OF INTENTION TO PLAY A
HALF-BISQUE OR BISQUE.
(1) At the conclusion of a turn the striker must give a clear
indication of his intention before playing a half-bisque or bisque. If he fails to do so but
continues to play, Law 27 applies. Once the error has been
rectified, the striker may then play a half-bisque or bisque.
(2) If the striker is entitled to play either a half-bisque or
a bisque and indicates an intention of playing one or the other, he may change his mind at
any time before playing a stroke provided that he indicates his revised intention
accordingly. If he indicates an intention of playing one or the other without specifying
which, he is deemed to have indicated an intention of playing a bisque.
(3) If the striker has played all the strokes to which he is
entitled and indicates that he is not going to play a half-bisque or bisque, either by words
or by quitting the court, he may not change his mind. The adversary must not start his turn
until the striker has so indicated.
(e) THE ADVERSARY'S DUTY. The adversary
must forestall play if he observes that the striker is about to play a half- bisque or bisque
before he has played all the strokes that he is entitled to play. If the adversary fails to do
so the striker is deemed to have played the half-bisque or bisque validly.
(f) PLAYING A WRONG BALL .
Notwithstanding (a) above, if the striker plays a wrong ball under
Law 28(b) in the first stroke of a non-bisque turn and the error is not condoned, he
may play with either of his balls if he then elects to play a half-bisque or bisque.
(g) PLAYING WHEN MISLED . The expression
"line of play" in Law 35(a)(1) includes a decision whether
or not to play a half-bisque or bisque.
(h) RESTORATION OF BISQUES AFTER CERTAIN
ERRORS.
(1) Law 27 . If the striker plays
when not entitled to do so, any half bisque or bisque played after the first stroke in error
is restored if the error is discovered before the end of the game.
(2) Law 28(b) . If the striker
plays a wrong ball, any half-bisque or bisque played after the first stroke in error is only
restored if the error is discovered before the first stroke of the adversary's next turn.
(3) Law 28(c) . If a game is
restarted under Law 28(c) , any half bisque or bisque played
by either player is restored.
(4) Law 30(d) . If a ball that
has not been pegged out is removed from the court or a ball that bas been pegged out is left
in play, any half- bisque or bisque played after the first stroke in error is restored if the
error is discovered before the end of the game.
HTML files prepared by Dr. Ian Plummer.